AEA - R44CXE

Of the ones I'm most familiar with: 1. Coles 4038 2. AEA R44 3. Beyerdynamic M160 4. AEA R84 5. Royer R121/R122 6. Royer SF12/SSF24 7. se Voodoo VR1/VR2 All are awesome.

Fet47 is handy as it also works great on bass, kick, loud sources, everything. I’ve used it during writing sessions as a floating vocal mic, easy to quickly move around. But in a proper session I wouldn’t choose it over your M49 or U47 tube. With your mic locker I’d be looking at nice ribbons for alternatives, AEA KU4 and AEA R44. Even Coles 4038. The older U87 can be nice on vocals with the right chain and right treatment, I don’t like the modern ai version though.

I loved the AEA R84A on vocals - I tracked [this tune](https://open.spotify.com/track/44k0mZsyPlmB1tpGi96ial?si=2cd07cde3d714b29) with the R84A on lead vocals. The passive version is also really great, just needs a really clean preamp for it. The AEA R44 is also a great mic, but it hits the top end of the budget. I've heard really good things about AEAs KU5A, but I have never used or tried it. The 4038 I would lean away from for a vocal unless I particularly wanted a dark, old school sound. But it can sound really nice on the right voice. It's possible that the 122s would sound nice on a vocal - I've only used the 122 on horns, but I would imagine it could work nicely on vocals. Same with the Beyer ribbons, although I'd be less inclined to throw those on a vocal. Love them on horns and guitar cabinets.

Seconding this. Sounds like you’ve got the “big chest” thing covered with your 47 and Bottle. You’ve got your “clean and clear solid state” covered with the 87. 251 would be the characterful halfway point between the two. More open than a 47 but uniquely tubey with a forward but pleasant upper mid. Also, Heiserman makes amazing mics. They’d be my go to for any classic designs. If that doesn’t seem like a distinct enough color relative to your other mics, maybe something like an AEA/RCA 44 or similar? Super versatile on drums/instruments but for the right voice? Magic.

I know you said LDC, but if you’re got an 87 and a 47, maybe consider a vintage style ribbon? Not sure on genre, but I love the AEA R44CXE for vocals. It’s an active version of the R44C, so you can pair it with a wider range of preamps

That R44 is sooooo worth it, though.

I just tracked a jazz combo (whose singer is their main feature) live in the room—and they didn’t want to wear headphones. They used wedges (except the drummer, who used IEMs and our headphone system). There was also a small crowd of 20 or so people who also needed wedges. I tested three mics on the singer and we all liked a condenser (I tested a R44 ribbon, a 441 dynamic, and a Blue Bottle condenser). We spent a solid day playing around with vocal mic selection and placement. In the end, there’s more bleed of the singer’s vocal into the drums than the band into the vocal mic. I say all this just to say that this is totally possible and you should experiment with mics and placement.

A vocal sample may help guide the feedback. Please no halo or reflection filters. I wouldn’t expect much from a mic pre until you are DEEP in diminishing returns territory.. particularly with the issues you seem to be wrestling with, which are almost surely technique issues, and maybe mic selection.. A mic could help, and I’m not a huge fan of a 214, but that’s also a costly and potentially frustrating rabbit hole. If you can test a selection of higher end mics you might learn something, but I wouldn’t expect even an m49 alone to necessarily solve your current problem, even if you did have 7-9k. A ribbon, particularly a long ribbon 44 style (love my r44..) will have substantially more proximity effect, which would likely address your issue with body, but possibly at the cost of top end articulation and detail. Warm makes one too, that does ok, but even that’s not cheap. If it’s breath and mouth noises you are trying to solve, try a combination of vocal technique, breath control and automation to address them. Compression can also add volume in quieter parts, but I’m extremely reluctant to recommend processing if you are not yet happy with the raw take.

Love my m160s on OH. I don't turn to them for 'ribbon magic' per se, but I consistently prefer them to many more expensive sdcs on OH in my small, low ceiling room. 4038s are a sound (and magic) all their own, and cannot be beat at what they do. Heavy proximity effect means they aren't all-rounders, but where they work best, they really can't be touched imho. Love them best in blumlein on drum room. As far as "ribbon magic" goes, I'm not sure how the AEA r44 is not on here, as it's got more of that than the other AEA offerings mentioned above, though I do like them all. One of my all time favorite vocal mics, and pairs perfectly with their RPQ mic pre. As an aside, the RCA 44bx was in production from 1932-1955. The 4038s have been in production since 1953. Not exactly 'modern' but.. still modern. I get it.