Mics To Record Your Amp - Whatcha Using These Days?

Usually an AT4040 coupled with a Shure SM57. I am finding the AT4040, while absolute go-to mic for vocals, is not doing it for me on the amp these days, though... not sure why. Just not sounding "right".
 
Les,why don't you like the fractal ?? That is apart from the fact there's no mic involved.

I think the Fractal is a great tool with a lot of uses, and I have a lot of respect for it. It's just not for me. I suppose I should explain a little.The main reason I don't have a fractal is that I didn't really dig playing through one. The immersive experience wasn't there with the Fractal as it was with the real amp. I get inspired through the real deal for some reason.

I play better through an amp.

For me, after you get over the tone and the analog/digital yada yada thing, the question is, "How do you get your best performance?" No one wants to listen to realistic sounding bad playing. My clients want a good take, that sounds good and is well performed. So how do I get it?

I've found I get it through an amp. It's just that, no more. I have nothing against the fractal.

I like wearing boots with jeans more than wearing sneakers with jeans. I have nothing against sneakers. Just prefer boots.

Do I think the Fractal sounds 100% as good as an amp?

Not really, but it's so close it wouldn't matter if I played better through the Fractal; if so, I would have one.
 
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Usually an AT4040 coupled with a Shure SM57. I am finding the AT4040, while absolute go-to mic for vocals, is not doing it for me on the amp these days, though... not sure why. Just not sounding "right".

Edit: The 4040 has a big frequency response peak around 5kHz, kind of like a 57, surprisingly, though a 57's peak starts lower. I suspect they built this peak in to make vocals more "exciting."

A 57 has a very sharp rise in response above 2 kHz, which some people like, and some don't. Of course, the off axis response and resonances and other things work differently, and the 4040 has to be a bit farther away to avoid overloading.

In contrast, the Royer R-121 has a fairly flat curve up to around 10K, where it begins a gradual rolloff. So it tends to sound a bit more natural, and its proximity effect on the low end tends to enhance the bass. Also, a ribbon mic has a very fast transient response, so it reproduces the pick attack, etc., and the leading edge of the waveform very well.

Horses for courses, as always when it comes to choosing mics!
 
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Shure SM57 all the way, if I had a choice. I have also had to rely on impulses since cranking an amp is not always an option for me. Even then, I choose ones using the SM57
 
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