Saxophone Dynamic Mic Comparison
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- Опубліковано 26 сер 2024
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In this video we look at 4 different dynamic microphones and how they handle the tenor saxophone. These mics range in price from under $100 all the way up to about $450. You will hear that the results vary greatly.
The mics we compare include the:
Audi Technica ATR 2100
Shure SM57: amzn.to/3dT2pb1
Electrovoice RE 320: amzn.to/3bMbEaU
Electrovoice RE 20: amzn.to/2x20uQN
Enjoy this video comparison and let me know what you think about the results!
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The ATR2100 sounds hollow, the 57 sounds OK, the RE 320 catches a lot of breath/air noise, the RE 20 sounds muffled. I'd go for the 57 and may give a go to the 320.
This is a very good comparison, thanks.
totally agreed
Having played the REs and 57 live a LOT.... the RE20 is by far the best, not even a contest. RE320 is a bit livelier. But I've only played a couple mics I liked better than the RE20. For perspective I've played around 1500 gigs across the US and internationally. Any time a club has an RE20 available I use it over the one I travel with (small mic that fits in my case)
My favorite is the RE 20. I think it has the flattest response and is the easiest to work with when adding EQ, Compression, and Reverb. What's your favorite??
I've got 3 of the mics you tried - SM57, RE320 and RE20; I use the RE20 all the time, on tenor. Easily the best live mic for me and I think its the best in your examples too. The SM57 sounds good on your examples, but I prefer a Beta 57 over the regular 57 personally.
Martin Entwistle beta 57 is a good mic. Sennheiser 421 is my go to gig mic. And mine has seen a lot (it’s pretty beat up) but it still sounds great. Another mic I might think about is the akg c214, which is a single pattern version (basically) of their c414. I have two c414 and those are my recording mics. When I have $$$ maybe I’ll try a c214 to replace/retire the 421
@@ericdano Agreed - I've got a C214 for home use...very good on sax for recording. But I wouldn't use it live, its too sensitive for my band at least (loud drummer!!). Haven't tried the C414 so can't compare.
Been using the RE 320 for years. It's never let me down!
RE20
SM-57 for sure! It just seems to sound lovely...
I laughed my ass off at the "yelled and screamed at line". It's like having Toby from HR hype up a mic test video. This was really helpful to hear though, mainly clicked to get a comparison of the RE 20 with the SM57.
I think the Electrovoice RE 320 was the best. It gives you a little more sizzle to the highs but still maintains similar clarity to the Re20; which I think is the second best.
Thank you for this divine video!! Superb vibes and helpful
The 320 sounded pretty realistic for tenor sax, the 20 sounded muted, but maybe that had to do with the settings you chose for it.
Good video Nick. I record at home at well in less than a pristine space and this past year a friend let me borrow a low cost ribbon mic made by Apex. It's a different world from the dynamic mics like the Sennheiser 835 I had been using and warmed up the sound of the horn a lot. I haven't tried any of the real expensive famous mics from companies like Royer but overall I really like the response and smoothness a ribbon can offer. If the ribbon mic is passive however you will need a good mic pre-amp to get the signal going.
Just seeing this 3 years later. I've been playing saxophones with mics since 1974 and have done a lot of A/B testing, sometimes blind testing in a recording studio. I picked the RE-20 of mics I could afford in the mid-1980s and mine is still working. I felt it sounded the best by far here, but the difference was more evident in the lower register "Sunny Side" example. I basically refuse to play through a 57, which has a very distortedly bright and nasal sound to me, and overemphasizes the bell sound -- that is, it doesn't pick up the balance of sounds coming out of all sides and parts of the saxophone the way the RE-20 (and 320) do. I like SM-58 for saxophones a tiny bit better than 57 when they're the only options -- same capsule, I'm told, but different acoustic environment and directionality. I'm OK with Sennheisers but often hear a band of hissy highs that bother me (I don't know the technical details, frequency). About two years ago I got my dream recording mic, the one I always picked in blind testing, a Coles 4038 ribbon mic. I've used it for streaming, but use the RE-20 on gigs. In videos of German jazz festivals, RE-20s on saxes are very common -- for a good reason.
I’ve always wanted to sort of create a home studio for myself . Thanks for this content . Very helpful
Still hoping to see the Review of the Ishimori wood stone and the Eastman52ndst tenors 👏🏽👏🏽
I'm also looking forward to it.
Nick, I think you would benefit more orienting the 20/320 the other way. Perpendicularly to how you mounted them.
Surprinsingly, I found the Shure sounding the best. The 320 sounds very real, it cathes everything, just a bit too bright perhaps. The 20 has by far more body (low + low-mid frequencies): it sounds pretty dark/mellow and cuts-off the higer frequencies, almost like a ribbon mic.
The RE20 is the best, but the sm57 has a certain sound I find pleasing
I thought it had a pleasant warmth.
Apart from the AKG they all sound good if slightly different. At the end of the day how much of that difference gets lost in the mix or can be changed by EQ is a factor.
The 320 is my favorite here.. wouldnt need much tweaking in the DAW.
Surprised with the difference in brightness between the RE320 and RE20. On the first recording sounded like the gain was a little low.
Considering one of these two to use both at home and live. Pros and cons to both, the RE20 had more depth, but the RE320 might have more cut in a live situation.
Currently use an ADK A51 (shame they don't make those anymore) condenser and a Golden Age R2 ribbon mic for recording at home.
I like the 320 and 20, but I noticed with the middle song (sunnyside of the street?) that since the melody is a bit deeper in freq that the 20 did best. However, with saxophone, when not playing in a live setting, placing the mic more horizontal and about a foot up from the bell (not pointed directly at the bell) you can minimize some of the air and get more tone out of it.
Thanks for the video!!!Great tone on all...any compression-compression settings to recommend? i know you have a dry test also... I have the 320...Maybe a revisit with compression reverb etc on those dry tracks lol...ah heck thats a ton of work ...
Definitely a great idea for a video!
The 57 sounds best to me and is a great live mic. For home recording the proximity control on a RE20 0r 320 might be more desirable to keep out any outside sounds I wonder? So what is best for a home or apartment mic with possible unwanted sounds cropping in?
Hey Don! I was actually surprised how much I liked the 57 too when doing side by side comparison. I think as far as blocking outside sounds, they are all pretty similar. A condenser will amplify any ambient sounds much more. The electro voice mics do seem slightly better though as far as isolating the saxophone.
Great video, thanks. The RE20 sounds the best to me. It has the warmest, most alive sound of all of them, not surprising given the price and its reputation. Do you think it is the best on stage as well as in the studio? I have been using a Beyer M201 or a clip on Samson Airline when I have the choice, or whatever the sound engineer offers when I don't (usually an SM57 unless I'm very lucky). I play mostly Baritone sax and clarinet and find it hard to get enough volume (except with the Samson) to compete with drumkits and electric guitars.
I think it's great for on stage use however, I see a lot more sm57's used at venues probably due to their low cost and durability
Nice comparison Nick! I liked the the RE20 the most, followed by the SM57, the third placed was a tie between the RE320 and the ATR2100. BTW, what saxophone are you using on the video? An Ishimori?
Yup! Ishimori Woodstone. I have a review video of the horn if you want to check it out.
SM57
I dis agree the ATR 2100 sounds muffled. I think it sounds almost the same as the RE 20! Saxophone is usually recorded too bright and whiney, especially Alto. I think I could do serious professional studio work with the ATR 2100. My next favorite is the RE 20. I am a Pro player and have done a lot of playing with 57 and 58s and find them harsh and brash on sax, always needing to be EQ'd to mellow them out. The ATR 210 is already warm and pretty flat, as is th RE 20. They are damn close for the price difference. The 57 is uneven and too bright in tone, the 320 too breathy.
Great video!
Thanks for this vídeo!!
Great video thanks
RE20 wins. ATR2100 surprisingly better than SM57 though! So 57 in last place, purely for this application mind you.
I use an RE20 it’s awesome
Sm 57
Hi Nick
I thought that the natural sound of the tenor was the RE20 hands down..
I am searching for a RE20 these days..
I find my Sennheiser 421 somehow not receptive,,or i always have to be close to get results..which is annoying.
Thanks for the videos!!
Mario
RE 320 is my favourite
i like re 320
I like the 57 the rope end mic’s sound dull
I use an original 60’s 421 which works really well and you can pick them up for around €300. Have you tried one ? Would be interested in your thoughts.
I have had sound people use those for me in live situations, but have never tried one in a studio.
Where is the sennheiser 421 like what you see a lot of guys playing in (SNL in the 90s for example)
You know, I was actually thinking about that mic. I don't own it, unfortunately!
Nick Mainella yeah, it’s a solid choice. It’s cheap. And I’ve seen a lot of guys play on them. I’ve had mine for 15 years now? It was used and had seen action as a Tom Tom mic, and I’ve given it some scars as well, but the thing still sounds great. I even had to 3D print a new clip for it. It will not die.
The original 421 was pretty darn good, but I think the 421 II (current version) was not so great for saxophone.
@@improvsax True enough. This is why I have the original one ;-)
@@ericdano I recorded a tenor sax player w/ an RE20 that I was borrowing and fell in love with the mic. Shortly after I recorded an alto sax player with an S421 and it was way brighter. I guess it depends what sound you're going for. S421 sounds killer on percussion!
Syos mouthpiece
Did you try a Beyerdinamic 201? I cant find any video of it on tenor sax
I bought a Beyedinamic 201 for my tenor, I liked it a lot better. I always hated de 57, and the 58 a bit less.
ATR 2100+
Is there a cool mic 🎤 that works well going directly into the iPhone?
Hm. I don't own an iPhone so I'm not sure. I bet there's something out there!
Check Out BetterSax (Jay Metclaff) here on UA-cam ,he's just after doing a demo on iPhone mic's.
I can actually answer this follow me on Instagram and we can talk
Do any of these dynamic mics require phantom power? I’m trying an experimental setup for a project and I won’t have phantom power available. Thanks for the demo!
Nope. Only condenser mics require phantom power unless you want to put an in-line pre-amp in your signal chain.
Nick Mainella Thanks for the reply! That is good to know!
Note that the 57 is a quiet mike. If your preamp has not a lot of gain, you'll have to add a Fethead or similar (phantom power required then)
Humm wonder what the results would be in a double blind test...anyone could be useful in the proper context... anyone could be eq'd to resemble the other.
re 320 best
The only one I would even consider is the RE20. SM57 sounded as bad as I always remember- none of the others sounded very good to me either. Perhaps with EQ, but even then I wouldn’t bother with the others.
i am yelling and screaming at you