[Harp-L] RE: Element poll

[Ron Sunshine <ronsunshine@xxxxxxx>]

I have to agree with Greg on this one, although I can see both sides  
of the question.  I have had a few hundred (literally) mics come  
through my house in the past 12 months.  While it possible to make  
almost any decent mic sound better by fooling around with your  
controls, bridging channels, EQ-ing, etc., when you come across a  
really hot element it just really *sings* for exactly the reasons  
Greg specified.  Greg knows far more than I do about the technical  
side of things.  I just go by what I hear, and I hear a lot more  
tonal colors in certain very loud elements that I have tested, be  
they dynamic or crystal, or what have you.  Those harmonics are the  
key, like Greg said.  I keep my loudest, hottest, nastiest Shure CM  
by my amp, and test everything that comes in against it.  It's easy  
to hear the tonal contrast with the weaker elements, in most cases.

Sure, with weaker elements it is possible to just crank the amp a  
little higher and approximate, maybe not exactly duplicate, the tone  
of the hotter elements.  Almost.  Only our discriminating harmonica  
player ears would note the difference, probably.

BTW, I have just emerged from my basement where I was testing out a  
new batch of beauties that I got back from Chuck Gurney yesterday.   
Holy Cow!  There will be some great harp mics coming up for sale  
soon.  Biscuits, bullets, etc.  I may even sell my brushed chrome  
Shure 7A shell with a black CR inside.  Extremely hot element, of  
course, ha ha.  I have never engaged in shameless commerce on harp-l  
before, so I figured I was about due.  Good question, Wezo.  I'd like  
to hear more opinions.
-------------------
Ron Sunshine
Deluxe Vintage Mics
Golden Bug Entertainment
Ron Sunshine & Full Swing
Ron Sunshine & his Orchestra
Jazz, Blues and R&B from NYC
24-hour voice mail:  212-714-4510
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