Limiting amp as a mic pre

[Tomasz]

Forgive any ignorance expressed here...
So i quit smoking (cigarettes) and would like to spend the 1800 bucks I'd spend on tobacco on something tangible... I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Bill Halverson recently and picked his brain on mics etc... His favorite mic: a 57. his other favorite piece: 1176 He commented that with the attack settings off he'd crank the gain and etc and get excellent results. It seems that it would make the piece I'm looking at (MC77, which has the attack "OFF" setting)usable from a couple angles.
Anybody have any thoughts on this, or is nicotine withdrawal making me delusional?

[Ken Morgan]

I've never tried that...

But congratulations on quitting the smokes...smartest thing you may ever do. Aside from the immediate obvious health benefits and cash influx, it takes away monies sent to the federal, state, and local taxing entities...

That aside, I get a lot of mileage out of taking said 57, plugging it into a REDDI, and using that combo on snares, guitar amps, etc...

Just an idea.

Again, congrats...

[seaneldon]

It passes signal, sure...impedance-wise it's not exactly "correct" and at higher gains 1176's get kinda noisy, but you likely wouldn't have much a problem with louder sources.

I've had some luck skipping the mic pre with really hot tube mics (VM1 KHE, Mag Mic...mics that puts out 0VU) and going straight into a compressor for loud or up-close vocals, drums, bass amps, etc. I did it because that's what worked best, though, not because I ran out of mic pres.

I'd buy a compressor with the idea of using it as a compressor. We only have one MC77 in the Meth Lab and if I want to use it on more than one thing at mix time, I just put it on an aux or group and send a bunch of stuff to it. This can be cool for stuff that locks in the song that you want to envelope/pump the same way (kick/snare/bass). Phil Greene (http://www.bignoisenow.com/philgreene.html) gave me this idea when he was mixing some stuff here.

More congrats on quitting smoking. Keep at it and don't fuck up. I've been trying to quit kinda half-assed for a couple years. This sits next to me at my desk as inspiration:

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5879/smokedont.jpg

[Seaneman]

As for quitting smoking, it is the hardest thing I've ever done. ( and I've done some very out there and difficult things in my life!)
My preferred technique works equally well for quitting smoking and forgetting about an ex-girlfriend, two things that will make you act irrationally. Put a fat rubber band around your wrist, and every time you want a smoke, or pine about that stupid chick, pull off and give yourself a vicious snap. Remind yourself you are truly an idiot for falling back on obsolete habits.

Good luck.

[Tomasz]

It passes signal, sure...impedance-wise it's not exactly "correct" and at higher gains 1176's get kinda noisy, but you likely wouldn't have much a problem with louder sources.

I'd buy a compressor with the idea of using it as a compressor. We only have one MC77 in the Meth Lab and if I want to use it on more than one thing at mix time, I just put it on an aux or group and send a bunch of stuff to it. This can be cool for stuff that locks in the song that you want to envelope/pump the same way (kick/snare/bass). Phil Greene (http://www.bignoisenow.com/philgreene.html) gave me this idea when he was mixing some stuff here.

More congrats on quitting smoking. Keep at it and don't fuck up. I've been trying to quit kinda half-assed for a couple years. This sits next to me at my desk as inspiration:

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/5879/smokedont.jpg

Seaneldon, I have copped your motivational poster... pretty much sums it up... Thanks to all for the support as well..
As to the impedance issue.. You are right ... what is correct... what with variable impedance switches and continuously variable impedance knobs (some call 'em input sensitivity controls) almost the de-facto standard, who's to say right? Also loud and clear on picking something for its intended purpose and not some hoped for intentional mis-use magic...
Several pieces of gear that have my ear (and could fill a need) happened to be about the cost of leaving an old habit behind for a year. The mc77 is one of those and seeing as it is an "1176" type of comp, the extra possibilities struck me as interesting..

By the way, whatever I end up getting, I am 50 bucks further along after just one week of no cigs..... Already feeling better too!