Red 5 Tube Mic

[BoogieBear]

Morning everyone,

 

Has anybody used or got one of these http://www.red5audio.com/acatalog/Valve_Microphones.html

 

I fancy a look at this price but is it a bargain or a no-no?

 

Would I be better going for the new SE2200 Tube?

 

I'd be grateful for any comments

 

Cheers

Anton

[AV Ian]

I've not used the tube mic, but the RV6 and RV8 have impressed me. My opinion of the Red5Audio stuff is good value for money. Someone maybe along in a bit that has used that particular mic.

Ian

[Bobbsy]

Well, I've never heard the Red 5 mic but am a big fan of the SE2200a and its tube variant. I have a couple of the 2200a mics which have become mainstays in my home studio and recently invested in one of the tube versions (the wife had a win at the casino) which I'm VERY impressed with--it adds a lovely silky warmth to vocals and, in my opinion, punches way above its weight in value for money terms.

 

By all means audition the Red 5 mic (and post a review here if you're minded) but if you do go the 2200 Tube route I think you'll be very pleased.

 

Bob

[Trunker]

In my studio I have got AKG 414's, 3000's D112's C1000's, Senheiser e602's, 606's, MD421's, AT4033a's, Shure SM57's, SM58's, unisphere's, unidyne's and got an SE electronic Z5600. This has quite impressed me as a vocal mic as is the 'middle' Tube mic now in the SE electronic catalouge the Gemini II being the top one. Good value for money. I also have a set of RED 5 drums mics, which while are nowhere near as good as the MD421 on drums, are still very good in their own right and are excellent value for the money working out about £35 per mic, rather than £350 that the MD421 is.

 

Also check out buying 2nd hand tube mics. Tube mics tend to get more character when used for a while and in alot of engineers opinions are better than new ones. This may be a route you want to explore, but as always, make sure that it works before parting with your cash.

 

All the best with your decision.

[Wilflet]

Iv not used the red5 tube mic, but I have a RV6 (large diaphragm cardioid condenser) and a pair of RV85s (tinny hanging overhead types) . On sound quality I wouldn't choose to use them over say a 414 (or mics of that sort of quality more appropriate to what I was micing) but there useable, and for the money a very pleasant surprise.

[Trunker]

I must add though that I have used a Sennheiser MD421 on a tom and then added one of the Red 5 mics as a 2nd mic and that complimented the sound of the drum along side the 421. On their own I feel the Red 5 mics are lacking the roundness that Sennheiser or AKG can give (lets not go into Neumann territory as that is a different ball game altogether).

[john-sp]

Iv not used the red5 tube mic, but I have a RV6 (large diaphragm cardioid condenser) and a pair of RV85s (tinny hanging overhead types) . On sound quality I wouldn't choose to use them over say a 414 (or mics of that sort of quality more appropriate to what I was micing) but there useable, and for the money a very pleasant surprise.

 

Did you indeed mean "tinny" or "tiny"? Rather an important difference in meaning!

 

John

[Wilflet]

go to all the trouble of spell checking and then make mistakes like that. sorry, I meant small