An instrumental cue I wrote that was featured in an episode of MTV show 'Catfish' titled "Larissa & Anthony"

Dylan Drake -- BMI 2016

Inner Sentiment

BMI / 2018

Available at ArtList: https://artlist.io/song/6564/seaside-psalter

Visit RondoProduction.com to inquire about production!

Seaside Psalter (Instrumental)

Dylan Drake / BMI 2017

Available at ArtList: https://artlist.io/song/6558/bizarro

Visit RondoProduction.com to talk about your next production!

Bizarro

New featured releases, in order of appearance:

River - Ree Boado (www.facebook.com/ReeBoado)
There For You - Dylan Drake (www.facebook.com/DylanDrakeMusic)
Leaves in the Fall - EllieMae (www.facebook.com/EllieMaeMillenkamp)
Bizarro / Nimbus  - Epithet (www.rondoproduction.com)
Under the Sun - Keith Pintar

TheDylanDrake.com -- Helping artists build sustainable careers through music production. I'd love to hear about your upcoming project!

Featured Artists

Chainsmokers x Zedd Type Beat "Bora Bora"

This is a mic test of the V13 tube condenser by Vanguard Audio Labs.

I threw it up against two mics I know very well - the Townsend Labs L22 and the Pearlman TM-1.

All mics went through exactly the same chain: a Millennia HV-3D into a Lynx Aurora 16 into Pro Tools. The only processing was a splash of reverb on vocals and slight level adjustments to compensate for the different qualities of each mic.

HOW TO LISTEN TO THESE FILES:
We aren't looking for a "good/better/best" conclusion here. I wasn't trying to make this rough mix sound any different than what came in. Yes, it sounds unpolished and that's the point.

Nor was this test performed in some anechoic sciencey chamber with white gloves.. I wanted the results to be musical and for you to hear how the differences in the mics stacked up in a more traditional "mix" sense. You should instantly hear the difference between each mic and what it brings out.

(NOTE: Don't read this next part until after you listen if you care at all about confirmation bias):

I'll start with the L22 because that is my standard right now. It hasn't left the mic stand since we got it at the studio: It has a sound of its own, no doubt. But that's not a bad thing as the base sound is very pleasing, erring on the side of "present". It has superb articulation and clarity which can, on the wrong sources, translate to harshness. However, with the sculpting powers of the plugin you can get just about any sound you want. If I could only have one mic, this would be it. Full stop. 

The biggest thing you would run into with this (or any mic) is stacking it up 20-40 tracks deep on a mix. There's still something to each and every mic, even of the same make and model, having differences that bring separation and depth to a final mix.

On the other hand, I find the V13 to be absolutely LUSH - it sparkles without harshness, it is warm without being muddy. I could push the top end a bit more to match what I heard from the L22 but end up with a more rotund sound at the end. It honestly reminds me of a brighter / more articulate ribbon mic. 

Cons of the V13: It's a little "smooshy" on the transients and wouldn't be my go to where detail was imperative. Paired with a set of SDCs (which Vanguard also makes!) - you'd be hard pressed to need anything else for making great records.

And finally, the Pearlman which I unfortunately shipped to a new home this week: A fantastic mic with major influences from the U47. It just has an instantly vintage sound.. and in this test there's something about the guitars in particular that sets me back in front of my record player listening to The Beatles. I've always described this mic as a "big black sharpie"; it's great when that's the color you want and you've decided whatever the source is will be THE defining part of your record. But once it starts stacking up it becomes very hard to manage.

***One final note on the mics: to make it fair, I ran all the mics on the same pattern (cardioid). There are many more options on both the V13 and the L22 which WILL make very noticeable differences to the sound. Specifically with the L22, I picked mic models that suited the source - I consider this an integral feature as it would otherwise sound much like a reference mic... If you want to cry fowl, let me know and I can render everything on only one of the models.

What do you hear? What do you think? Which did you like? 

Leave a comment to let me know and be sure to show some support to all three of these wonderful companies!

Vanguard Audio Labs: https://www.facebook.com/vanguardaudiolabs/
https://vanguardaudiolabs.com/
Townsend L22: https://www.facebook.com/townsend.labs.inc/
https://townsendlabs.com/products/sphere-l22/
Pearlman Microphones: https://www.facebook.com/pearlmanmics/
https://pearlmanmicrophones.com/

Singer-Songwriter / Production / Mixing
Music featured on Catfish, True Life, and Love & Hip-Hop
Visit RondoProduction.com to talk about your next project!

Dylan Drake

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