Sennheiser e935

[Milkman]

I just ordered a Sennheiser e935 mic. I saw that it was on sale for $129.95 CAD (usually $229.95), and I've been looking at it for quite a while.

I've been relying a little to heavily on my little cheapo Pyle PDMIC78 (SM57 clone), but I did a spoken word project with it yesterday and discovered that it is actually a little too noise to pull that off. I still find it decent in a music mix, but the quiet of an interview exposes all that noise hissing away down low in the mix.

I also find an SM58 a little dull for my voice... and it's migrated to my friend's house, so that's a decent excuse.

I'll keep you posted.

[andrewsrea]

Those are great for mic'ing amps!

I am using a 57 and MXL R40 ribbon for mic'ing amps and it is nice.

[RockYoWorld]

Please keep us updated on that!

As [mention]andrewsrea[/mention] mentioned, those are great mics for amps. I know that the SM57 and the SM58 are internally the same, but I wouldn't use those for spoken word in a studio setting if possible. Things to try would be a large diaphragm condenser mic, which gives you a big, open sound that's great for intimate vocals or acoustic instruments, but might not be punchy enough for aggressive rock vocals.

Recording my female friend, who has a fantastic, wide-toned voice, the condenser mic (MXL V67) sounds great. When I record her husband or me on vocals, I prefer the Sennheiser e609 (the e935's little brother), but we're also singing into faster, more aggressive songs and the frequency response of that mic helps the voice cut through the mix before doing any EQ work in the DAW, in my opinion.

As far as other options if that doesn't work for you, I know that the Shure SM7b is a broadcasting standard as well as a go-to for aggressive vocals recording. I've always wanted one, but don't do enough vocal recording to justify the price. The Shure MV7 is a new mic that's "inspired" by the SM7b and a little over half the price. Not sure how well received it is, though.

[Milkman]

I have a Rode NT1A (large diaphragm condenser), but is way to bright for me, and picks up every background noise... the cat yawns come through like lion roars (which is what happens in their minds).

SM7B is on the list, but then I’ll also need some kind of booster/preamp a la Cloudlifter too. That’s some serious $ for a talentless hack like me.

I had my eye on these and at that price, I gotta try it out... I can probably sell it for what I pay down the road anyway. I probably won’t, but I probably could. LOL.

[stevebway]

I have the 835. I use it for everything

[Milkman]

I have the 835. I use it for everything

Well, if you like yours, then the e935 should be 100 better.

[Mossman]

I have a Rode NT1A (large diaphragm condenser), but is way to bright for me, and picks up every background noise... the cat yawns come through like lion roars (which is what happens in their minds).

I stay away from condenser mics for home recording for that very reason. I live in an apartment, and my condenser mics pick up my upstairs neighbor's Nordic Track (which is practically inaudible in the room), and passing traffic, and other people's TVs, and the squirrels in the trees, and the fleas on the dog across the street! I'm gearing up to do voice-over work, and that just won't do. I've been doing a lot of research into dynamic broadcast microphones, and was gong to shell out for a new mic, but I remembered I had an Audio Technica 2005 in my closet from when I used to host a radio show. I was always down on that mic, which I think had more to do with the preamps in the interface I was using, but plugged into my Zoom H4n Pro, it's perfect for voice-over. Good proximity effect and a very low noise floor... but most of all, it only picks up my voice. I was going to make a semi-soundproof vocal booth in my bedroom closet, but now, I don't even think that's necessary.

SM7B is on the list, but then I’ll also need some kind of booster/preamp a la Cloudlifter too. That’s some serious $ for a talentless hack like me.

Man, I still have serious GAS for that mic, but yeah, $400 plus $100-$150 for a booster is tough to justify. The reviews I've seen for the MV7 were universally "meh".

[Milkman]

I used a Zoom H4n Po recently to record an interview with my mother. I used two dynamic mics plugged into the XLR ins on the Zoom, and I was pretty impressed with the preamps too... good and clean with very little noise.

[Mossman]

I used a Zoom H4n Po recently to record an interview with my mother. I used two dynamic mics plugged into the XLR ins on the Zoom, and I was pretty impressed with the preamps too... good and clean with very little noise.

Yeah, I just got the H4nPro a couple of weeks ago, and I'm pretty impressed with it! I've had an H2 for years, and I've gotten a lot of use out of it, but I resisted upgrading. I didn't think I needed to... But now I wish I had upgraded a long time ago. I bought it so could record voice-over in my closet without having to run long cables to my computer. I've been watching a lot of VO channels on YouTube, and Zoom recorders are pretty much ubiquitous in that field. Like I said about Fender products in another thread; I'm not a Zoom "fanboy", but I sure have acquired a lot of their gear over the years!

[Milkman]

I hear ya @Mossman... I'm in the closet an awful lot these days too. The missus is gettin' suspicious, trying to figure out who the heck I'm talking to in there!

[nomadh]

I did a comparison a while back with my singer who had a nice voice but was more a beginner. What I noticed was the 935 was way more sensitive to how close she was to the mic. The sure was very forgiving but she liked that 935. I told her she was going to have to work a lot on being very precise on placement. Well she didn't work on it and it was a total nightmare of randomly vanishing vocals and explosive volume whenever she got "expressive"
You've been warned.

[Mossman]

I did a comparison a while back with my singer who had a nice voice but was more a beginner. What I noticed was the 935 was way more sensitive to how close she was to the mic. The sure was very forgiving but she liked that 935. I told her she was going to have to work a lot on being very precise on placement. Well she didn't work on it and it was a total nightmare of randomly vanishing vocals and explosive volume whenever she got "expressive"
You've been warned.

Yeah, some mics require more "mic technique" than others, and inexperienced singers/speakers don't know what that phrase means.

[Milkman]

I got it today. It’s a sexy piece of kit for sure, with the slight bluing on the grill and all. I probably won’t have time to use it until next week though.

If I get ambitious, I’ll side by side with the Pyle and see what’s what.

[Mossman]

I got it today. It’s a sexy piece of kit for sure, with the slight bluing on the grill and all. I probably won’t have time to use it until next week though.

If I get ambitious, I’ll side by side with the Pyle and see what’s what.

Pics or it didn't happen.

[Milkman]

Pics or it didn't happen.

You're right @Mossman ... rookie mistake.

[Mossman]

Pics or it didn't happen.

You're right @Mossman ... rookie mistake.

Yer no rookie....

Did the mic come with the shock mount and pop filter?

[RockYoWorld]

Why did I think you were getting an e906... I feel stupid haha

[Milkman]

Did the mic come with the shock mount and pop filter?

No, those were separate.