Anyone on here using modelling mics?

[Beedster]

For example this https://townsendlabs.com/products/sphere-l22/

 

Interested in people's thoughts/experience?

[Dad3353]

Just a tad above my budget, I'm afraid. I'd love to try one out, but I doubt that my cloth ears could justify 1200€, even if I had the money. I'd test one, though, if any were going spare for a few weeks... 

[WinterMute]

I had a good play with this and with the same tech in the UAD plug-in, the mic is very good anyway and the modelling just adds a layer of tonal variation to the mics capabilities.

 

The plug-in is less successful unless you have a very good mic in the first instance, nothings going to make your beaten up old 58 sound like a U87 sadly.

 

If you don't want to buy multiple mics, it's an interesting option.

 

Addition:

 

I was thinking about this after I posted, the Sphere is actually a lot more sophisticated than the Slate for instance as it models off axis response and polar pattern colourations as it's a dual capsule mic, it needs 2 mic pres and records to a stereo channel, it is capable of replicating the sound of some of the most iconic mics very well indeed, but you are completely at the mercy of the developers maintaining the software and the plug-in, I doubt people will be using their Sphere's 30 years from now...

 

I loved the tech, it's the best modelling option on the market, but it's the price of a U87ie, which is an iconic studio mic and will serve you well for decades.

 

If I was in the market for a studio mic and one came up 2nd hand for a good price, I'd consider it.

Edited August 19, 2022 by WinterMute
typo/update

[Paul S]

A modelling mic.  So if I sang into it and set it up with a Paul Rogers sim I'd sound like him - is that how they work?  

[lurksalot]

3 hours ago, Paul S said:

A modelling mic.  So if I sang into it and set it up with a Paul Rogers sim I'd sound like him - is that how they work?  

if it did that I could save a few pennies on singing lessons , but it might lose my subtle tonal divergences 

[Dad3353]

7 minutes ago, lurksalot said:

... it might lose my subtle tonal divergences 

 

If there was even a snowball's chance of that, I'd chip in and contribute..! 

 

...

 

 

[Beedster]

20 hours ago, WinterMute said:

I had a good play with this and with the same tech in the UAD plug-in, the mic is very good anyway and the modelling just adds a layer of tonal variation to the mics capabilities.

 

The plug-in is less successful unless you have a very good mic in the first instance, nothings going to make your beaten up old 58 sound like a U87 sadly.

 

If you don't want to buy multiple mics, it's an interesting option.

 

Addition:

 

I was thinking about this after I posted, the Sphere is actually a lot more sophisticated than the Slate for instance as it models off axis response and polar pattern colourations as it's a dual capsule mic, it needs 2 mic pres and records to a stereo channel, it is capable of replicating the sound of some of the most iconic mics very well indeed, but you are completely at the mercy of the developers maintaining the software and the plug-in, I doubt people will be using their Sphere's 30 years from now...

 

I loved the tech, it's the best modelling option on the market, but it's the price of a U87ie, which is an iconic studio mic and will serve you well for decades.

 

If I was in the market for a studio mic and one came up 2nd hand for a good price, I'd consider it.

 

Thanks. My interest is I guess based on very little experience of some of the better mics out there, at least in my own recordings (I use SM7Bs on voice, PR-40 on bass, and a couple of Samson VR-88 ribbons here and there (I've also got the obligatory collection of Shure 57s/58s). I was looking at this as a way of answering the question of whether things would be any better with better mics, especially given that most of the reviews of the Townsend/UAD are very complimentary by comparison with some of the other mic modelling tech out there at present (and I already have the appropriate UAD hardware and access to the software so it seems even more the obvious choice). Frustratingly when they sell 2nd hand they seem to go for about £50 less than retail, so that's probably not an option at present

 

Would be great to hear from someone who's used one?

[Beedster]

Another aspect of the Townsend I like is the ability to switch mic models/response post-tracking, which is to my mind a great way to really get a feel for the mic models in question? 

[Nicko]

I'm guessing if I were to use a mic'd cabinet my lack of understanding of placement would have a more significant impact on the result than selecting a different model of mic. I can see the benefit of such tech in the hands of someone that really knows what they are doing.

[Beedster]

For me it's really about the voice and playing with mic models both during and following tracking. I've done a lot of reading around the tech, it's just not something I can try before I buy really, not like walking into Denmark St with your credit card and a whole list of basses to play! I think I'm going for it on the basis that should I find in a few months it was a waste of time I'll at least be able to recoup most of the spend going on current used prices, and in doing so I'll be seeing as mostly as a short/mid-term learning tool as opposed to a long-term investment in a quality mic, although of course I may find the latter emerges. Having said that, a big part of the sell for me is that everyone seems to think the mic is a very high quality unit in it's own right

Edited August 20, 2022 by Beedster

[lowdown]

 

 

Not much help, sorry, but....

 

Recently my wife had been looking at going down S22 route, because she had started getting more voiceover work and was also getting into Podcast stuff was various people.

Add to that, she had an upturn in more remote, Woodwind (mainly Flute) sessions. Obviously there were now more varying recording scenarios starting to pop up for her. She wanted all bases covered without too much effort.

She (we) couldn't really find anybody that uses/used the Townsend system on a regular (and varying situation) basis. It was just online reviews we were left with.

 

In the end, after several recommendations for a decent all rounder mic for her situation(s), the NEUMAN TLM103 always came up on the list.

I can't remember what she paid for it in the end, but I think it was about half the price of the Sphere 22. It's a mic she has now got used to and very much loves the sound and warmth of. 

I suppose the question is: do you really need all those extra options in your usual routines? Or, is it just an expensive overkill?  In the end, my wife didn't think the extra cost was really beneficial for her daily use.

 

It's always difficult in these situations, trying to justify spending a large amount on something you might not get all the benefits from, or indeed, do you really need all the extra Mic option usage available?

 

 

 

 

[WinterMute]

4 hours ago, Beedster said:

Would be great to hear from someone who's used one?

 

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't entirely clear, my bad, we had one in on appro and ran it in live sessions against some of the mics it's modelling and frankly the results were excellent, certainly within the bounds of the differences between 2 models of the same mic in normal use. I'd not be unhappy using one in a session at all. It's actually a very capably mic without the modelling, a little neutral but very capable.

 

it's the same price as a Sontronics Mercury or a second hand U87ie, both capable mics but without the range of the L22.

 

There's one on Reverb for £950 currently.

[Beedster]

1 hour ago, WinterMute said:

 

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't entirely clear, my bad, we had one in on appro and ran it in live sessions against some of the mics it's modelling and frankly the results were excellent, certainly within the bounds of the differences between 2 models of the same mic in normal use. I'd not be unhappy using one in a session at all. It's actually a very capably mic without the modelling, a little neutral but very capable.

 

it's the same price as a Sontronics Mercury or a second hand U87ie, both capable mics but without the range of the L22.

 

There's one on Reverb for £950 currently.

No, my bad, I didn't realise it was the Townsend you'd used, re-reading your first post again it's clear that it was as you also mentioned the UAD platform. Good to hear you found it a decent setup, thanks. 

 

3 hours ago, lowdown said:

 

 

Not much help, sorry, but....

 

Recently my wife had been looking at going down S22 route, because she had started getting more voiceover work and was also getting into Podcast stuff was various people.

Add to that, she had an upturn in more remote, Woodwind (mainly Flute) sessions. Obviously there were now more varying recording scenarios starting to pop up for her. She wanted all bases covered without too much effort.

She (we) couldn't really find anybody that uses/used the Townsend system on a regular (and varying situation) basis. It was just online reviews we were left with.

 

In the end, after several recommendations for a decent all rounder mic for her situation(s), the NEUMAN TLM103 always came up on the list.

I can't remember what she paid for it in the end, but I think it was about half the price of the Sphere 22. It's a mic she has now got used to and very much loves the sound and warmth of. 

I suppose the question is: do you really need all those extra options in your usual routines? Or, is it just an expensive overkill?  In the end, my wife didn't think the extra cost was really beneficial for her daily use.

 

It's always difficult in these situations, trying to justify spending a large amount on something you might not get all the benefits from, or indeed, do you really need all the extra Mic option usage available?

 

 

 

 

 

Totally agree, I'm used to using a SM7B on my voice and a PR40 on my double bass and there is something very comforting about knowing that you can reliably achieve the same decent quality recording every time. But I'm recording a lot of other people's voices now also, and it's because I really don't know what I need in terms of the vocal mic cupboard that a modelling system appeals. To me, £1K is a lot of money to spend on a mic, but I guess that if it's as good as people say, I'm spending £1K on several mics, that it can be configured as a stereo mic only adds to the value from my POV.