Choosing the overhead mics

I think I've read every mic post on this forum, but one nagging question remains. Which of the following (assuming you have personal or anecdotal experience with one or all of my choices) would you prefer to use live from a durability standpoint?

Rode NT5
Oktava Mk12
sE Electonics Se1

I've narrowed it down to these three but am open to other suggestions if there is something is arguably more rugged than those I've listed. Soundwise, I would be happy with any of them. They will be used for small bar venues where we sometimes get drunks joining us on stage or people up dancing in our faces.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

Phil
 
Hi Kettles,

Thanks for that. I was planning to X-Y the mics on a single stand, just as you suggest. I definitely want to reduce the footprint as much as possible.

On an aside, I've been invited to dinner next week by the gentleman in your avatar. Not sure if I will be able to make it, though.
 
Hi Kettles,

Thanks for that. I was planning to X-Y the mics on a single stand, just as you suggest. I definitely want to reduce the footprint as much as possible.

On an aside, I've been invited to dinner next week by the gentleman in your avatar. Not sure if I will be able to make it, though.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!! Tell him he's my hero! I watched the "Hocus Pocus Live '73" video at least ten times in a row when I found it and countless more since then. My girlfriend's dad met him at a show back in the 70s, and she bought me Making Waves on vinyl as a gift last year. Man that's really cool, this made my night :)

Arky - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ouPGGLI6Q Everything about this rules. I wish I was around in the 70s.
 
Arky, his name is Thijs van Leer. He's the lead singer/keyboard/flute player of Focus. Admittedly, it's been almost 40 years since they had a hit in the States, but I bought Moving Waves and Dutch Masters when I was a teenager.

I work with his stepson who knows I'm a fan. A couple of weeks ago he called Thijs and asked him when they was doing a show in Holland and Thijs replied they were playing Feb 24 not too far from me. He also invited me to come eat with the band before the show and have a beer after.

They still rock!

Also, check out a song called, "Sylvia" You might recognize that one, too.
 
(...) Arky - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4ouPGGLI6Q Everything about this rules. I wish I was around in the 70s.
Hey Kettles, I know that band! Well "know" means I've listened to them 2-3 times - exactly that one song, at a friend of mine who introduced me to them. Freakishly talented musos, no doubt. Maybe too crazy for me but hey, we need more of those bands. They were clearly ahead of their time.

Honestly I could have imagined that's your face in your avatar. Why not? Some people look that way ;-)

@ Phil Woodney
Man, you're becoming a part of music history then! Small world in the end... ;-)
 
Arky, his name is Thijs van Leer. He's the lead singer/keyboard/flute player of Focus. Admittedly, it's been almost 40 years since they had a hit in the States, but I bought Moving Waves and Dutch Masters when I was a teenager.

I work with his stepson who knows I'm a fan. A couple of weeks ago he called Thijs and asked him when they was doing a show in Holland and Thijs replied they were playing Feb 24 not too far from me. He also invited me to come eat with the band before the show and have a beer after.

They still rock!

Also, check out a song called, "Sylvia" You might recognize that one, too.

"Sylvia" is just plain gorgeousness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OznS7X9BOxs
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVsHFkqnRqI&feature=related

Jan Akkerman, man.
 
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NT4s or C1000s. Those are more durable than most condensers, and have pretty good sound, the Rodes more than the AKGs...

Thanks, Caddy. That NT4 that you and Kettles recommend is interesting. I like the design. It's a little more than I had thought to spend, but I can se where it would reduce setup time along with eliminating phase issues. I'll look more closely.

@Arky. Yeah, I'll be a part of history, alright. I am old enough to have experienced most of human history. :)

@ Unfunkyfooted. Pity Jan no longer plays with Focus, nor does bassist Bert Ruiter. But Pierre van der Linden is still drumming with Thijs and he is a big reason why I wnt to see them live. Having dinner and a beer or two will give me a chance to pick his brain, too!

I hope to learn to yodel while drumming in place of shouting obsceneties!

All: Thanks so much for the input thus far!
 
I never go the cheap route when buying any microphone, but what's even more important is their placement. I see too many people put their over head much too close to the ceilings in their recording space. Depending on the construction of the ceilings, there is always too many reflections between the ceiling and the microphone when the microphone is closer than about three feet from the ceiling. I actually see this more when the recordist is trying for an X-Y configuration. I usually bring mine down away from the ceiling to where they are about three feet above the cymbals in a spaced stereo pair configuration for a better, wider stereo image. The kit is well balanced in the mix with the overhead microphones panned hard left and right.

DSC_0148-1.jpg


Dennis
 
I use a pair of NT5's live with no reliability issues. They're way off the best you can get, but they work just fine for me. I never mic my snare live. I leave that to the overheads & spill onto other mic's. I find I get a nice "natural" balance that way.

BTW Kettles, just to jerk your string even more, I had a few beers with Jan in Alkmaar about 10 years ago. Great guy, but I was stoned at the time ;)
 
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