Comparison: MXL 990 Stereo, AT 2020, AT 2035, and MCA SP1 - the clarinet test
Well, I finally locked myself away in a quiet room for three hours with my Tascam DR40 and the above referenced 4 mics (plus the small condensers on my Tascam) to do my clarinet test. Also speaking voice and quiet times were noted.
Here is what I heard:
Noise floor: Both the AT 2020 and 2035 were quieter than all the others. Before I listened critically to these mics, I thought "noise floor" would manifest itself in hissing of various sorts. But the noise floor that was more prominent in all the others, especially the MX 990 Stereo was a low rumble noise. The fact that I am getting up in years and likly lost 10 or 20 db of hearing above 8,000hz likely has something to do with this outcome.
Rating absence of noise, I would rate in the following order, best to worst: AT 2035, AT 2020, Tascam built-ins, MCA SP1, MXL Stereo.
Pleasing balance: The AT 2020 struck me as portraying the clarinet a bit on the shrill side compared to the others. The AT 2035 sounded fuller and smoother than the 2020, the MCA SP1 and Tascam internals sounded neutral as well. The MXL 990 Stereo sounded the fullest, most rounded. On some instruments it might be called too heavy. But on the clarinet, it comes across as robust and pleasing. In order of pleasing overall balance, best to worst: MXL 990 Stereo, AT2035, MCA SP1, Tascam internals, and AT2020
Immediacy: All the others sounded more distant than the MXL 990 Stereo. The AT 2020 particularly so. An unfair advantage may be given the 990 Stereo due to its dual L/R inputs - twice the juice. I didn't have pairs of the others to test, except the Tascam has a stereo pair but that did not match the immediacy of of the 990 Stereo.
Presence: Stereo makes a nice difference. I have to give the edge to the MXL 990 Stereo over the Tascam built-in stereo based on the rounded sound, but the Tascam was right in there - no slouch. With regard to the others, it would be unfair to mark them down for lack of presence since the match up was two to one - not really fair.
So, it comes down to the quieter noise level in the AT2035 or the better overall sound of the MXL 990 Stereo. I guess it is possible that the MXL picked up more room noise because of the sensitivity of two diaphragms working together, although both the MXL and AT2035 are rated down to 20 hz. The 2035 did have a shock mount which might have contributed to its quietness; the MXL did not. But then the 2020 did not have a shock mount and it was nearly as quiet. But its rated frequency response does not get down to 20 hz, either.
The price of two AT 2035's exceed my budget by about $70. Two of either of the other two would come in around the price of the MXL 990 Stereo.
Practical considerations are 1) These mics will be used for recording and playing back practice session, not for live performance, and 2) whatever playback equipment (powered speaker) I get with my $200 price limit won't pick up anything below 60hz anyway. So unless I'm always listening through my Grado phones, the higher level of rumble of the MXL 990 stereo will not be heard.
So, everything considered, I think the MXL 990 Stereo is my favorite for my purposes. I realize this test was "Clarinet-centric." But I've heard enough "voice-centric", "percussion-centric", "guitar-centric" etc. reviews to kill a mule. And I have learned that there is no one mic that is best for all instruments and voices. But among the ones I tested, the MXL 990 Stereo appears to be the best for clarinet and the conditions under which I will be playing back the recordings.
Comments and observations, anyone?
I have one additional observation, and it is probably related more to the Tascam than to the mics. The rumble that I heard that I referred to above was only heard through the audio out jack of my HP Pavillion dm1 laptop and not through the audio out of the Tascam. Either the Tascam out lacks low end, or the laptop is superior on its low end output. But all mics are dead silent in the "rumble" department when listening through phones directly from the Tascam.
Well, I finally locked myself away in a quiet room for three hours with my Tascam DR40 and the above referenced 4 mics (plus the small condensers on my Tascam) to do my clarinet test. Also speaking voice and quiet times were noted.
Here is what I heard:
Noise floor: Both the AT 2020 and 2035 were quieter than all the others. Before I listened critically to these mics, I thought "noise floor" would manifest itself in hissing of various sorts. But the noise floor that was more prominent in all the others, especially the MX 990 Stereo was a low rumble noise. The fact that I am getting up in years and likly lost 10 or 20 db of hearing above 8,000hz likely has something to do with this outcome.
Rating absence of noise, I would rate in the following order, best to worst: AT 2035, AT 2020, Tascam built-ins, MCA SP1, MXL Stereo.
Pleasing balance: The AT 2020 struck me as portraying the clarinet a bit on the shrill side compared to the others. The AT 2035 sounded fuller and smoother than the 2020, the MCA SP1 and Tascam internals sounded neutral as well. The MXL 990 Stereo sounded the fullest, most rounded. On some instruments it might be called too heavy. But on the clarinet, it comes across as robust and pleasing. In order of pleasing overall balance, best to worst: MXL 990 Stereo, AT2035, MCA SP1, Tascam internals, and AT2020
Immediacy: All the others sounded more distant than the MXL 990 Stereo. The AT 2020 particularly so. An unfair advantage may be given the 990 Stereo due to its dual L/R inputs - twice the juice. I didn't have pairs of the others to test, except the Tascam has a stereo pair but that did not match the immediacy of of the 990 Stereo.
Presence: Stereo makes a nice difference. I have to give the edge to the MXL 990 Stereo over the Tascam built-in stereo based on the rounded sound, but the Tascam was right in there - no slouch. With regard to the others, it would be unfair to mark them down for lack of presence since the match up was two to one - not really fair.
So, it comes down to the quieter noise level in the AT2035 or the better overall sound of the MXL 990 Stereo. I guess it is possible that the MXL picked up more room noise because of the sensitivity of two diaphragms working together, although both the MXL and AT2035 are rated down to 20 hz. The 2035 did have a shock mount which might have contributed to its quietness; the MXL did not. But then the 2020 did not have a shock mount and it was nearly as quiet. But its rated frequency response does not get down to 20 hz, either.
The price of two AT 2035's exceed my budget by about $70. Two of either of the other two would come in around the price of the MXL 990 Stereo.
Practical considerations are 1) These mics will be used for recording and playing back practice session, not for live performance, and 2) whatever playback equipment (powered speaker) I get with my $200 price limit won't pick up anything below 60hz anyway. So unless I'm always listening through my Grado phones, the higher level of rumble of the MXL 990 stereo will not be heard.
So, everything considered, I think the MXL 990 Stereo is my favorite for my purposes. I realize this test was "Clarinet-centric." But I've heard enough "voice-centric", "percussion-centric", "guitar-centric" etc. reviews to kill a mule. And I have learned that there is no one mic that is best for all instruments and voices. But among the ones I tested, the MXL 990 Stereo appears to be the best for clarinet and the conditions under which I will be playing back the recordings.
Comments and observations, anyone?
I have one additional observation, and it is probably related more to the Tascam than to the mics. The rumble that I heard that I referred to above was only heard through the audio out jack of my HP Pavillion dm1 laptop and not through the audio out of the Tascam. Either the Tascam out lacks low end, or the laptop is superior on its low end output. But all mics are dead silent in the "rumble" department when listening through phones directly from the Tascam.
Last edited: