buying a 2nd 603s (not matched) for OH

[abbazabba]

I need a stereo pair to record drum overheads with but I don't quite have the money for the OH mics that I want right now and would rather hold out for that than get something cheap. In the meantime, I have an MXL 603s and it just so happens to be the only mic in my collection that, if matched, would make a good OH. And it wouldn't hit me in the wallet so hard that I couldn't save up for the other mics. Why can't I just buy another 603 for stereo OHs? I haven't heard the difference with my own ears so I have to wonder, how much can it really matter if they're officially matched or not?

Thanks.

[ozraves]

Unless you are doing critical recording such as Classical music then a "matched pair" is not a necessity. You should be OK getting another 603.

[abbazabba]

That's what my intuition told me, but I saw a couple of posts that suggested otherwise...perhaps it was just a specific model. Thanks!

[bleyrad]

Yeah, matching is REALLY not nearly as necessary as most folks here make it seem. Big deal if you have to turn up your preamp gain by 2db more on one channel... after all, one channel is going to be louder and capture different sounds (parts of the kit) anyway!
You could get away with using two completely different mics as overheads.
I have an unmatched set of MXL603s as overheads, they sound exactly the same.

In stereo they make a KILLER overhead pair if you position them right and your room and cymbals sound good. In fact I don't think there's any better cymbal sound to be had for up to several hundred dollars more.

[abbazabba]

That's good to know...funny, I got my 603 in a package deal on ebay with an mxl 2001. I was really looking for the 2001 because I borrowed it from a friend and used it to fairly good effect on my album...I didn't know any better and figured the 603 was just a cheap throwaway (since I got them both for around 100 bucks and the 2001 was going for about as much by itself). Now I'm realizing what a find it was...

[reshp1]

I bought the matched set and ended up modifying them (put some better capacitors in) and they aren't really "matched" anymore. It really hasn't made that much of a difference and I would do the mod again even if I knew the matching would be screwed up.

[sloop]

Originally Posted by reshp1

I bought the matched set and ended up modifying them (put some better capacitors in) and they aren't really "matched" anymore. It really hasn't made that much of a difference and I would do the mod again even if I knew the matching would be screwed up.

Yep the mods turn a good mic into a very good mic. I love the sound after the mods.

Matching--do you think with a low cost mic they actually put them on a bench and tone match them???--I think they pick them up, look at them and say--yep, they look a like and mark them matched.

[bleyrad]

Hah!

If Marshall does the matching themselves then it's likely just close serial numbers... ie a 'matched pair' is actually just two consecutives builds off the assembly line, and thus most likely to be pretty similar.
If someone else is doing the matching, or Marshall actually puts some effort into it (unlikely!) then at the most they're probably just looking at the overall output level of the mic rather than frequency response.

[reshp1]

Originally Posted by sloop

Matching--do you think with a low cost mic they actually put them on a bench and tone match them???--I think they pick them up, look at them and say--yep, they look a like and mark them matched.

I don't know, their's a certificate in the case that said "factory matched" or something like that, but no plots provided to prove it though. They did sound very close, except one had a slightly hotter output.

[Warhead]

In my experience the MXL line is pretty consistent mic to mic.

War

[Dot]

MXL mics are matched by a kid in the Cali MXL office. I wouldn't put too much stock in their "matching". There's a huge difference between that type of matching and the kind of matching some companies actually do at the factory - like using B&K reference mics with a TEF workstation.

OTOH, the MXL 603 SPR stereo kit is actually pretty nice and runs under $200. Comes with pair of mics, good flight case, and some of the best shockmounts found on any small condenser mic kit at any price.