University project on microphones

F

FH_MIM

New member
Hello everyone!

I am working on a university project concerning the marketing of microphones. Since HomeRecording.com is one of the top places to reach people who have excessive expertize in this field, I have decided to address certain questions to anyone who feels competent to answer them. I sincerely hope you can oblige to my request, and provide help which will be very much appreciated. The questions are as follows:

1) How expensive, on average, are the microphones that you use? Which price range do you have in mind for the next microphone you will buy?



2) Do you have any Vintage/Retro microphones?

- If no: Have you ever considered buying a vintage microphone? Why?

- If yes: Why have you bought a Vintage/Retro microphone?



3) Do you think vintage microphones live up to the original mic? What do you think is better, what worse than the original (e.g. sound, reliability, technology, design)



4) How much would you be willing to pay for an exact replica of a microphone that was produced in the 1950s, which has a current second hand market price of about $ 12 000?

How much would you be willing to pay for a modern replica, a reissue of such a microphone, which would include latest technology?



5) Do you in general use your microphones to record different instruments and vocals or do you have always have one particular microphone for each instrument you record?



Thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions!

Best wishes,

Alex Krausler
 
2) Do you have any Vintage/Retro microphones?

Define "retro".

3) Do you think vintage microphones live up to the original mic? What do you think is better, what worse than the original (e.g. sound, reliability, technology, design)

What?

4) How much would you be willing to pay for an exact replica of a microphone that was produced in the 1950s, which has a current second hand market price of about $ 12 000?

How much would you be willing to pay for a modern replica, a reissue of such a microphone, which would include latest technology?

An "exact" replica of a vintage mic with "latest technology" is an oxymoron.
 
I think a market research for a specific product would be less apt to have grammar mistakes like Alex's post ..... unless he is from China and google translate just isn't up to par. :D
 
Notice he's buttering us up with *excessive expertise*?

:D

Or is he saying we're spending too much time goofing off with this stuff? :confused:
 
1) tough question-it depends on the application-different mics for vocals vs. drums vs. speaker cabs vs. instruments- my mics range from $140 to $900 2) 'no' and 'no'-I see no reason to. 3) I don't understand the difference between 'vintage' and 'original' in this question, but I have no opinion as I don't use vintage mics. 4) 'a' and 'b'--If it was an AMAZING mic I might pay $1500. 5) mic choice depends on the sound I am looking for-not the same every time on a given source.
 
1) How expensive, on average, are the microphones that you use? Which price range do you have in mind for the next microphone you will buy?
Click to expand...
£1,000 each on average. No idea on what I will buy next.


2) Do you have any Vintage/Retro microphones?
Click to expand...
It depends on what you mean by "vintage/retro" - I would say "yes", but I bought them when they were new.


- If no: Have you ever considered buying a vintage microphone? Why?
Click to expand...
I would not buy an old vintage/retro mic. now.


- If yes: Why have you bought a Vintage/Retro microphone?
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I bought it in the 1960's / 1970's when it was new.


3) Do you think vintage microphones live up to the original mic? What do you think is better, what worse than the original (e.g. sound, reliability, technology, design)
Click to expand...
A vintage mic. is the original mic. This question is utter nonsense. Unless you are talking about copy/clone mics. of old discontinued ones (eg: Neumann U47). In which case a good copy, like the FLEA 47, would be pretty close to what the original was when it was new. But it all depends on the company that made the copy, some are good, others not.


4) How much would you be willing to pay for an exact replica of a microphone that was produced in the 1950s, which has a current second hand market price of about $ 12 000?
Click to expand...
I would not spend anything at all on an old outdated mic. with noisy electronics and a narrow frequency response.


How much would you be willing to pay for a modern replica, a reissue of such a microphone, which would include latest technology?
Click to expand...
Zero - a modern microphone is much better.


5) Do you in general use your microphones to record different instruments and vocals or do you have always have one particular microphone for each instrument you record?
Click to expand...
Silly question - the microphones I would choose will be different on every occasion. The choice would be on the music, the performer, the instrument, the room, the occasion, etc.. This question cannot be answered.
 
1. Depends
2. Yes
3. You contradict yourself
4. Depends, and a replica with different technology is not a replica
5. Different mics depending on whatever

You don't make the impression that you actually know what you're talking about.
 
c7sus said:
4) How much would you be willing to pay for an exact replica of a microphone that was produced in the 1950s, which has a current second hand market price of about $ 12 000?

How much would you be willing to pay for a modern replica, a reissue of such a microphone, which would include latest technology?

An "exact" replica of a vintage mic with "latest technology" is an oxymoron.
Click to expand...

No, not necessarily. You could, for example, make an exact replica (where exact is defined in terms of the sound) of a U47, U67, or U87, for example, and still:

  • Use modern techniques for milling the brass parts of the capsule to allow it to be produced at a lower cost.
  • Use modern robotics technology to more precisely and more consistently tune the diaphragm.
  • Use modern plastics for the PCB instead of bakelite or whatever it used.
  • Use a plastic for the capsule that doesn't degrade as badly (assuming the plastic is of similar thickness and identical flexibility).
  • Float the capsule mount to reduce body ring when you bump the mic.
  • Use carbon fiber for the body to lower the weight and increase strength.
  • Use modern technology to build a cheaper, cleaner, smaller, more efficient power supply.
  • Use custom-designed lower noise FETs that still provide the slower slew rates of older parts, but with cleaner noise characteristics.

and none of those changes would make any undesirable change in the sound if done correctly (and most would make no detectable change in the sound at all). On the other hand, to do it correctly, you'd probably spend so much time and money on R&D that you'd want to charge $12,000 for the new mic anyway, making the question somewhat moot.
 
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