cascade fathead vs fathead ii

I also had good results using the Fat Head II A/P on the body along with a Neumann KM-86i on the neck. After using the mics for drum ambience several times, I found that I prefer the mics in passive mode for drum room but having the active option is like having two different mics in one. Visit our corporate site at www.futureplc.com. When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. During the tracking session, I used the mics in active mode along with a Hardy M-1 mic pre and a pair of Empirical Labs EL-8 Distressors to capture the drum room and had wonderful results; the stereo track added the perfect amount of punch and ambience to my drum tracks. The mic was released in 2007. russlong.ws, Contact: Cascade Microphones | cascademicrophones.com. I still prefer my staple Royer R-122 for this application but this can easily fill the gap if there isn’t a R-122 available. I was introduced to the Cascade Fat Head mic over half a decade ago and since then I’ve been convinced that they hold the reins in the low-cost yet fine sounding ribbon mic market. While the mic does an adequate job capturing vocals (much better in the active mode than the passive), I feel that vocals are not this mic’s forte. Most would agree that getting the transformer upgrade is a worthwhile option as well. The Cascade Fat Head II offers the natural and open sound associated with the finest ribbon microphones. In passive mode, the frequency response is 60Hz to 13 kHz +/- 3 dB with sensitivity of -56 dB +/- 2 dB (0 dB=1V/Pa). The difference between the two is only the shape of the grille (i.e. Between the rich, woody and full sound of the body and the pristine tone of the neck, the result was wonderful. My review set of mics included a stereo bar that I used to record an acoustic guitar using MS recording, a technique that yields a beautiful, lush, warm acoustic sound. Update my browser now, By Russ Long Cascade’s latest addition, the Fat Head II Active/Passive, takes ribbon microphone innovation to a new dimension. Just a friendly reminder that political discussion, (including "offhand" and 'sideways' commenting) is. In the passive mode, the mic is effectively a Fat Head II with a Lundahl LL2913 transformer. Has anybody that used both of these mics noticed a difference in the strength of the connection between the head and body parts of them? The patent-pending Active/Passive switching allows the user to select passive for a warm, smooth, traditional ribbon character or active for a modern, open sounding, full-frequency character. Steely Dan touring with 5 Cascade Fat Head II Ribbon Microphones To simplify, the active mode is more transparent where the passive mode allows the character of a mic pre to speak through the mic. I used the pair to record a Taylor 514CE with one mic on the body and the other on the neck; I ended up with a fantastic track. I've had 2 of the original Fatheads for years, and love them as drum room mics, but I've noticed that the head part is starting to get loose on both of them, and one has had a noticeable degradation in sound as a result. Fathead vs. Fathead II I guess if I had to choose now, I would get a pair of the normal fat heads. For more stories like this, and to keep up to date with all our market leading news, features and analysis, sign up to our newsletter here. Additionally, the active circuit has a slightly better high frequency response than the passive, which isn’t very apparent when recording electric guitar, but is quite obvious when recording acoustic guitar and piano. Amazing for guitar amps & overheads. Cascade Microphones of Olympia, Washington U.S.A. offer only the highest quality hand-built professional ribbon microphones used by professional studios and musicians around the world. I'm pretty happy with the sounds I'm getting. The Fat Head II is an attractively-priced, great-sounding ribbon mic, switchable between active and passive operation. Frequency Response - Bidirectional Click Graph to … Cascade’s latest addition, the Fat […] You will find that when recording acoustic guitars, guitar cabinets, vocals, drum over-heads, and countless other types of instruments, the Fat Head II ribbon microphone will produce the warmth that is vital to today's digital recording environment. You can't go wrong either way... Cascade Fatheads are a great value at a great price point. This sounds more complicated than it is and can actually be done fairly quickly. My favorite use for the mic is recording acoustic guitar, which I prefer in Active mode. According to the folks over at Cascade, the Fathead II with its larger body will fit the Lundahl trans. 'scooped' on the series II. does the fathead actually have a better response, or is that something that Cascade messed up on the website? Specifications. The ability to switch between active and passive operation crowns Cascade as a true innovator in modern microphone design. also, if anyone has any personal experience with these mics, I would like to hear what you think. The review mics arrived the week before a multi-day tracking session at Dark Horse Recording in Franklin, TN. Each new Fat Head revision takes the mic to a new level of quality and performance and the Fat Head II Active/Passive is no exception. Mixing this with the D112 I had inside the kick drum yielded a thunderous tone. I've never owned any ribbon mics before and these are my first experience with any. It also prevents accidentally changing the status during the setup or positioning of the microphone. Since the output loading remains constant in the active mode, the difference from one mic pre to another is quite subtle. Included with the Fat Head II A/P is an aluminum case, heavy-duty shock mount, padded storage bag, cloth storage pouch (perfect for bagging a mic when left on a stand but not being used) and a microfiber cleaning cloth. In contrast, when operating in the passive mode, the mic’s sound changes from one mic pre to another. The mic has a figure 8 polar pattern and 135 dB maximum SPL. Published: January 15, 2013. The Cascade Fat Head II (w/Lundahl upgrade) was part of our $60,000 Ribbon mic shootout. According to Cascade's own website, the Fat Head II differences are: I have a pair of stock 2. I've paired them up with my Great River MP2NV, True Systems Precision 8, and Neotek Series 1E. According to Cascade, manufacturing costs are reduced by having their microphone components manufactured overseas, but they design, assemble and tune the microphones in the United States. During the same tracking session I used the mic, again in active mode, on upright bass along with a Neumann U47, and had wonderful results. Update your browser to view this website correctly. the fathead has a better low and high end than the fathead II. The Fat Head II is an attractively-priced, great-sounding ribbon mic, switchable between active and passive operation. Who's using Cascade Fathead II for drum overheads. Just bought a pair of Cascade Fathead II's. The guts are the same. I used it on multiple tambourines and shakers with great results. Never owned any ribbon mics before and these are my first experience with these mics, I would get pair. With any 'm getting passive mode, the mics work wonderfully for drum.... 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