Focusrite 2i2 and Golden Age FC4 ST - I like the combination
Nov 27, 2022 22:52:39 GMT
rodders, andrewjw, and 5 more like this
Post by vikingblues on Nov 27, 2022 22:52:39 GMT
For what must be at least a year all my attempts at recording the guitar have been on the Zoom H4n portable recorder.
That has been due to my USB audio interface showing it's increasing age, and low budget origins and one of my condenser microphones getting an intermittent fault.
Eventually I realised it was time to bite the bullet and flex the credit card. Albeit within a modest budget.
Something like £300 for interface + 2 small diaphragm matched condenser microphones.
After several weeks of searching, reading reviews, checking data, I ended up following a huge herd of people with going for the very popular Focusrite 2i2 as the interface. It has the provision for being able to input 2 XLR microphones and had an impressive reputation. Turned out, as so many said, to be a nice solid interface that is easy to set up and has good enough preamps to have a low noise floor and natural sound. It also, due to popularity, has a lot of online information on troubleshooting and its use - which can be useful given the difficulty of getting help / advice from manufacturers.
It was tougher on microphones choice.
The Focusrite interface being fairly low budget allowed me to avoid bargain basement stuff on Mics like Behringer.
But there were a lot of options in the £100 to £200 range. I'm not sure now why I ended up honing in on and choosing the Golden Age pair.
But I'm glad I did. Very low noise and what, to me, is very natural sound.
Not being able to hear the guitar from in front while I play it makes the judgement of the sound being natural a bit less than 100% reliable.
To get a bit technical - 20 mm, 3um gold- spurred low distortion dual capsule mounted on an effective internal shock mount. Low noise F.E.T. as first amplifying device. Discrete class A electronics and transformer- less balanced output stage. External switches for high-pass filter and pad. Heavy duty brass body. Shock mount included. Goldplated XLR.
Here's some samples anyway. No EQ adjustments made.
Both Golden Age Mics and the Focusrite. The Vintage Giltrap in DADGAD, with a second recorded track using the same guitar with sparse accompaniment, mainly harmonics.
Both Golden Age Mics and the Focusrite. The Tanglewood TW45 in DADGAD - just the single track. Noticeable that there is a smoother velvety sound from this guitar.
One Golden Age Mic plus DI from the Vintage Giltrap (blended internal microphone and Piezo). DADGAD naturally, this time in Phrygian mode! I do feel I can hear the change in sound from the blending in of the sound inside the guitar body.
Finally, for a contrast - Golden Age Mics plugged into the Zoom H4n recording the wife's Korg Piano (with a rather heavy foot on the right pedal 
). Didn't fancy carrying the PC down the stairs to the Korg and even less trying to get the near 40kg of piano up the stairs to the PC! The piano is not in my comfort zone, as may be apparent.
). Didn't fancy carrying the PC down the stairs to the Korg and even less trying to get the near 40kg of piano up the stairs to the PC! The piano is not in my comfort zone, as may be apparent.
Of course my view of these sounds is just based on my own headphones &/or PC speakers. I have no idea how bad they might sound elsewhere.
But I felt impressed enough to make a recommendation. 
Mark
Maybe it'll be helpful for someone down the line?
Jo whoever he is.
