Good Deal?

Velvet Elvis

Ahh humma humma humma
Hey all...

How much is too much for an AKG C1000?

I had been reading about all these various mic deals of the MXL's and the Behringers etc... just to find that I can purchase (I work in a music store) a C1000 for about $85...

Is that a good deal?

Velvet Elvis
 
In my opinion it is a bit harsh and bright even for a cheap mic but certainly well liked and used by many people. Yes that's pretty cheap for one but I would go with the 603 anyway.
 
JM350,

Thanks for the post... yeah I've used them before and didn't think they were anything special... I just thought at this price it might be hard not to add them to my collection.

Actually, my all-time favorite overhead mic is one of the AudioTechnica choir mics. I've used these NUMEROUS times and they always sound killer. Don't have to mess with them at all.

How do the C1000's sound on acoustic guitar?

Velvet Elvis
 
Like I said not my cup of tea on anything really, the Marshall 603 or if you have a little more to spend the Oktava MC012 would be the way to go.

If I had only an ART MP Tube preamp and a 4-track cassette recorder I might use a C1000 to try to cut through the mud, otherwise no thanks.
 
Well...

I don't have much of anything to spend :)

But that's what credit cards are for right?

Actually... I've been eyeing the MC012's for about a year or so now... I just haven't been able to pull the trigger on it. Taylor Johnson's matched pairs with the three capsules and the cedar storage box looks REALLY sweet.

Maybe I'll just forget about the C1000s for a while... see what happens with the finances once the holiday season is over.

Velvet Elvis
 
I've used a C1000 on a small hand drum with good effect..If I were to do it again {buy it} I'de pass..Of course I paid $200.00 apeice for them..


Don
 
Id pass on the C1000...there was a time when it was a good mic for the price but so many contenders are in the picture now....

Marshall
Studio Projects

are there any others you can get a "deal"on?
 
Gidge,

Not really... this was a special buy. I'm just reading about the studio projects C1 right now. How would you guys rank that in comparison to say an AT4033?

Velvet Elvis
 
Elvis,I would use a SM81 {got it for 220.00 used}for acoustic that has to sit in a rock track..The Marshall 603 that Gidge is talkin bout is one for cheap that you should look into..Alot of guys like them..I dont have a C1 but I do have a AT4033 its a good mic ..I love it on guitar amps!It is ok for vox sometimes..If you work in a store see if you can check out the Shure KSM 27..There is a reveiw in Tapeop magazine..Also check out the MXL V67 I think that they are goin for about 150.00..Its a really nice mic for the cash and from what I've heard its very similar to the C1...Happy hunting!


Don
 
Don,

Will do... thanks for the advice.

Currently I am using an AT4033SM or an Audix Cx111 for vocals. Through a Presonus VXP. The AT is a great sounding mic, but for some reason with me it just seems to sit out of the mix a little too much. Everyone seems to swear by them... the reviews I had read on the C1 (although there isn't a pad or a bass roll off) seem to suggest that it sits into mixes a little easier without adding EQ.

Don't know... just still trying to find the right mic I guess.

Thanks for the advice.

Velvet Elvis
 
The right mic for what? You seem to be looking at both small and large diaphram condensers, they are very different animals.

If you are looking for a vocal mic small condensers will work but they are seldom the best choice on most singers and songs.
 
JM350,

The "right mic" to spend money on :) I need mics for acoustic guitar and also one for my vocals.

Sorry if I made it sound like the same mic was to do both... not my intention... just getting carried away in the thread :)

Although, I have used the 4033 on guitar. It works ok. Works nicely on piano too.

Velvet Elvis
 
V. E.,

Because I live in the boondocks, I take a much more utilitarian approach to mic purchases. For instance, if I could buy a new pair of AKG C1000s for $170 ($85 x 2), I'd snap them up in a SECOND, not because I'm hot to own them, but because I'd have a chance to TRY them (learning is worth a lot to me) and still be able to re-sell them later for MORE THAN I PAID FOR THEM!

To me, that's a solid no-brainer, but at 52, tying up $170 for a couple of months is no big deal, while at 21 it might have meant that I didn't eat for 3 weeks. :-)

Let's say you buy them for $170 plus tax -- you might be into them for $185 total. The cheapest price for new C1000's on Ebay is $300 a pair; on Digibid, about $152 each. You use them for a month or two, and sell them on eBay for $125 each plus shipping in mint condition (you DO take good care of your equipment, don't you?). Ebay dings you around $12 or so for your ads. You basically break even on shipping.

You net out at about $235 -- a $50 profit -- AND the invaluable experience of getting to have worked with a pair of reputable name-brand mics for a couple of months.

Maybe by then you're ready to try the Studio Projects C-1, and because it's so new, you have to pay the going rate, about $229. Except you're still only $185 out of pocket! If you picked up another break on a clean used mic instead in the $235 range, you might even be able to do it again.

I'm not saying that you're going to start with a C1000 and wind up with a Neumann U87 for your initial investment of $85 each, but I am suggesting that opportunities to learn are worth something in themselves, and that buying carefully can seriously cut your costs over time, if you can afford to tie up a little capital.

Some may think I'm an idiot to post this, since it only increases potential competition for good mics on eBay, but hey, there are enough good deals out there for all of us. I just hate to see someone miss the opportunity both to learn and to make a few extra bucks in the process.

Best wishes,

Mark H.
 
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