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Thread: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

  1. #1
    F5G & MD305 Astro's Avatar
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    Default Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    There have been some good discussions on here about them already. It seems past consensus was they use some standard and cheap Chinese parts but are hand wired (in Oregon,USA) into reworked plumbing fixtures to give a vintage or steampunk look. Lots of positive testimonials and I havent seen a negative one yet.

    They are suppose to sound and perform decently for both live and recording purposes especially for a 3 or 4 piece band looking to dance around a single condenser microphone. I am aware of the limitations of condenser mics for live use but these are supposedly much less feed back prone. We know we cant use them in really noisy bars backed by walls and windows.

    The draw is not only looks, but supposedly less feedback than the AT 4033 and other sensitive studio oriented condenser mics.

    We are playing out more and looking to do more self recording. I like the look and I'm really looking hard at one. They seem expensive(500 bucks) and I'm guessing there is a surcharge for the looks, novelty, and hand made USA stigma. Is there something that is cheaper that would suite better or be more road warrior robust? Anyone want to try to shed more light? Tried one ? Enablers all?
    Last edited by Astro; Nov-14-2015 at 8:27am.
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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    FWIW this is the Look. http://www.eartrumpetlabs.com/produc...ophones/louise

    Needle point hoop and a loose leaf tea ball .. to my eye,

    a shock mount + one of many side address Condenser Mics May do an adequate Job .
    Under a Benjamin .. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/conde...ith-shockmount

    these are, I'm told, a Small diaphragm capsule with a LD look.. shock Mount included

    A group of friends have opted for a pair of AKG side address cardioid pattern Mics

    to have a side By side by side pattern spread,

    so can all do the vocal harmonies with out butting heads to get around 1 Mic.
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  4. #3

    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    We use one with our band The Slippery Hill Boys. It replaced a very good Audio Technica AT4040, and was a distinct improvement. It manages the trick of sounding warm and detailed at the same time, and rejects feedback very well indeed. It's sensitive enough to stand back from, and picks up both vocals and instruments without difficulty. Very impressed indeed, and the build quality is excellent too. They do buy their components from China (but then, so do most mic manufacturers) and they put them through rigorous quality checks, rejecting a significant proportion. They come in a custom fitted metal case, and ours has been very robust so far (50+ gigs). Hope this helps.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Nothing sounds warmer with good detail than a ribbon and works very well for PA unless you are in a small noisey room.

  7. #5

    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I have ribbon mics, but two things work against them for live work; the figure of 8 pattern is tricky to use, and they break very easily. It only takes a klutz of a soundman to send them phantom power, and.. kaput. Here's a picture of my band using a Louise.Click image for larger version. 

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    Tim Mundy
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by mandotim1955 View Post
    I have ribbon mics, but two things work against them for live work; the figure of 8 pattern is tricky to use, and they break very easily. It only takes a klutz of a soundman to send them phantom power, and.. kaput. Here's a picture of my band using a Louise.Click image for larger version. 

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    Your right about them breaking easily, I carry mine in a wooded box I made for it with foam all around the mic and I usually run my own PA no sound man but me. I don't have a problem with the figure 8 for the most part unless we are in a small room with a lot on noise, then the back of the mic picks up the noise of the room amplifies it and sends it back.

  9. #7
    poor excuse for anything Charlieshafer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    For real touring use, the Ear Trumpets work very well. We've had a number of bands come through with various models (I have one, but there's a comfort factor for them when bands bring their own) and all have been very easy to check, eq (very minimal) and get sounding great. Easily as good as any other mic in that price range.

    In all the years and all the shows, not one has brought or even wants a ribbon, and this includes some very seasoned, high powered Grammy winners who are vary particular about their sound. There's the occasional Neumann or Schoeps, but those are vanity miss, and many times the artists will say, when pulling it out of their bag, "I know, I know, it's overkill, but it was a gift from my mom-dad-wife-husband so I can't not use it." The Ear Trumpet will be on the upper end of what you really need to spend for live use.

    As for studio, I don't spend much time in one, so I can't offer any help. But live, they work very well.

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlieshafer View Post
    In all the years and all the shows, not one has brought or even wants a ribbon, and this includes some very seasoned, high powered Grammy winners who are vary particular about their sound.
    I agree about ribbons... there are a couple of models being made now by Royer and others that are actually designed tough for stage use, but the figure-8 pattern just makes things difficult for the FOH engineer. Use 'em if you like 'em and you run your own sound system, but otherwise I don't think they're useful for live sound. Great for certain things in the studio, though.

    There's the occasional Neumann or Schoeps, but those are vanity miss, and many times the artists will say, when pulling it out of their bag, "I know, I know, it's overkill, but it was a gift from my mom-dad-wife-husband so I can't not use it."
    Hey now, let's not diss these as simply "vanity mics."

    Another way to look at it, is that these mics are provided by the artist (or requested in a rider) for their known consistency and quality, instead of dealing with whatever the local venue pulls out of its mic locker.

    I've seen artists like Kevin Burke using his own mic (an old Schoeps, I think?). The technical rider for the Irish trad band Lúnasa specifies a Beta 57 for the whistle channel, a Neumann KMS 105 for the flute, a Neumann KM-84 for the pipe chanter, a Neumann KM-184 for the guitar, and they bring their own clip-on mini mics for the fiddle and bass. I guess if you don't have a spare KM-84 (who does, outside a recording studio?), they might be okay if you provide a KM-184.

    I don't play at that level, but I've brought my own KM-184 to gigs, and I'm not embarrassed to use it. It's because I know what it sounds like, and it needs minimal EQ if someone else is running the board. I'm pretty sure it's not just a vanity thing.

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I have taken my ribbon to gigs and had the sound man to tell me you can't use figure 8 mics in PA live sound. I ask him if he ever heard of the Beatles who used them in their PA. If I can talk him into trying, not a one has had problems controlling them. I'll admit that there are a few places that a ribbon won't work but very few. I always carry another mic.

  13. #10

    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    And don't forget that Punch Bros did their last tour with one Neumann U89...a helluva microphone. I have two in my home studio and they are wonderful, neutral and pure...

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by PVia View Post
    And don't forget that Punch Bros did their last tour with one Neumann U89...a helluva microphone. I have two in my home studio and they are wonderful, neutral and pure...
    http://www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...FUc9gQodvWYMTQ

    At 3200 dollars a piece, you could have just hired The Punch Brothers to come to your house and play acoustic.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I saw the Earls of Leicester last weekend. Their setup consists of five Ear Trumpet Labs mics - one Louise and the rest I think were Edwinas.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I think I did an update in another thread but we have been using The Louise for all our gigs for about a month now and we're loving it.
    We started out using just the one mic but it got pretty crowded. Last couple of gigs we started using a second carotid condenser mic which is a cheapo GC special. We like that better but we did have a bit more feedback at one bar where we were backed up against glass doors. At another bar where nothing is immediately behind us we had no problem.

    So now I'm thinking about getting the dbx Go Rack for its AFB benefits. Its less than 100 bucks, but really does this stuff ever stop?
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    We are still using our Louise for 'listening audience' gigs, and it's working very well indeed. I've just bought a DBX GoRack for another use, but that's got me thinking about whether we can raise the gain before feedback level for noisier gigs. Hmmm....
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by mandotim1955 View Post
    We are still using our Louise for 'listening audience' gigs, and it's working very well indeed. I've just bought a DBX GoRack for another use, but that's got me thinking about whether we can raise the gain before feedback level for noisier gigs. Hmmm....
    We've played some pretty noisy bar spots with Louise. We've made ourselves get used to no monitor. I was surprised how well it did and was very well received. But the singing into each others ear, banging headstocks to gnoggins and spitting on each other gets old. If one guy gets a cold, everyone is going to get a cold. The 2 condenser thing is working great so far and is much more comfortable with just a bit more feedback, but only 2 gigs that way so far. And I dont know yet what the 2 mic thing sounds like (if we're getting some mud or crossover, I wouldn't know yet).

    My hunch is that with a single Louise and the Go Rack, you could play anywhere dynamic mics can. Heck you may be able to even without the go rack(we did). Especially if you give up the monitors.
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    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    "they all said Louise was not half bad" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqVkTU1LLzE
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    poor excuse for anything Charlieshafer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Funny this post came back up, Jayme Stone and his Alan Lomax project is coming tonight, and yup, they're bringing their own Ear Trumpet.

  22. #18

    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I am going to revive this thread. Thinking about getting a Myrtle for a 5 piece BG band. Also wondering how beneficial it would be to add an Edwina or another Myrtle in Edwina casing so we can spread out a bit. Mainly will be playing bars and small venues. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

  23. #19
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by Josh Levine View Post
    I am going to revive this thread. Thinking about getting a Myrtle for a 5 piece BG band. Also wondering how beneficial it would be to add an Edwina or another Myrtle in Edwina casing so we can spread out a bit. Mainly will be playing bars and small venues. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
    Bars? Now we're getting pretty specific re venue type. I know this is a bummer to hear, but a small acoustic listening room gives you a lot more flexibility than a bar. Stage space, crowd noise, all enter into that decision. I think I'd have a couple of sets for different uses, which drives the cost up, unfortunately. Is each instrument getting it's own mic? Save money and get one of a bunch of pencil condensers (I have Avatones, others have others, and they're all good, for the most part). Single mic? Then the Ear Trumpets are fine. Some will go single mic for the vocals and solo augmentation, and do clip-ons for the base sound level while accompanying. Loud bars or quiet ones? Loud ones, eh... clip ons and pick-ups. Quiet ones can be the same as a quieter listening room.

    The sad part is no one can tell you exactly what to do as everyone plays with different levels of volume and mic technique. Have fun experimenting!

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    We're using an Ear Trumpet "Louise" as the sole mike for a new Rochester Folkus series of concerts we're doing at the Downstairs Cabaret here. We've used it for up to five seated musicians, who didn't move into and away from the mic, and it picked up all of them quite well, vocals and acoustic instruments (guitar, harmonica, Autoharp, bass fiddle).

    Having said that, it's definitely a quiet listening room -- and, we have the Cabaret's sound tech to run it from a sound booth. He can monitor the feedback potential, and we can suggest to the performers where they should place themselves for optimal coverage. I'd have reservations about using it in a noisier environment, and one where there's no "sound man" to respond to problems.

    An excellent piece of equipment, but you need to know when and where to use it. Most of our acts are solos or duets, and it seems well-suited for smaller groups in a fairly quiet environment.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I've tried to do the one mic thing in a bar. Went back to pickups and individual vocal mics.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by Don Grieser View Post
    I've tried to do the one mic thing in a bar. Went back to pickups and individual vocal mics.
    We did the same. We used the Louise in bars for awhile and got good comments on the sound. There was only one bar out of about a half a dozen we used it in that was too much bounceback noise and we had to scratch it. But in the end we got tired of bumping into each other and spitting on each other and jockying for volume in the mix and even straining voices to compensate. So we went back to individual dynamic mics.

    Still I'm glad to own the Louise and I will use it when I play solo or duo for the right venue. I also use it hooked through an irig pre to record the sound when I use my smart phone for video recordings.
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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    I went all in. I have a Myrtle, three Edwina's and a Nadine (for the bass). I play in a couple bands. One band has a problem with singing into the Myrtle. The want to be tied to their own mics and have never gotten used to singing/playing into the center mic. They don't have faith enough that the Myrtle mic in the middle will pick up their voice as well as their instrument. My other band has had great results with the mics. But a bar situation is not a good venue for Ear Trumpets. You should watch videos of Jeff Scroggins and Colorado. Their banjo player plays into an Edwina and the guitar player, fiddle player, and mandolin player all play into one Edwina. It works like a charm for them.

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Getting on an old ear trumpet thread, but I do need to say a few words about these mics. There is a well known band that for years had 1AKG414 and 2 Neuman KM 184s center stage. Their sound was ALWAYS amazing, transparent, very high fidelity. just one of the best "guys around a mic" bands I had ever heard. They switched to Ear trumpet, and I must say, a definite turn for the worse. I withheld judgement after the first gig, thought it may be the room, the mix, whatever. Saw them again, and it confirmed it for me. It was the change in mics. Don't get me wrong, they still put on an amazing show, and always will, but I really feel that they went with the look instead of the sound, and I can tell the difference. Give me the tried and true euro mics any time. I would rather have an AKG 214 ( cheaper version of the 414) that the Ear trumpet. Sometimes things look cool, and just aren't up to it. FWIW, my band is on separate mics. too many loud bars. Shure Beta 58 for vocals, SM57 for banjo, shure condenser for mando. Guitar and bass on pickups.

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    Default Re: Ear Trumpet Mic: Louise

    Quote Originally Posted by vince f View Post
    Getting on an old ear trumpet thread, but I do need to say a few words about these mics. There is a well known band that for years had 1AKG414 and 2 Neuman KM 184s center stage. Their sound was ALWAYS amazing, transparent, very high fidelity. just one of the best "guys around a mic" bands I had ever heard. They switched to Ear trumpet, and I must say, a definite turn for the worse. I withheld judgement after the first gig, thought it may be the room, the mix, whatever. Saw them again, and it confirmed it for me. It was the change in mics. Don't get me wrong, they still put on an amazing show, and always will, but I really feel that they went with the look instead of the sound, and I can tell the difference. Give me the tried and true euro mics any time. I would rather have an AKG 214 ( cheaper version of the 414) that the Ear trumpet. Sometimes things look cool, and just aren't up to it. FWIW, my band is on separate mics. too many loud bars. Shure Beta 58 for vocals, SM57 for banjo, shure condenser for mando. Guitar and bass on pickups.
    The 414s and 184s seem to be more expensive then the Ear Trumpets, so that would make sense that they may be better. I went to a gig last night in a bar and they were running 1 Myrtle and 2 smaller mics on the sides. Seemed to work pretty well in a semi noisy bar. I think I will give that a shot. Thanks for all the input!

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