Groove Tubes Mics?
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Posted on Oct 09, 2002 03:18 pm
PorpoiseMuffins
a.k.a. Porp & Mr. Muffins
Member Since: Oct 09, 2002
I recently purchased a Groove Tubes GT66 tube condenser microphone ($500) for recording, and I was just wondering if anybody here has one of them or has had any experience with GT's mics. Are they any good? This is my first condenser, so I don't really have anything to compare it with. It sounds good, but nothing leaps and bounds over an SM58 or other live vocal mic in the $100 range. This could be because of something in my chain of equipment, but I doubt it. (If you want to know what I use, check my Profile.) I don't know what's wrong, but for $500 condenser I would expect something noticeably better in sound quality from a $100 dynamic mic. Am I wrong?
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Oct 09, 2002 03:26 pm Well, your not wrong for expecting more, and from the looks of your profile you are not using anything that would adversy effect the sound, assuming you are using it correctly :-)
I have no experience with the Groovetubes myself, but if you are not getting a better sound than from any SM58 (which ain't all bad itself), I would consider returning the groovetube and spending that cash somewhere where it is noticable...
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 09, 2002 10:49 pm This will seem silly, but do you have the phantom power on at your mixer. Another thought, you really need to pay attention to your pre-amp level when using a tube mic. You might also want to check and see if you have the roll-off switch on or off, and make sure you do not have the pad switch on as this will cut the signal the mic output's considerably. Also, make sure you are recording dry, no EQ boost on the mixer.
Otherwise, I would take it back and exchange it. You should notice a world of differance from the 58 to the GT66.
Oct 10, 2002 02:43 pm The mic. doesn't require phantom power because it comes with an external power supply, so I don't have the phantom power on, but it says it's unnecessary to use it for the GT66. I have the preamp(gain)on the mixer all the way down because the signal is plenty hot enough without it. As for the roll-off switch, the one on the mic. is on, but the one on the mixer is off. (Is that a good idea?) I'm not sure what you mean by the "pad" switch (excuse my ignorance), but there is a switch on the mic that increases and decreases the sound output, which I have set on the hotter signal. I'm not really having a problem getting enough sound out of it, I just don't know about the quality of the sound. The EQ on my mixer is set to the "snap" position, all knobs pointing straight up. (That's ok, right?) So if anybody knows anything about the mic, and whether it's good or not, then that would be really helpfull. I did another comparison test between it and my Sennheiser ($100, similar to SM58) and now I do notice a larger difference in quality, in favor of the Groove Tubes. Could this have something to do with the order I plugged in the components? I plugged in the power before putting the cord in the mic. with the first test, and plugged in the power after in the second test. But, I still have nothing to compare the mic to, so I guess that's my problem. Anyone here use Groove Tubes here?
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 10, 2002 09:44 pm You definately want to have some gain on your board. And I should have remembered that the GT come's with it's own power supply. Yes, the EQ should be neither boosting or cutting, so yo have that right. The pad switch is the one that cut's the output, so you might want to set that to cut for now untill you get used to using the mic. Try using the mic without the rolloff on, you will get a much bigger sound.
And as a final note, NEVER plug a condensor into a hot cable, that is a very bad thing to do.
Especially if it has it's own dedicated power supply, and more so for a tube mic.
Oct 11, 2002 05:44 pm Oh goodness. If I ruined that mic. I think I'm going to kill myself. Do you think that plugging it in the wrong way just once could cause any damage? And if there was damage, wouldn't it totally disable the microphone? Or would it still work-- just sound nasty? I feel like such a moron! It didn't seem to make that big of a deal about it in the "manual", although it did specify what order to plug it in saying that "loud pops and clicks could damage the mic. or other audio equipment like speakers." I hope I didn't damage the thing... About the gain on the mixer; why is it that I should have the gain up at all? Wouldn't it only add noise to the signal? I figure that if the signal is loud enough then I shouldn't add anymore things to the chain. Am I wrong? (Probably) I'll keep the rolloff off. Thanks for all the help. I think I'll try to contact Groove Tubes about this as well. One other question: How far away should I sing from the mic to get the best sound? (It has a cardoid pattern)
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Oct 14, 2002 09:07 pm No, you probably didn't damage the mic. They can take a little abuse. The reason you will want just a little gain on the mixer is called gain staging. I will give a brief detial here. Start at the beggining of your chain with the loudest gain. then each progressive piece of gear will have the gain lower then the next. So if your chain runs Mic, Mixer and PC recording app. Then you will want the mic's tube gain up at lest two third's of the way, depending on what you want. The mixer should be a bit less then that. Then finally, you will want your audio input gain or level on the PC lower then both of those. This wil prevent most loud noise signal's from being present.
Oct 15, 2002 01:24 am oh crud! return it! get a refund! tell 'em it *never* worked! hurry up, you dont have much time!
Oct 15, 2002 02:54 pm Haha! I would do that, except I e-mailed Groove Tubes and they told me that it was okay because they have a feature where when you plug the mic in after the power supply, the power is brought down some and then pulled up, just in case somebody like me does that :-)
