Build a Microphone Cabinet on any Budget

Sep 1, 2000 12:00 PM, BRIAN KNAVE AND MYLES BOISEN

           
 

Basic Coverage Deluxe ($7,500)

By Myles Boisen

(1) Shure SM 57 ($146)
(1) Electro-Voice N/D 468 ($278)
(1) Sennheiser E604 ($249)
(1) Sennheiser MD 421 II ($485)
(1) Sennheiser E602 ($319)
(2) Neumann KM 184 ($1,458 for matched pair)
(1) Lawson L47MP ($1,995)

At the risk of getting boring and predictable, I've already scored my ideal dynamic drum-mic cabinet at the lower-budget level, and I'm sticking by those choices. These mics have always served me well, so my strategy here is to upgrade the condenser-mic section of my growing vault while still keeping a little dough stashed away in the bank.

For drum-overhead miking, I'm moving up to the highly regarded Neumann KM 184. Known for its low noise, crisp and detailed response, and full lows, this relative newcomer has already established itself as an industry standard. Additionally, it is available in specially matched stereo pairs.

In this category, however, I must give an honorable mention to my all-time favorite among small-diaphragm condensers: the Schoeps 221b, a vintage tube microphone with switchable cardioid and omnidirectional pickup patterns. Fortunately, these mics are still plentiful - you can get one for about $1,000 - and are often available in pairs (though there's no guarantee they will be closely matched in response). The KM 184 and 221b are also excellent for many other stereo-miking applications, including acoustic guitar, piano, and percussion.

In the exalted large-diaphragm condenser microphone category, nothing says "deluxe" quite like the Lawson L47MP tube mic, which is plated in 24-carat gold. This microphone has become an indispensable tool in my studio ever since Brian Knave and I brought it in for an EM comparison test two years ago. It's my first choice for vocal, saxophone, and organ tracks, and it can do amazing things for hard-rocking electric guitar, acoustic guitar and bass, and room ambience. In addition to its lush and "tube-y" tone, the L47MP has a continuously variable pickup-pattern selector on the power supply that can be adjusted from the control room to produce dramatic changes in room sound and timbre.