Bluebird condenser microphone vs SM58 dynamic
I’ll explain why in just a few lines, but what follows will be MP3s of the Bluebird condenser microphone and my trusty SM58 dynamic microphone in a studio setting that will let you decide for yourself if you agree with my conclusions. I came to the conclusion that the Bluebird has clearer sound for my vocals, which becomes especially important when mixing. But I’m still going to use my SM58 for live performance. And as I’ll explain, the disappointing sound that led me to purchase the Bluebird in the first place was mostly due to stuff other than the choice of microphone.
The background:
I wasn’t entirely happy with the vocal tone on my last song Madmen and Money. I had decided to use my Shure KSM27 condenser studio mic expecting instantly better results, but found that I actually preferred the tone on my earlier song I’m OK Without You where I recorded the vocals with my trusty SM58. Madmen and Money was recorded as guitar and vocals in one take. I found this much more expressive than laying down a guitar track and then singing to it.
So I wanted to determine how to get decent studio sound before I thought about producing my second home brew album. Nothing is more demoralizing than getting halfway through an album and having to go back and re-record the songs. A good friend suggested I just put my SM58 through a tube preamp and go for it. Initially, I figured I’d just do an A B comparison of tube preamp and direct in. But all of them sounded horrible when mixed, very muddy. Deciding it was the SM58 I bought the Bluebird. With my new prize, I promptly recorded a short track and mixed it down to……….mud. The guitar mic and the vocal mic were too close together and there was too much bleed through with the cardioid mics I was using. Arg.
So now I’m thinking that I’ve wasted my money on the Bluebird (though I got a great deal on it for $299). However, one reason I chose it is because the salesperson was nice enough to pop in the demo CD from Blue and compare vocals with their different models. I clearly preferred the Bluebird to their other models, so it must be really better than a SM58, right? To find out, I set up this microphone challenge.
The Challenge:
I recorded all tracks with a Boss BR532 digital 4 track. I used an ART MP tube preamp with each microphone and also plugged the SM58 directly into the Boss 4 track (the Boss has been a great unit, but does not have phantom power). Giving up on simultaneous recording of guitar and vocals, I layed down a guitar track, then sang to it. Once I had finished I realized that the guitar track seems to have hit a limiter on the preamp, another reason why I look forward to getting a Tascam Portastudio with phantom power. The more mixers and preamps inline, the greater the opportunity to set a level incorrectly, especially in a studio that is not premanent like my living room.
Each vocal track was normalized to the same RMS power level, and mixed with the guitar track at the same settings. MP3s of the vocals alone and with the guitar are at the end of the post. No other changes in EQ or compression were added.
The Results:
I was rather despondent to discover that I liked the SM58 vocal tracks the best at first. However, that was before I mixed them with the guitar. As I mixed them, I discovered that with a nice volume balance it is hard to make out the words, and when you can hear the words clearly, then the vocals seem too loud with the SM58. Can this be dealt with using EQ? I’m sure the gap between the microphones can be closed with EQ, but there is no substitute for clarity.
The difference was less than I expected. But the Bluebird clearly made understanding the words easier, which is important in storytelling style songs. The Bluebird as also a very expressive microphone. I’ve only just begun to explore tonal changes with angle of attack.
And there is the fun factor. Singing into the bottle style mic was fun. The Bluebird came in a wooden box well packed with foam. It has a solid feel and great style. The included pop screen was great to sing into. The Bluebird product and packaging are first rate. The shock mount is included as well as the pop screen. The mic doesn’t have switches for pad and low frequency roll off or pattern, but I actually like it that way. Simple.
Summary:
In the condenser microphone world, the Bluebird costs little more than the lowest cost competitors, and I think is worth the extra dollars for studio recording of acoustic instruments and vocals. For live gigs, my SM58 still provides not only rugged durability but great performance when you are singing right up on it. The SM58 can take you a long way in the studio and I’ve read online that many artists use them for studio work. I probably never would have bought the Bluebird if I hadn’t made other mistakes in my set up that I incorrectly blamed on the SM58. But now that I have it, I’m going to keep it. The Bluebird makes it easier for me to reach my potential in the studio. And as I learn more, I think it will take me as far as I can go.
Audio:
SM58 - tube preamp vocal, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
SM58 - direct vocal, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
bluebird vocal, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
SM58 - tube preamp mix, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
SM58 - direct mix, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
Bluebird mix, - © 2009 Brian Kelly
Tags: recording
