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MICROPHONE CHECK
My first chance to use the mic was for a live broadcast at the Palms Playhouse
in Davis, California; Chuck Prophet and Stephen Yerkey performed one set
each for a live broadcast over KVMR. I chose to capture the room with
an M/S pair of microphones near the back of the audience, using the U99
as the “M” in the Mid/Side pair with an AKG 414B-ULS in bidirectional
mode as the “S.” Setting the tube mic for cardioid, I faced
it toward the stage.
Soundelux recommends letting the mic and power supply warm, up for at
least half an hour before actually using it, and I followed this recommendation
for all recordings. Also, for each test, I hung the mic upside, down,
as is often done with tube mics, so that the diaphragm could remain at
a stable temperature, below the heat of the main body of the mic.
The U99 imparts a certain smoothness and, as one would expect, warmth.
While recording the Palms Playhouse concert, there were times when I felt
I’d rather listen to the microphone through my headphones than to
the live sound. When I returned home with the 48kHz recording, playback
was impressive. Listening to just the mono U99 track, I could hear each
instrument detailed in both high and low frequencies. The kick drum sounded
clear and moved significant air. High frequencies were represented accurately
without excessive brightness.
Based on this first tryout, Stephen Yerkey and I chose the U99 over other
microphones for tracking lead vocal on his new album. Stephen’s voice
is capable of extremes in terms of both dynamic range and pitch. The Soundelux
mic picked up every aspect of his performance. While it sounded very natural,
there was a pleasant lack of high-frequency mouth noises (lip smacks,
sibilance), and there seemed to be a heightened focus in the midrange.
In cardioid mode, the mic is very directional, with good off-axis rejection,
and omni mode picks up a large room nicely, with a realistic picture.
We tried some vocal takes with Stephen singing into one side of a bidirectional
pattern, which was also very pleasing. The U99 complemented Stephen’s
vocal qualities, and at the same time, gave an impression of a comparatively
flat frequency- response curve. Each pickup pattern we tried exhibited
an extremely low noise floor. Plus, the output is high enough that you
don’t have to add too much gain (and thus noise) with your preamp.
Normally, I prefer small-diaphragm condenser mics for acoustic guitar,
but I tried the U99 on an overdub session and was very impressed with
the results. Usually I put a small mic about a foot from the twelfth fret,
angled in toward—but not at—the soundhole. Starting with the
U99 in that position, it seemed as though the tone wasn’t quite bright
enough. This surprised me, because I’ve often found large-diaphragm
condensers to be unusable on some guitars, as the sound is often too bright
and reveals every string squeak and movement of the performer. But by
placing the U99 slightly closer and higher, I was able to record an acoustic
guitar overdub that easily found its own place in a fairly thick rock
mix.
HIGH STANDARDS EXCEEDED
When creating the U99, Soundelux was aiming at less of a bump in the high
end, a flatter midrange, better bass response and a lower noise floor
in comparison to the U95. The designers have more than achieved their
goals—the U99 captures the natural warmth of a performance without
an overexcited top end.
Soundelux has really created a great vocal mic. Of course, different vocalists
prefer different mics, but the U99 stands a good chance at pleasing everybody.
This mic brought out the best qualities of every voice I tried. The improved
midrange lends itself to voice reproduction, and the high frequencies
are not laden with too much sibilance. Although $2,499 might seem like
a lot to pay, it is a fraction of what a vintage might cost. And the U99
is more predictable, more readily serviceable, and you may well prefer
its sound to that of the old favorites.
Soundelux Microphones, 1147 N. Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90038; 323/464-9601;
fax 323/463-2881; www.soundelux.com/mics.
Producer/engineer David Ogilvy lives near the 37th largest railroad
center in America, so if you need train recordings… DavidOg11@aol.com.
Last
Page
Reprinted with permission
from 
Magazine, October, 2000
© 2000, Intertec Publishing, A Primedia Company All Rights Reserved
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