We were keen to see how some capable performers with little experience of mic auditioning would react — whether they’d hear much of a difference between mics, which factors would affect their preferences, and whether there was an obvious ‘stand-out’ mic for each of the vocalists.
Electro-Voice RE20: A versatile, US-made dynamic mic that seems to be more popular (and affordable) Stateside than in the UK, the RE20’s uses vary from kick drum and bass amps, through guitar cabs, to radio broadcast and vocals. Rather unwieldy as a live vocal mic, it’s used much more frequently in the recording and radio broadcast studio. It features EV’s patented ‘variable D’ design, which is intended to elminate proximity effect and help maintain a more consistent polar response with frequency.
Neumann U47: What’s left to say about this mic? It’s arguably the most well-known and revered microphone on the planet. Famous — for the synaesthesiasts amongst you — for it’s warm, ‘dark brown’ sound, it’s a popular choice for adding a pleasing depth and thickness to a thin vocal sound.
Vocal Mics
Matching Mics & Voices
by Matt Houghton