Manley Gold, U47, M149, or Outboard….Next Studio Purchase

Thanks!  I haven't heard a lot about the M49, but I like the fact that it's a genuine Neumann. Perhaps that would be a nice contrast to my U67 RI, especially for more intimate and softer songs.  In your experience, what preamp does it pair best with>

We have NO problem.
$pending your money!

I really need to spend more time on testing out the 49.

Including the quality alternatives like Beesneez and FLEA.
Along with the Neumann-of course.

Honestly, I do get a little concerned that my supposedly;) "Smooth" voice will induce sleep paralysis.

Despite my Beato-ish 47 and Classic Pop/Rock/Soul leanings.
Chris

P.S. Ben's U67/269 version is certainly comparable to the mighty U67.
At least in my book.
Which reminds me of a joke.

I’ve gone down the mic rabbit hole, have U67ri, Heiserman H47t (both capsule options), and recently bought a used Wunder CM7 (w/Suprema mod) locally. This is in addition to Upton 251 and C12, amongst others. I honestly have no business owning mics of this caliber or at least not this “heavy” of a collection as a home recording enthusiast: I don’t record enough to have heard them on such a multitude of voices and sources to choose an “obvious” winner on the average. Having said that, they’re all capable of super polished and professional tones, in my opinion. The 67ri is up there at the top of the list for versatility though and I can’t imagine it being “crushed” by any of the mics (but I also think the 87ai is great mic, even though they’re are plenty of “haters”).

Main point: new gear is always fun and can be inspiring, so I’m all for adding more mics but I’m just pointing out that you already have one of “ the big boys “ for a reason…you’ll likely love having another option in the same “league” but it’s unlikely to knock your socks off by comparison just because you’ve already crossed into the territory.

The Hilo is definitely not a hindrance in any way (totally a Lynx fan myself, I have no plan to ever “upgrade”), but maybe one thing I’d recommend: consider trying an Aurora Audio GTQC if you can. I know @johnkenn had bad luck with the company a long while back, but I’ve had mostly the opposite: I’ve found that the pre/opto comp on that are really really nice for vocals and all in one simple box. I know it’s not tube, but totally worth a try….pairs really well with all my mics the mics I have, aside from ribbon mics better paired with higher input impedance options. Might just be my desert island signal path.

I haven’t yet tried the Shelford, but on my radar too. The samples I’ve heard of the pre are really nice, but I’ve heard mixed reviews about the included diode comp. Hope to try myself someday.
-Chris

I stand corrected. Never noticed.

Fair enough. And I share your feeling on the u67 (at least I seem to remember you're not a huge fan). Years ago I booked a studio in part because they had a vintage 67 only to find out that it did nothing for my voice. Actually, it did do something, it made it sound worse than every other mic we tried.

(This was a great session and a great studio though... largely because I had a producer savvy enough to use his ears and not his sunk cost fallacy.)

Fair enough. Maybe a better way to say it would be "what are you trying to get?" You list a lot of interesting gear options and choices, but it's hard to tell what your objective is. In this case it's particularly tricky because you seem to have every base covered.

Maybe whatever you're looking for can't be found in a microphone or a channel strip. But maybe it can. So, again... what are you trying to do?

That's great to hear! I'm definitely going to look into the M49. In your opinion, would this microphone only work on softer material, or would it be flexible enough to work on harder, classic rock material like the U47?

The best way I can describe it is that I'm trying to build a set of classic, quality audio tools that will handle any type of music that I create now and into the future.  

In terms of sibilance, I think the particular singer / location (mic technique) can also play a major role - if you're just recording yourself you'll probably eventually find one vocal mic that you typically prefer and then probably no need for large mic locker (but it's nice to have!).

Honestly, I don't plan to keep this large of a mic collection forever, just because I can't justify it - but with my job I only get sporadic chances to record, often late at night, so if I want to really get to know these mics and have adequate time with them, they either have to be in the collection for a fairly long timeframe or it just doesn't happen. For example, I have some friends that run commercial studios near where I live, but there's no way I can just pop in whenever I want and toy with the mic collection at midnight or whatever (even if price is right), based on my work schedule. In any case, I'll have to be a mature adult someday and pick a couple to keep, sell the rest to support expenses (kids college, etc.). For now though, I'm enjoying it while I can!

Small word of warning: having too much gear tends to be a distraction from the creative process, instead of writing/tracking it's easy to get sucked into gear comparisons.

-Chris

Interesting, because it looks like you’re standing in front of a 251 in your profile picture 

Clips?
Thanks! Chris