This is probably the best vocal tone I’ve ever heard. The 017 FET has always been my favorite of your mics. I’m very sensitive to sibilance and to my ear, your other mics have a “zing” at about 10 kHz that make them fatiguing to me. With the Soyuz, no matter how long or how loud I listen to your voice, my ears never get tired. But like you said, that pleasing, relaxed sound (which I prefer) isn’t the best for commercial. The Skulpter does add a punch to the 017 FET, and yet it’s still so smooth and easy to listen, so it’s really the best of both. It sounds incredible.
That is some very high praise and I'm deeply flattered. I totally agree. I can get away with some zing on spots but it is problematic with my voice since I naturally cause that zing on a lot of mics, as you have noticed. So yeah, being able to dial in the Soyuz, which I totally love as well, is a huge win for me here and pretty much saved me the trouble of just selling off the Soyuz because it wasn't being used. The Skulpter is true magic here. Thank you again.
Takes the buttery sound away and adds some cutting power on the top end. If I'm being honest I liked it when you had the low cut and slight compression without the sculpter circuit engaged. It still had that soyuz sound but more tamed. Not that the sculpter circuit was bad, it just took away the sound that makes the soyuz sound like the soyuz. Keep it up Mark, you're definitely the cult classic of microphone channels.
Thank you! That is the highest compliment. And don’t forget, what sounds best in your headphones is not necessarily what sounds best for VO. It’s hard not to use your best sound, but the consideration for VO is a much more complicated consideration. I do love that Soyuz sound.
I’m amazed on how much knowledge you give on this channel. I may not be able to use it(right now) but when I need it, it will be in my tool box ready for me! Thx
I'm glad you're getting a lot out of it. From experience, I can say a well-stocked tool box is always in your favor. Much better to be armed with knowledge before you need it than after.
@ my current carrier is in Sales (not for long! Full time VO hopefully by end of first quarter) my favorite phrase given to my from my first sales coach 20 years ago.. eat the meat and throw away the bone. I just adjust it and put the bones in the tool box lol.
Wow. That sounds fantastic. That Skulpter is absolutely gorgeous. What a sound. Hey, I just got the Xpector and the knobs are the best feeling knobs I've ever twisted. Is it the same on the Skulpter? They look identical. Anyway, great video!
Hey Jar! I have not, but one of the reasons I'm gravitating toward new preamps is that I'm just craving a little more of an analog sound and I'm trying to get away from character plug ins, but I bet Elysia's Karacter harmonics plug is worth a try.
Everyone's voice is different but that being said, what is your most 'winning-est' microphone and why in your opinion do you think it's so appealing to talent buyers?
Lauten Clarion has the highest win-rate for commercials which is why it's my main axe now and I think it has everything to do with having a more modern sound that includes a lot more clarity in the low mids where the Soyuz sounds thick. This is something I've been trying to communicate for a while. The overall sound of what is winning jobs in VO has veered away from vintage sonics over the last few years. Though that vintage leaning may be more desirable in music, what works in music is a whole different playing field with a lot of different considerations.
That Skulpter looks really tempting. I’m mainly producing music at the moment and my vocal chain is a Neve 88rlb into an 1176, LA3a, and Neve 542 tape saturation. The sculptor might be a great flavor all its own.
This is probably the best vocal tone I’ve ever heard.
The 017 FET has always been my favorite of your mics. I’m very sensitive to sibilance and to my ear, your other mics have a “zing” at about 10 kHz that make them fatiguing to me. With the Soyuz, no matter how long or how loud I listen to your voice, my ears never get tired. But like you said, that pleasing, relaxed sound (which I prefer) isn’t the best for commercial. The Skulpter does add a punch to the 017 FET, and yet it’s still so smooth and easy to listen, so it’s really the best of both. It sounds incredible.
That is some very high praise and I'm deeply flattered. I totally agree. I can get away with some zing on spots but it is problematic with my voice since I naturally cause that zing on a lot of mics, as you have noticed. So yeah, being able to dial in the Soyuz, which I totally love as well, is a huge win for me here and pretty much saved me the trouble of just selling off the Soyuz because it wasn't being used. The Skulpter is true magic here. Thank you again.
Takes the buttery sound away and adds some cutting power on the top end. If I'm being honest I liked it when you had the low cut and slight compression without the sculpter circuit engaged. It still had that soyuz sound but more tamed. Not that the sculpter circuit was bad, it just took away the sound that makes the soyuz sound like the soyuz.
Keep it up Mark, you're definitely the cult classic of microphone channels.
Thank you! That is the highest compliment. And don’t forget, what sounds best in your headphones is not necessarily what sounds best for VO. It’s hard not to use your best sound, but the consideration for VO is a much more complicated consideration. I do love that Soyuz sound.
I’m amazed on how much knowledge you give on this channel. I may not be able to use it(right now) but when I need it, it will be in my tool box ready for me! Thx
I'm glad you're getting a lot out of it. From experience, I can say a well-stocked tool box is always in your favor. Much better to be armed with knowledge before you need it than after.
@ my current carrier is in Sales (not for long! Full time VO hopefully by end of first quarter) my favorite phrase given to my from my first sales coach 20 years ago.. eat the meat and throw away the bone. I just adjust it and put the bones in the tool box lol.
Mark is a huge wealth of information! You'll learn a ton just by paying attention!
Wow. That sounds fantastic. That Skulpter is absolutely gorgeous. What a sound.
Hey, I just got the Xpector and the knobs are the best feeling knobs I've ever twisted. Is it the same on the Skulpter? They look identical.
Anyway, great video!
Oh yes. The Skulpter knobs give me tingles. They just demand to be turned.
This is a killer combo!
Have you compared this to the plugins they offer? It's so tempting, but I definitely don't need another piece of hardware
Hey Jar! I have not, but one of the reasons I'm gravitating toward new preamps is that I'm just craving a little more of an analog sound and I'm trying to get away from character plug ins, but I bet Elysia's Karacter harmonics plug is worth a try.
Hey Mark, how do you get something like this preamp into your computer and what do you need to make it work.. that is a video idea for you.
It’s actually quite simple. I’m just connecting it to a line input on my interface.
It sounds good, but I'm curious to see how close you could replicate these results with an EQ vst
It's not just an EQ, but this really great saturation circuit in the Skulpter that makes a massive difference.
Question what mic would you recommend for a dark lower voice also wondering if you’ve checked out the mke 600
Lauten Clarion, for sure. Especially check out the +10db setting on it to really open up the top end. Unfortunately, I have not tried out the MKE600.
Everyone's voice is different but that being said, what is your most 'winning-est' microphone and why in your opinion do you think it's so appealing to talent buyers?
Lauten Clarion has the highest win-rate for commercials which is why it's my main axe now and I think it has everything to do with having a more modern sound that includes a lot more clarity in the low mids where the Soyuz sounds thick. This is something I've been trying to communicate for a while. The overall sound of what is winning jobs in VO has veered away from vintage sonics over the last few years. Though that vintage leaning may be more desirable in music, what works in music is a whole different playing field with a lot of different considerations.
@MarkYoshimotoNemcoff
In other words: " it's just that good"...
That Skulpter looks really tempting. I’m mainly producing music at the moment and my vocal chain is a Neve 88rlb into an 1176, LA3a, and Neve 542 tape saturation. The sculptor might be a great flavor all its own.
@@bassface84 Exactly.