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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Microvox questions
Microvox questions
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dan.rfd
1 post
Jan 19, 2013
6:56 AM
Hi all, I'm new on here and have a question for anyone who has used the Microvox mini mic. I just bought one and am currently experimenting with it doing some recordings via my computer audio interface.

I have found that with my hands fully cupped the mic distorts fairly badly. With my hands open it produces a clean tone. I'm fairly sure it is the mic itself which is distorting and not some other stage e.g. the input amp or PC audio interface. If I turn all my recording levels down the recording is quiet but still distorted so the distortion must be originating from the mic itself.

Is this the way it is supposed to work? I like the option of distortion but was hoping I would have the option of a clean sound even with cupped hands - I guess the dynamic range of the mic just isn't up to it?

Many thanks
Dan
5F6H
1504 posts
Jan 19, 2013
7:15 AM
It's an excellent mic, it's just not designed to be cupped, you can get away with it with an amp (in fact it sounds great with an amp) as the speakers act like a tonal filter, but for a line recording...I dunno.

Are you going into a lo-z input, tried turning the mic volume down?

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Kingley
2204 posts
Jan 19, 2013
7:04 AM
I used a Microvox Mini Mic many years ago. It was a very clean sound from what I remember. The thing I remember most though was that in a "live" setting it was a feedback nightmare. Cool idea as far as mixing harps go, just didn't work for me. Hope it works out better for you.
Frank
1891 posts
Jan 19, 2013
1:51 PM
I did this with a microvox in 2010...I'm selling it for $100 bucks plus shipping...It is in pristine condition!
Pistolcat
356 posts
Jan 19, 2013
2:19 PM
Cool video, Frank! Are the walls pink and pea green, the ceiling baby blue and your reading lamp three-coloured or am I tripping?
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Frank
1893 posts
Jan 19, 2013
3:00 PM
SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD

Thank you Pcat - your not trippin...and the price on that mic is no hallucination ;)

SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD SOLD

Last Edited by on Jan 19, 2013 6:16 PM
dan.rfd
2 posts
Jan 20, 2013
1:51 AM
Hi, that's a shame - perhaps I'll have to take it back to the shop! I've tried turning the mic gain down and using both instrument and line level inputs on my audio interface but distortion definatly seems to be coming from the mic not from an amp stage. The distortion sounds pretty bad on its own but if I chain it through a compressor and tube distortion plugin on the computer I can get an ok sound. Just a real shame not to be able to get a clean acoustic recording :(
dan.rfd
3 posts
Jan 20, 2013
1:54 AM
As a follow up - it seems strange that this mic cant handle cupped playing. What is the point in the small size if not for cupping?

Are there any mini mics available which do have the dynamic range to deal with cupped playing? How about the Harmonica Honker?

Cheers
Dan
5F6H
1506 posts
Jan 20, 2013
4:22 AM
The small size is to make it inconmpicuous when mounted on an instrument.

Few mics will be clean when cupped, if you want clean acoustic, don't cup the mic.

The Microvox Mini copes with cupped playing in a regular amplified scenario just fine.
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