Hey Phill, thanks for this great topic!! I haven't been able to listen on anything other than my CRAP computer speakers - I've tried unsuccessfully to take the video into the studio, but I'll keep trying. On the 1st playing segment, the frequency content of MIC B sounds more linear, MIC A a little richer/warmer. I'm actually impressed at how similar the 2 mics sound (at least on my PC). I always use ribbons on trumpets and trombones. My preferred mics are: Royer 121, Coles 4038, RCA 44. For french horns, I use smooth condensers like KM84 or KM86, overhead for the reflected sound - not to the rear. The challenges with condensers on "hard" brass: 1) potential failure of the internal electronics to tolerate the high SPL, resulting in compression or distortion and 2) the sound can be (accurately) brighter than any audience ever hears because of the natural HF attenuation as the sound passes through the air. Most of my recording is orchestral, so the trumpets are 30 feet away from the "listener" and the ribbons work great. As you point out, the ribbon begins life as a figure 8 pattern, but some mics are more "8" than others. I find the Coles to be more open to the rear than Royer, but that is just my anecdotal and unscientific opinion. Thanks again for dealing with this interesting topic and I look forward to the next video!
Interesting to hear from. The engineers perspective. My favourite microphone on trumpet is actually the royer R122. The active ribbon sounds amazing to my ears and super smooth. However it is very expensive. I chose these 2 microphones because they're much more affordable for the average trumpet player in their home.
My guess is Mic A is the condenser and B the ribbon. I like B better, I think it helps lesson the percussive sound of the trumpet and has better highs and lows. BTW great playing and your videos are very informative.
Hi Joe, Thanks for joining in the conversation. It’s good to see your reason behind your preference. Thanks for sharing. I’ll release the results in a future video soon.
Beautiful playing!! Ok I think mic A is condenser and mic B is ribbon. I like B more because it’s less splatty/spitty sounding. Mic A is very direct, Mic B has more room. I might use condenser for lead trumpet and ribbon for second or third. Unless it’s a ballad. In which case, ribbon all the way. Curious if a fig 8 pattern condenser would soften the sound w the room. I think if you have 2 inputs a trumpet player could have a room mic. Thanks for the video!!!
I really expected this to be an easy exercise to pick out the ribbon mic but I honestly couldn’t tell them apart. I am listening in a new iPhone SE with Bluetooth headphones. If I had to choose one I would pick A. Beautiful playing by the way.
Nice video! I avidly use the Rode NTR myself for trumpet recordings! I think the give away for me for which mic is which is when you start pushing the dynamic envelope of both mics.
I prefer microphone B. I feel like it captures more of the tonal spectrum of the horn throughout the dynamic range. Mic A seems a little less responsive to the nuances of your sound. Both are very nice and produce a clean signal. My opinion...
@@PhillONeillTrumpet My suspicion is that Microphone B is the ribbon mic. I have had better results with those than condenser mics when recording myself.
I'm thinking B is ribbon... It brings out the articulation and inconsistencies of the trumpet in terms of color/timbre. It's a much more natural sound Microphone 1 sounds like it's trying to keep everything in a sort of "static" or consistent timbre. Very difficult to explain. Great playing man 👍
Hi Frank That’s an interesting take on the characteristics of the 2 mics. Yes you are right the ribbon does tend to be more even imo. Keep in mind the NTR is $850 in Australia and the NT2A is $400 so I would expect there to be quite a difference in quality. Which mic are you using to record brass with?
Sorry I didn't get a follow-up video done. I got a bit distracted with COVID ruining my life lol. A is the ribbon mic. I have a new ribbon mic since recording this which I hope to do another video on.
I think A is NT2A condenser and B is NTR ribbon,the mic A is too bright,it exaggerated the high frequency noise of trumpet which covered the musical sound.
Beautiful playing and very instructived video. Thanks so much for sharing. I believed B would be the ribbon mic. It was definitely more warmth sounding.
Thanks Yasek. Yes you are correct mic B is the RTR I've got some new mics now so. I'm planing to do another mic comparison video soon that you might enjoy.
Hey Phill, thanks for this great topic!!
I haven't been able to listen on anything other than my CRAP computer speakers - I've tried unsuccessfully to take the video into the studio, but I'll keep trying. On the 1st playing segment, the frequency content of MIC B sounds more linear, MIC A a little richer/warmer. I'm actually impressed at how similar the 2 mics sound (at least on my PC). I always use ribbons on trumpets and trombones. My preferred mics are: Royer 121, Coles 4038, RCA 44. For french horns, I use smooth condensers like KM84 or KM86, overhead for the reflected sound - not to the rear. The challenges with condensers on "hard" brass: 1) potential failure of the internal electronics to tolerate the high SPL, resulting in compression or distortion and 2) the sound can be (accurately) brighter than any audience ever hears because of the natural HF attenuation as the sound passes through the air. Most of my recording is orchestral, so the trumpets are 30 feet away from the "listener" and the ribbons work great.
As you point out, the ribbon begins life as a figure 8 pattern, but some mics are more "8" than others. I find the Coles to be more open to the rear than Royer, but that is just my anecdotal and unscientific opinion.
Thanks again for dealing with this interesting topic and I look forward to the next video!
Interesting to hear from. The engineers perspective.
My favourite microphone on trumpet is actually the royer R122. The active ribbon sounds amazing to my ears and super smooth. However it is very expensive.
I chose these 2 microphones because they're much more affordable for the average trumpet player in their home.
My guess is Mic A is the condenser and B the ribbon. I like B better, I think it helps lesson the percussive sound of the trumpet and has better highs and lows. BTW great playing and your videos are very informative.
Hi Joe,
Thanks for joining in the conversation. It’s good to see your reason behind your preference. Thanks for sharing. I’ll release the results in a future video soon.
@@PhillONeillTrumpet Where is that future video?
Hi Cody, It’s a work in progress. I have been working on a series of tutorials on Clarkes 2nd studies. Have you seen them?
Beautiful playing!!
Ok I think mic A is condenser and mic B is ribbon. I like B more because it’s less splatty/spitty sounding. Mic A is very direct, Mic B has more room. I might use condenser for lead trumpet and ribbon for second or third. Unless it’s a ballad. In which case, ribbon all the way. Curious if a fig 8 pattern condenser would soften the sound w the room.
I think if you have 2 inputs a trumpet player could have a room mic.
Thanks for the video!!!
Hi Phil! It's been almost a year. Do you think you could just let us know? The suspense is horrible.
For the soft playing i like b better but a is really making the trumpet sizzle authentically when played louder.
Fantastic trumpet playing
Thanks Richard, appreciate your kind words.
I like mic A the best, less of a muffled sound
I don’t know much about recording trumpets but I love the NTR!
The NTR is great value for money. Being able to get great sounding ribbon mics on budget friendly preamps is really incredible!
I really expected this to be an easy exercise to pick out the ribbon mic but I honestly couldn’t tell them apart. I am listening in a new iPhone SE with Bluetooth headphones. If I had to choose one I would pick A. Beautiful playing by the way.
That is I think Mic A is the ribbon mic.
@@GwenMcGill That would be my guess too but there is almost no discernable difference. I am listening on studio monitors too.
A Is the ribbon microphone. I'm kinda glad to hear that there is little difference. That means the position of the microphone is good :)
Nice video! I avidly use the Rode NTR myself for trumpet recordings! I think the give away for me for which mic is which is when you start pushing the dynamic envelope of both mics.
I prefer microphone B. I feel like it captures more of the tonal spectrum of the horn throughout the dynamic range. Mic A seems a little less responsive to the nuances of your sound. Both are very nice and produce a clean signal. My opinion...
Hi Bill,
Thanks for joining in. Good to see your reasoning behind your preference thank you. Do you know which mic is which?
@@PhillONeillTrumpet My suspicion is that Microphone B is the ribbon mic. I have had better results with those than condenser mics when recording myself.
I'm thinking B is ribbon... It brings out the articulation and inconsistencies of the trumpet in terms of color/timbre. It's a much more natural sound Microphone 1 sounds like it's trying to keep everything in a sort of "static" or consistent timbre. Very difficult to explain. Great playing man 👍
Hi Frank That’s an interesting take on the characteristics of the 2 mics. Yes you are right the ribbon does tend to be more even imo. Keep in mind the NTR is $850 in Australia and the NT2A is $400 so I would expect there to be quite a difference in quality.
Which mic are you using to record brass with?
I like A better. Sound is richer and fuller and more vibrant. To my ears. Which is it?
Were I can find the answer ? To me the B sounds more realistic. I would like to know if the B is the ribbon microphone 🎙
A - condenser, B - ribbon.
Ribbon is my preference by far.
Did you ever post the follow-up video? I'm not finding it. I would love to know which is which.
Sorry I didn't get a follow-up video done. I got a bit distracted with COVID ruining my life lol.
A is the ribbon mic. I have a new ribbon mic since recording this which I hope to do another video on.
@@PhillONeillTrumpet Thanks so much for the reply! I'll watch the next one. :)
I think A is NT2A condenser and B is NTR ribbon,the mic A is too bright,it exaggerated the high frequency noise of trumpet which covered the musical sound.
No such thing as too bright. It's just about colour and if that's the colour you're going for.
How far are you from the mics? It's a little tricky to tell from the video. Thanks Phil!
about 6 inches from the end of the bell to the microphones. they are slightly below the bell also.
To my ears, ‘A’ seems more present/brilliant. ‘B’ is a bit smoother/darker, maybe.
I think A is brighter and B has more core sound. They’re so different I can’t decide which I prefer. Is it correct to guess B is the ribbon?
Beautiful playing and very instructived video. Thanks so much for sharing. I believed B would be the ribbon mic. It was definitely more warmth sounding.
Thanks Yasek.
Yes you are correct mic B is the RTR I've got some new mics now so. I'm planing to do another mic comparison video soon that you might enjoy.
what kind of trumpet are you using?
I'm using the stomvi titan 4VE.
What Ru playing on?
@@PhillONeillTrumpet Van laar B7 and Bach Commercial :)
thanks for the great content!
Fantastic horns. Both very bright sounding too!!
I like B the best
Why do you like B the best? Can you tell which is the ribbon and which is the condenser?
90% of people listen to music on a cell phone🤪🤔