Neumann KM 84 Cardioid Small Diaphragm Condensor Mic
The Neumann KM-84 review
The Neumanns fit really well into my collection. Again, I have two and chose the older version over the newer KM 184, because it doesn’t have any top end boost, which makes it more versatile in music production in my opinion – just like my older AKG C414s. They feature the lower mids of a sound in a very warm way and have a solid transient response. Just different to the microscopic sound of the Schoeps CMC Colette.
I tend to mix up the Neumann and Schoeps in the same recoding situation, similar to using a varied choice of preamps. This provides all tones or shades of colouration that make the recording very flexible to work with during the mixdown. The KM 84 is great on snares and a killer on overheads – it takes 130dB!
AKG C-414 B-ULS Large Diaphragm Condensor Mic
The C-414 review
The real performance of a microphone comes to show when using EQ and compression to shape sounds creatively and in this situation the B-ULS is a winner. Not just over the new versions of this mic but also over most other large diaphragm mics that have been released recently. There is a real benefit to have such a reliable mic in the collection, which can be put onto anything and will give you the right frequencies to work with all the way through to the mastering stage. It’s not an eccentric or expensive microphone that has to be driven through that special preamp. It’s the best plug-and-play mic, I suppose, and it always finds its way into the test-array in front of the instrument.
My stereo pair of the C-414 B-ULS microphone, purchased as the last Brand-New-In-Box ones in Britain and still being sealed then, are the discontinued predecessors to the latest models. They feature four switchable polar patterns (omni, cardioid, hyper cardioid and figure of eight) as well as a switchable low-cut at 75 and 150 Hertz. The AKG C-414 is a famous microphone, which has proofed invaluable to many recording engineers and sessions, because the microphone is such a reliable work horse on large sessions as well as a gem and preferred choice in certain situations.
Reslo Vintage Ribbon Mic
The Reslo review
The Reslo is a vintage ribbon mic that has been very popular during its time throughout the 1960ies – 70ies. Being a ribbon mic of old generation it sure has its very own charm and sound.
A friend of mine recommended the Reslo to me and so I bought one on Ebay. Not long and I owned three of those little funny things. Currently only one is actually working, because I could not resist using it on the snare. Such a sweet sound, but not for long. It works great on guitar amps and in conjunction with a great EQ such as the Drawmer 1961 and a great pre-amp, it becomes a seriously good mic.
Links
- Comprehensive info about the Reslo
Recommended books … Additional reading
Manley Variable MU Stereo Limiter Compressor
The Manley Vari-MU review
I have used the Manley for years and it basically is always across everything. In principle. Once you’ve got the machine working you can instantly hear the gloss. I use it as much for single instruments as on the master busses. It is a misconception that it is a mastering unit (this one I have is the non-mastering version). You can get the drums and vocals incredibly solid or nicely pumping – it’s your choice. Clearly you wont get this sound out of a Plug-In – I’ve tried many a times. Can someone prove me wrong?
“Kick it up to something obscene, like 15-20 dB, and it squeezes the track like a silk glove, getting the effect without any nasty artifacts. There is something to this unit that just glues everything together and makes the track sound, for want of another term, ‘better.’ You can’t really compare it to anything else because it is indeed unique, once you try one, you’ll be hooked forever,” concludes Owsinsky.
HÖF Dynamic Master Stereo Compressor Limiter Expander
The HÖF Dynamic Master review
The HÖF Dynamic Master is a very unusual piece of kit, not just for its Ö. How it works is kept deliberately vague, as the designers even scrape off the Integrated Circuit numbers in order to keep its secrets. I have got two Dynamic Master, which I use a lot for parallel compression and because of the stereo linking I had to get another one for two mono signals.
I can create a great density in the sound using this machine without destroying any of the lively attacks, which are so important to the mix. It works really well in conjunction with other gear in the chain, which results in a lot of control over the dynamics. Again, I use a mastering equipment in a different way to mix. I realize now that I seem to do that a lot!
Drawmer 1961 Stereo Vacuum Tube Equalizer
The Drawmer 1961 review
The 1961 has become my real favorite on guitar sounds. The frequency bands are chosen perfectly and the width and boost provide really nice shaping features. I say boost because I don’t tend do anything else with this EQ especially on guitars. Just like the Manley it is by far not just a mastering machine. My Kick and Snare go through it and even Vocals. You can add such roundness to the bass and a really nice air in the top-end on all instruments as the 1961 is going up to 25k and 50k for the Low-Pass.
“Distortion would make a hi-fi enthusiast cringe, but the subjective result is a very slight thickening of the bass end and a subtle lifting of high-frequency detail. This may be used to good effect both on whole mixes and on individual parts such as vocal tracks, where a conventional mic can be endowed with some of the tonal attributes of a tube model. Initially, I thought I might find the switched filter frequencies rather restricting, but in practice, the correct choice of bandwidth or Octave seemed to be more important”, reviews Paul White in this SOS Magazine article.
Universal Audio 2-610 Stereo Tube Microphone Preamp EQ
The Universal Audio 2-610 review
To me and my sound it makes less sense to record a session through a set of equal preamps, instead I prefer colouration in most of the recordings I do and choose the preamps accordingly. It is basically mixing while recording. That is why I got this one because it’s colour is, I’d say a dark orange. The Drawmer 1960 would be a solid blue. Does this make sense to anyone? What I’m trying to say is that they are very different from another in many ways.
The EQ section on the UA 2-610 is very powerful, although it doesn’t seem like that at first. Whether recording or mixing, it helps lifting and shifting the perception into higher or lower areas. This is the preamp I turn to for colour. To compare the recording or mixing process to that of a painter using oil and canvas comes to mind quickly and is often cited. What the reviews say about this preamp is simply true.
Nokia Ad Campaign
Hildebrand produced the soundtrack for one of the Nokia ad campaigns surrounding the Nokia E61 Smartphone, to be seen and heard at www.office-dummy.com .
The German multimedia agency Denkwerk was asked to create an interactive viral marketing campaign for the new phone, which would communicate the slogan “You don’t have to be there, to be there”.
Nokia’s E61 – the first of the Nokia E series – was designed to allow businesses to mobilize their workforce, allowing employees to access all communication through the mobile phone safely and easily. Given the reasonable price of the phone with appropriate provider bundles, this was now made much more attractive to small businesses as well.
What is the Office Dummy?
Denkwerk came up with the idea that if “you don’t have to be there to be there” (in the office…) you may as well create a copy of yourself and place it at your office desk – being most likely a boring place to be for real.
In order to illustrate the idea of building a ‘dummy’ of yourself four comedic viral spots were created by German film producers BigFish and presented throughout the period of the campaign.
The music to the viral spots
Aiming at a market of small and young businesses, including younger generation phone users, the brief for the music was to create an upbeat, rocky feel that would imply having a laid back and leisurely time.
Hildebrand (drums) asked Robert ‘Scanny’ Scanlon (guitar), Christian Badzura (Keys, Liverpool Session Orchestra), Rory Koehler (programming) and Richard O’Flynn (guitar) to come together and jam out ideas live over the video.
Many version were recorded, cut and rearranged. “It was a challenge to realise the ideas and descriptions given by the clients,” comments Hildebrand, “but they chose a great version in the end.”
