Real World Studios choose sE
Saturday 20th January 2007
Real World's Studios take delivery of the sE range of microphones and conclude: 'great results', 'the best performance for the money' and 'the build quality is amongst the best out there'…
Real World Studios should need no introduction. This idyllic suite of top class recording and writing rooms has become something of a legend in its relatively short existence. Set up by Peter Gabriel, the complex houses the most state of the art equipment within some of the most beautiful surroundings the UK has to offer. The facility has recently taken stock of a range of sE microphones for its new Mill Side studio, as in house engineer Dom Monks and senior sound engineer Marco Migliari explain…
"Real World own both a Gemini, an sE2200a and a pair of sE3s. (I also own a z5600a)," explains Dom. "Bruno Ellingham [another producer and engineer at Real World], first put me on to sE mics. He had a few on demo and was getting really great results from them. There are, however, an increasing number of engineers and producers that come through Real World who own sE gear."
"The great thing about sE mics is their value for money. Because any producer or artist can easily afford their own sE mic they're not restricted to where they record. Whether it is between studios or in their living room, it's that much easier to maintain continuity. And compared to other 'low cost' mics on the market they just sound more expensive."
Marco agrees: "We wanted to offer a selection of microphones that would both fit the budget and be rugged enough to withstand the abuse they're typically subjected to, and also deliver the best performance for the money."
"I've tested the SE3 stereo pair on a grand piano, with the standard coincident arrangement using the supplied mounting kit. I've also used them on drums: one of the SE3s on the hat, two SE2200a as overheads and the tube Gemini as a mono ambience mic. The SE3s are great on cymbals where you'd normally have to filter out most of the bottom end. The pair of SE2200as sound very nice as overheads - they have a balanced tone and good accuracy, and on spaced pair stereo work they seem to output a solid image. I successfully used the Gemini to record the ambience for a drum kit with the creamy tube sound that I wanted."
And on the Z5600, Dom adds: "The great thing about it is that it has all the intermediate pickup patterns. For example on vocals, if you're getting too much bass tip up from the mic in cardioid, instead of EQing it out you can just switch it a step closer to sub cardioid. Or if you need a bit more on a thin voice you can switch it a bit closer to fig.8. It's a great tick if you don't want to change the distance between the singer and the mic."
And both Dom and Marco are agreed that the build quality is another major plus point of the range …
"The value for money is obvious, but beyond that the sonics and the build quality are amongst the best out there for new mics," says Dom. "It's all just that bit better thought out than other manufacturers."
"Also priceless are the rugged cases they come with, something that mics three times the price often don't have," adds Marco. "The accessories these mics come with (cradles, mounting kits etc.) are very useful in all situations and almost unheard of in this price range and seem to be long-lasting and reliable."
In summary, then, it's fair to say that the sE range has been a hit over at Real World…
"Whilst both the Gemini and the z5600a are both great work-horse mics," says Dom, "I have had experiences where they are just better suited to a certain singer than some high-end vintage valve mics. I've seen this happen on other people's sessions as well. They just suit some people's voices better than any other mic."
"They're easy to position and have all of the on-board options you'd need to do a good job, like roll-off filters, pads and changeable polar pattern," concludes Marco. "The package was just right: good quality mics, solid build, a selection of useful and lasting accessories and a decent aluminium case for each mic or pair. Add this to a competitive price, and you've got an easy decision in your hands. I particularly like the tone of the SE2200a - it's hard to find another mic in the same price range that could deliver a better performance."
Marco is currently producing the band The Moonfish (see their page at www.myspace.com/themoonfish) with a lot more production and mixing work lined up for 2007. Dom also has lots of work lined up at Real World: "plenty of things to do and lessons to learn!" he says.
*ends
Marco's recording and production philosophy:
"As a recording engineer, I strive to put musicians at ease. I enjoy becoming a friend and I commit to understand what makes them write and perform exceptional music, and then set out to create an ideal environment. Music needs the right space, the right mindset, the right time of the day, the right people to stand a chance to blossom and thrive. It's the engineer's performance that brings it all together, not only technically but also, and more importantly, at a human level."
On production: "I respect the author, and I work to give his/her music a chance to deliver its message. I only suggest ideas when the music seems too bare, and it feels like it needs more help. I enjoy working on the sonic content to setup a vibe and to help choose a tempo. Arrangements are also crucial and can radically affect a performance, which is something I enjoy working on right from the start. Once everybody is happy with tempo, arrangement, key and general mood, the recording is typically a formality, and at this stage more sonic experimentation can usually take place."
Dom's recording philosophy
"I guess that my philosophy is to serve the music as best as I possibly can. The trouble is that no one approach is applicable to all situations. Sometimes you need to interfere as little as possible, and sometimes you need to really get stuck in and mess with things. The trick is to know what you need to do when, and to remember that sometimes what you need to do is nothing."
