I'm still using a SM57 if i have to provide my own, but those Sennheiser mics that Adam recommends are very popular in the pubs I've noticed. ----------
Here is a picture from the Mile High Blues Society jam in Denver last night. Dex Lane is using a Sennheiser microphone on his little Supro amp. It sounded very good.
Just a general question- do any amps come with microphones built it? What is happening inside an amp to give you tone when, for instance, you are using a line out instead of playing through the amp? Are you losing the effect of the speaker and just getting the effect of the other stuff in the amp?
I also use one of those flat-faced ones shown above -- works great. Many folk are happy using a SM57, but these other ones are made to point directly at the speaker while hanging -- seems like a fine idea, especially if you plan to mike right on the grill cloth (you certainly could use this type away from the grill too with a stand -- be sure you have the right clip).
Both the Sennheiser e609 and the Shure SM57 are good solutions.
The SM57 is an extremely versatile mic - it also works well for vocals, acoustic harp, and cupped harp (into the amp with an impedance converter). This versatility makes it a great value, and earns it an important place in both gig bag and studio - hard to beat at the price.
I'd go with an SM57. There's a reason that it's the industry standard. Alternatively fit a line out to the amp and use that instead.
Last Edited by Kingley on Apr 02, 2013 12:19 AM
Good thread, I've got the same question. I read in another thread that the Sennheiser E906 is good. What would you recommend more, the E906 or the SM57? I need one to mic my new Laney Cub10.
I, too, use and recommend the Shure SM57. It is versatile, sounds great, and nearly indestructible. The small down-side, of course, is that you need to mess with a mic stand.
i use the Sennheiser 609 or the 906. i use a 5 watt amp @ almost every gig. ----------the 609 is cheaper buy about a hundred dollars. MP affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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I had a built in dynamic shure headset mic in a amp i used to own. It was comfortable and had a quite good sound. But not as good as a E906 or a SM57. Now i have a Sennheiser E 906 and it is very good. I like it better than a SM57. Plus, It take less space on stage. I recommend it.
I have heard great things about the Sennheisers, but have never used one. I have used my SM57 which was good, and a cheaper PG57 which was OK.
Several times I have used my Audix Fireball V to mic tube amps while playing through a vintage mic to the amp, and it worked great! I took the Fireball mic clip that comes with it and attached it one of those clamp type mic clips. I clamped the mic on the edge of the open amp back panel and was set up. If you have a Fireball already, this is a good way to use it in other ways than by playing through it. Remember to turn your mic volume up most or all of the way first. I like to leave a little extra volume under my control... ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Apr 02, 2013 1:28 PM
i went and saw a band friday, dave widow and the line up the guitar player had two small amps both were mic'd from about 6" inches away not directly on the speaker i have not seen that before, that i can remember anyway they had a great sound. the venue only held fifty people
20 bucks and you could bring your own food and drinks sat right in the front row. these guys have played with everybody i mean everybody.... bonnie raitt... elton john etc etc ---------- tipjar
I've had the fortune to use a Sennheiser on a few occaisions. Not only does it do a good job of mic'ing the amp, but it's also handy in the respect that it's pretty much the only mic out there that you can drape over the top of the amp and its pickup isn't adulterated by directionality. This, for me, is welcome function particularly when playing a tight, cramped stage and roeal estate for placing short mic stands is at a premium. I plan to get one when Mr. Opporknockity comes tunin'. ----------
Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by HawkeyeKane on Apr 02, 2013 2:18 PM
It sounds like you will be using this mic almost exclusively to mic your amp. I would get the Sennheiser 906. It fits your budget, has switchable presence filter, and is a lot quicker to set up since you don't have to mess with a mic stand. I used to use a mic/stand. It works, but I like having the mic flat against the amp and less setup time. Looks like prices are down a bit on them. Should be able to get one in the $175-$190 range. Or you could get the 609 for about the same money as a SM57. If you don't mic your amp most of the time, I can see where the SM57 might be a better choice. I have not used the 906 for anything but micing my amp. ----------
Been using a E609 for many years since seeing a club in Holland using one on my amp. As was mentioned before, the ability to just drape it over the amp and have it lie flat and oriented as it was designed is very useful. ---------- LSC
Nobody has brought it up yet, but miking an amp is also about mike placement. From what I (think I) know, the center of the speaker is the most high pitched. To avoid emphasizing the high end, place the microphone more to the outside of the speaker. Feel free to chime in on this...confirm, disconfirm, expand.
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Apr 02, 2013 6:39 PM
Very useful hints, thanks to all! I think I'll buy a E906, seems to be the best choice for me. Handling with a mic stand would make me crazy, so I'm happy with a mic which I can drape over the amp. - Al
Although the E906 looks like a fine mic, just an FYI that I drape the Electro-Voice N/D 468 over my amp, and pivot the head to point into the speaker cone. That seems to work fine for me, but to be honest, it's not like I'm doing it every week like some of the cats here are. ;-)
This nice clip shows Adam using the EV N/D 468 to mic a Kay 703 amp through the house PA in Germany:
In this post, Adam describes what he did and why, which is where I got the idea in 2009:
i use an amp stand that has a boom attachment. usually the boom sits in my trunk, but on those occasions i need to mic my amp, it allows me to use any mic and position it just where i want it, without using any additional floor space.
We use those too in my band with our 57's. But there are times when even those get awkwardly placed because of a lack of stage room. But then again, every band and every stage is different. ----------
I notice the soundy at one of the joints I play uses gaffer tape to position the 906. Like, he hangs the mic, then tapes the lead in place on top of the amp ----------
Hum... the Electrovoice N/D 468 also sounds quite good... what a difficult choice! EV or Sennheiser 906?
Could one of you guys please make a photo of draping the mic in front of the speaker? I mean, how's the mic being fixed and prevented from falling on the ground? I think the weight of the mic matters a lot...
Teton's got it right. Looping the cable once through the amp handle is the simplest way to secure it. Position the mic face in front of whichever speaker you're mic'ing, then take up whatever slack there is left in the cable and tighten the loop around the handle to keep her in place. ----------
Search youtube for many '57 vs 609' shootouts. - the 609 is the new "57' - as far as cab micing goes. It picks up more nuance to my ear and as stated - built in perfect 'mounting' and you don't even need a mic clip. The 57 is still the swiss army knife of the studio and stage though. It will serve in just about any audio capacity and do a decent - if not the best job
The 609 is becoming the 'new ----------
Last Edited by bonedog569 on Apr 04, 2013 8:16 PM
I own two e906's and I love them to death. They bring out all the rich warm low end that small amps have to give. They can take any sound pressure level without overloading, because they're guitar amp mics. I love the way they lie flat. They are my amp mic of choice.
The Sennheiser shows its true colors when it's crunch time in the second video just above. To my ears the sound is noticeably richer and warmer. The difference between the mics isn't as obvious at lower volumes; in fact, at those volumes the Shure may have more lower end. But when your harp amp is cranked up, you want something that preserves the highs and warms up the lows.........
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Apr 04, 2013 8:50 PM
I don't doubt for one moment that the Sennheiser is a great mic. The company have a good reputation and make quality stuff. I'd still choose the SM57 though and here's why. 1. It's a real workhorse mic and can take a lot of abuse. 2. It has superb sound reproduction qualities. 3. Shure is the biggest (and arguably best) name in the business. 4. It can be used for vocals as well as micing an amp up. 5. It can be used to mic any instrument in any setting. 6. It makes one hell of a harp mic either used on a stand or with an IMT and cupped. 7. It's very easy to find virtually anywhere in the world, so if it does develop a fault it can be very easily replaced.
There are two chief differences. One is the shape: the e906 lies flat against the amp, which is more convenient. The other, as a soundman explained to me, is that the e906 handles high sound pressure levels a bit better, because it's designed to mic overdriven guitar amps. The N/D may occasionally get a little tweaky in high db settings. The N/D is a still a fine mic. It's great for brass and percussion. If you're miking a harp amp that ISN'T cranked way up, it's probably just as good. But once I started using the e906, I never looked back. My particular application involves small amps cranked up. I need a mic that handles that well AND adds warm bottom end. The e906 does that.
FYI, harp amps sound better, arguably, when you put the mic 9" to one foot in front of the speaker. You lose a little proximity-effect low end but the sound smooths out and enlarges.
Thanks for your analysis, Adam! My application also involves small amps, i.e. usually around 10 watts. Your needs concerning sound (warm bottom end, good response at high volumes) are the same as mine. So following your analysis, the E906 sounds great for my purposes.
Your advice is also quite interesting, but obviously one needs a mic stand in order to put the mic 9'' in front of the speaker. For now, that's not what I want, but I'll keep it in mind.
- Al
Last Edited by HarpKeyAl on Apr 05, 2013 5:17 AM
i have a piggyback head so rather than wrapping the cable through the amp handle, i wrap the cable around the entire head. i can move the mic left or right for off center micing.
if you want to mic a 4/10 amp or just a big amp, loop your cord around the entire amp and you can move the mic left or right, up or down. you'll need a long cable. 20' maybe. a piece of electrical tape can secure your cable in place if you fear it will slip. ---------- MP affordable reed replacement and repairs.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
click user name [MP] for info- repair videos on YouTube. you can reach me via Facebook. Mark Prados
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