The Watering Hole

I'm looking to spend no more than £300 max on a large diaphram mic for capturing guitar amp at room volume.

any suggestions?

On the less expensive side, CAD makes a pretty decent little Ribbon mic.  

Ribbon mics don't have diaphragms...  what exactly are you looking for?  Are you looking for a ribbon mic or a large diaphragm condenser?
When you say room volume, do you mean loud, or quiet?

LOL,  I was getting ready to recommend a few large diaphragm condensers... then I saw it thought, "oh, he said ribbon."   :)

charger — Oct 07, 2009Ribbon mics don't have diaphragms...  what exactly are you looking for?  Are you looking for a ribbon mic or a large diaphragm condenser?
When you say room volume, do you mean loud, or quiet?

Yes I know  ::) , slip of the finger whilst typing as I was thinking about both types, but what I am actually looking for is a large diaphragm condenser mic.

By Room volume I mean when the amp is turned up just enough to get create good room ambience and reflections....not quiet, but not overbearing loud either.

I'm not sure how much this works out to with shipping to the UK, but this is an excellent mic.
http://www.avantelectronics.com/CV-12.htm

Next step down is the FET version:
http://www.avantelectronics.com/CK-7.htm

I love this company's stuff, and it's pretty reasonable.

A little cheaper is the Apex 460.  At around US $200, it's a great platform... we've got one with an upgraded Cinemag 2480 transformer (I believe the part cost around $50, direct from the company) and it's easily the best mic in the studio.  This site shows the possible mods:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Apex-Electronics/460
And this site shows how to do the transformer mod... I think it was like two solder joints worth of work.
http://www.morphproductions.com/apex460transformermod.htm

You can also change out the transformer in the CK7, but don't know which one to use... a google search would tell you.

I've seen pop-blockers put on ribbon mics when used right in front of a speaker, is this something you'd recommend Charger?

charger — Oct 07, 2009I'm not sure how much this works out to with shipping to the UK, but this is an excellent mic.
http://www.avantelectronics.com/CV-12.htm

Next step down is the FET version:
http://www.avantelectronics.com/CK-7.htm

I love this company's stuff, and it's pretty reasonable.

A little cheaper is the Apex 460.  At around US $200, it's a great platform... we've got one with an upgraded Cinemag 2480 transformer (I believe the part cost around $50, direct from the company) and it's easily the best mic in the studio.  This site shows the possible mods:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones/Apex-Electronics/460
And this site shows how to do the transformer mod... I think it was like two solder joints worth of work.
http://www.morphproductions.com/apex460transformermod.htm

You can also change out the transformer in the CK7, but don't know which one to use... a google search would tell you.

Some good info there Charger, thanks. The CK12 is looking favourite at the moment but I will check out postage and import duty.

Thinking about this again I think the FET version would be more suitable for me.  So, anyone have any views on other mics similar or better in spec to the FET version (but still FET etc) and of a similar price?

What about this one charger. How would you rate this?

http://www.dv247.com/microphones/akg-c-4000-b-large-diaphragm-condenser-microphone--3314

Jon. From what a sound engineer who works for one of my A/C clients told me last year when I was looking at the same thing, as long as the max SPL handling of the mic is 145 or over, your good to go for guitar. After that, it's just down personal choice, (how the mic "colours" the sound) and price. Bearing in mind I was looking at micing up a 120watt Mesa Roadking!!!

CraigBert — Oct 07, 2009I've seen pop-blockers put on ribbon mics when used right in front of a speaker, is this something you'd recommend Charger?

Didn't we already discuss this?

Jon's not getting a ribbon mic...

But anyway, a pop blocker is designed to stop huge puffs of air.  If you were putting a mic right up on a loud cabinet, and that cabinet was pushing a LOT of air, e.g. you're playing the death metal stuff at high volumes with lots of low end, I can imagine a pop blocker might be useful.  However, guitar is typically heavily concentrated in the midrange and high end, and really pushes very little air.  I've never used a pop blocker on a mic for guitar.  I've used it with vocals, and for a condenser right in front of a kick drum.  Most other sound sources really don't push much wind.

Jon — Oct 08, 2009Thinking about this again I think the FET version would be more suitable for me.  So, anyone have any views on other mics similar or better in spec to the FET version (but still FET etc) and of a similar price?

What about this one charger. How would you rate this?

http://www.dv247.com/microphones/akg-c-4000-b-large-diaphragm-condenser-microphone--3314

That Avant mic is going to blow most things in the price range out of the water.  You have to get up in price on the AKG line to get anything remotely similar.  A similar mic is the studio projects C3.  Most mics are now made in China, Avant makes them in China but does the design and the quality control here, and gets great results.  Studio Projects does the same thing.  Another option is to look for something imported directly to the EU to see if that saves you any money.  Off the top of my head, most of the European brands I can think of are very pricey.

I've been reading lots of excellent reviews about the CK-7.  The only thing that pisses me off is the price in uk.  USA = $269 = £160GBP

But, to actually purchase it in the uk it is £249 GBP.  Having said that it is within the budget that I was looking for so I think I'll go for it.

http://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Avantone-CK-7-Multi-Pattern-FET-Condenser-Microphone/AEU

The deed is done.  I have just ordered the CK-7, delivery on 16th October.

Thanks Charger for pointing me in this direction. I would never have looked at that otherwise. Glad I did as all the reviews say how marvellous this mic is so that must count for something!

Jon

The mic arrived today, but I have so much programming to do at the moment I don't think I'll get to try it out for a week or so yet :-(

Amazing mic (see FNJ thread for guitar sound).

Here's a voice test I did today. This is the mic with no processing at all other than very slight compression to stop the spikes. I had the bass roll-off switch engaged to lessen the proximity effect.  It's an extremely quiet mic, no inherrent noise at all, or none that I can hear anyway!

Here's a little voice-over, just reading out a letter from the local electricity company.