Violet Finger Mic. Anybody use one?

[gjm]

http://www.violetusa.com/finger.php

Looking for a mic to record acoustic guitar. It was suggested as an option to replace my Rode NT2000 which IMO is nice for vocals but is a pig when it comes to acoustic guitars.

Opinions?

Cheers. G.

[cmcg37]

I had the joy of getting to demo one. It is perfect for acoustic guitar. Get the ring that goes with it. When I was looking at these things (2008) the ring did not come with the mic. It is a great mic on its own but the ring can really boost its functionality.

[3dot...]

worked in a studio which had 2 of these ...used them once on as cymbal overheads...
alls I can say is...if you can afford it...GET IT !
crisp and clean high end.. .and generally a high-fidelity mic..I was very impressed ..
imo...a must have for serious mic collectors..

[3dot...]

+1... mine didn't have them rings... still ultra impressive...
it's an impressive mic .. both in design and in sound..

[gjm]

I have a matched pair arriving Monday to demo for a week. Yikes!

This. Is. Not. Gas. I have a genuine need. Honest.

[3dot...]

I have a matched pair arriving Monday to demo for a week. Yikes!

This. Is. Not. Gas. I have a genuine need. Honest.

they're keepers...
once you got them for a week you'll never let them go..
enjoy !
how much is a pair going for btw ?

[gjm]

I have a matched pair arriving Monday to demo for a week. Yikes!

This. Is. Not. Gas. I have a genuine need. Honest.

they're keepers...
once you got them for a week you'll never let them go..
enjoy !
how much is a pair going for btw ?

700 NZD (inc tax) each.
1000 NZD (inc tax) matched pair

When I start talking these numbers all my wife can see is kitchen appliances....

[leedsquietman]

Surprised that you didn't like the NT2000 for acoustic guitar (I think Rode mics are excellent on acoustic guitars), but you're doing the right thing trying out some alternatives if you didn't get the desired result.

Daniel Lanois (producer U2, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Neville Brothers) summed it up well when he said that he has no one go to mic for acoustic guitar, that he had 3 or 4 set up and depending on the player, the guitar and the room, would find he regular chose different mics.

Did you see the Sound On Sound tutorial for recording acoustic guitar I posted recently. Although you probably already know this stuff, it's interesting, particularly comparing the sound of fishman and piezo pickups in contrast to micing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VzZU_8XPPU

Hope your new mics will do the job you're looking for gjm. Best.

[gjm]

Surprised that you didn't like the NT2000 for acoustic guitar (I think Rode mics are excellent on acoustic guitars), but you're doing the right thing trying out some alternatives if you didn't get the desired result.

As you know I have been on to this for many months now. I kept saying to myself that it was my operator error (and it still can be) but no mater what I have tried I keep getting the same results. I got to a point where I started blaming the gear. I had the NT2000 checked at the service center and no fault was found. I checked my iO/14 against a loaner iO/26 and a Fast Track Pro and discovered that not only did the iO/14 &26 give me noticeably better results than the FTP, there was no difference in the performance of the Alesis sound cards.

What I find with the NT2000 is that it does a great job with vocals when you can be about 6" or 150mm away from the mic, but the guitar always sounds distant and opaque. Moving into the 300mm zone where I would expect to be able to use this mic on a guitar gives you no presence, no warmth, and certainly nothing resembling what I am playing. Its like its ignoring the frequencies associated with playing the instrument but highlights the slight movements I make while sitting in the chair, the faintest of breath, the slightest movement of a finger on a nylon string just prior to plucking it. It also loves to pick up the chirp of my cockatiel which is 40ft away, through the double walled and insulated detached studio and inside the house. Yesterday I also noticed that it was picking up and highlighting frequencies I do not hear with my ears, but through the headphones stick out like swollen goat testies. I was playing one of my classical guitars and noticed a ruddy great thud every time I plucked a string. Through the cans it was almost like a box drum being hit with a felt mallet. When I took the headphones off I kind of had to imagine it into existence. Headphones back on and sure enough there it is. I discovered if I pushed on the guitars sound board with a bit of force with my pinky and ring finger I could significantly dampen the sound board and not hear those frqs. But there was no way I could play like that. I then tried all my acoustics and got the same basic result. So I have decided to trust my ears and see if I can get a different result by changing mics.

Did you see the Sound On Sound tutorial for recording acoustic guitar I posted recently. Although you probably already know this stuff, it's interesting, particularly comparing the sound of fishman and piezo pickups in contrast to micing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VzZU_8XPPU

Yes I did see that vid, thanks. It was on the tail of that vid that I made a phone call to someone other than the local music store. The NT simply cannot do any of the tasks asked of a mic in that vid. Of course this is all IMHO.

Cheers. G.

[leedsquietman]

Sure. You've done all the trouble shooting necessary and more to make an informed decision, so I wish you well with your replacement mic(s).

One thing I will say is that Rode mics are sensitive. I sometimes find my M3s picking up taxi cab radios and ham radio (and the sound of various activities going on outside the house, although it's usually rectifiable by turning down the preamp gain on the IO14). Put it on max and you can hear a cricket chirping half a mile down the road...

The IO14 and IO26 use Cirrus converters (as does the Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1), which while not in the same league as RME or Metric Halo, are better than many pres and converters in the immediate price range and sometimes better than ones costing 100-150 bucks more.

[gjm]

Well, after spending the day with a matched pair of Violet Fingers (Black not Gold) I have to say that the NT2000 has the edge. 22 tracks of A-B ing, inc vocals. HUUUGE learning curve. Using the built in Pad Cut still allowed some unwanted boominess to come through (which I am not sure how to tame yet) but the Fingers are missing a whole layer of bottom end presence. The NT2000 is just richer in the lower end fqs (IMO). Don't get me wrong, they are nice mics, and I would probably get one if I had the spare cash cause I could quite easily become a mic snob, but it is an either/or situation for me.

Soooo, I figure now I have to keep plugging away at recording techniques, mixing and effects.