[beAbU]

For anyone interested in how mucrophones can sound different, check out Jim Lill's video [1] where he A/B tests a bunch of mics against one another and industry standards.

He has a whole series of videos where he explores what contributes the most to "guitar tone", all the way from the strings to your ears and in between. It's a bit of an eye opener to say the least. Highly, highly recommended.

1: https://youtu.be/4Bma2TE-x6M

[leblancfg]

Love his series, but you really have to keep in mind that his testing methodology is "reductionist": a microphone's quality can't just be distilled to its EQ response. Phase, transient response, clipping, etc. are also part of the equation.

edit: My "case in point" moment is Jim's (excellent!) DIY amp section in this video: https://youtu.be/wcBEOcPtlYk?si=jkehIfyo6AgeTLUo&t=918. Its EQ indeed sounds like the big names, but I'm sure you'll also notice how its dynamics also sound so thin. That's likely because solid state clipping != (saggy) tube overdrive.

[beAbU]

The takeaway for me on all his videos is that yes, these things are different, and they make a difference. But the difference is so subtle and nuanced that its nigh on impossible hear it, especially in the mix, played on a CD, over a stereo in a less-than-ideal treated room.

In one of his amp cab videos he has the appiphany that all his tone chasing was for naught, because he failed to consider that each and every sound he hears has been recorded. He cannot replicate the tone of how an amp or cab or speaker or guitar sounded, because that sound was recorded, where the mic, preamp, console and recording medium all added their own influence, and him listening to an amp in the room is not how that amp actually sounded. And live sound is a completely different animal all together!

[phkahler]

>> solid state clipping != (saggy) tube overdrive.

Clipping tends to produce odd harmonics, and blocks highs entirely in the flat parts.

Nonlinearity across the signal range can produce even harmonics and doesn't delete portions of small signals.

[hammock]

That's an amazing video, the first 30min Youtube I've seen that is densely packed with usefulness and without any fluff (in pace, audio and visuals).

I wish he had vocals in his comparison set.

I did love to see five different U87s tested. They have such a great reputation, and we used them so much when I was producing but it's amazing to me how variable they were from mic to mic. Knowing that I would avoid moving forward unless it's my own, that I know.

[deckar01]

I think people get too hung up on the natural frequency response of mics. A ribbon mic can achieve such a low noise floor with high sensitivity that high gain EQ stays clean.

[ot]

That is a ridiculously well made video, thanks for sharing!