Line Audio microphones?

[Mr Funk]

Anyone tried any of the Line Audio mic's?

They look pretty funky!

Kane

[DJL]

Do you have a link?

[Mr Funk]

Here you go.

http://www.lineaudio.se/linemic.htm

The mic pre's are meant to be very good value too?

[Recording Engineer]

I think you'd be lucky if you find anyone who has tried any of their mics... The prices are low enough that it'd be fun to try them out... I would if I had the extra money right now!

[DJL]

I don't know anything about them, and that's why I wanted the link... thanks. I think they look cool, kind of like an old german grenade or something... I too wonder what they sound like.

That QM12 quad might be fun, but is this the cost...
4,000 US Dollar = 3,625.16 Euro
4,000 Euro (EUR) = 4,413.60 US Dollar (USD)
plus shipping and etc?

I'm curious how the SM6 sounds?
2,800 US Dollar = 2,537.61 Euro
2,800 Euro (EUR) = 3,089.52 US Dollar (USD)
If that price is right... it's not cheap in my book.

[Mr Funk]

DJL,

The prices are there, but in Krona (SEK). You can use the link at the bottom of the page for currency conversion.

I UK Sterling, the little CM2 is about £75 (around $125 I guess) and the ST6L is approx £212 ($360ish).

I really want to know more about these! I'm going to email them for more info.

Kane

[Meshuggah]

I own a pair of CM2s and one SM3. I like both models.

The SM3 is kinda darkish, but very nice for some vocalists. The CM2 has a very nice and detailed high end. Serves as an alternative to my SM57s and my Oktavas.

Not too hot output tho...

http://hem.tyfon.net/wa0043/mp3/

CM2 on guitar cab on all songs by 'The Riots'
SM3 on lead vocals on 'stayin mix1' and 'up'

[DJL]

Doh! Oh ok, thanks.... that's a much better price.

QM12 quad
4,000 US Dollar = 33,073.6 Swedish Krona
4,000 Swedish Krona (SEK) = 483.770 US Dollar (USD)

SM6
2,800 US Dollar = 23,151.5 Swedish Krona
2,800 Swedish Krona (SEK) = 338.639 US Dollar (USD)

[DJL]

Meshuggah, thank you for the information... I don't see the CM3 on the their website, or do you mean the SM3?

Does anyone here know of anyone selling these mic's in the USA?

[Meshuggah]

http://www.axemusic.com/products/aud...ics_studio.htm

[Mr Funk]

Meshuggah,

Have you tried their pre amps? Any good? I hear the DP1 is good for the price, but how would you compare it to say the three times more expensive RNP? I have chosen this model, as it seems a similar product.

Cheers

[Meshuggah]

Nope, never tried their preamps, but I might try the DP1 one day..

Regebro owns, and likes, the DP1.

[DJL]

Originally posted by Meshuggah
http://www.axemusic.com/products/aud...ics_studio.htm

Thank you.

Mr Funk, please post everything you find out from them here on the mic board... I wonder if these mic's are 100% made in Sweden, and if not, what parts come from where?

[Meshuggah]

I'm almost 100% they are assembled from scratch by Line Audio themselves. It says Made in Sweden on the papers that came with my mics...

[DJL]

Originally posted by Meshuggah
I'm almost 100% they are assembled from scratch by Line Audio themselves. It says Made in Sweden on the papers that came with my mics...

Wow, that would be way cool if your right about them being 100% Made in Sweden... I'm starting to drool like a mic junkie.

[Recording Engineer]

Hey DJL, just noticed you're in N. CA! Where are you? So you're a bassist? Could use a bassist on a couple songs in the coming months... If you're interested...

[DJL]

Yeah, I play bass and I'm in Santa Rosa, CA... abt 60 miles N of S.F. I see Orangevale is northeast of Sacramento, that's pretty close... maybe only about a 4 hour drive away or so? And, I'm interested... I just sent you a PM.

[Mr Funk]

I'm waiting for a reply to my subtly probing email! I'll keep you all posted. Should I add to this thread or start another if and when I get more info?

The QM12 looks an interesting beast for those wanting to try some surround recording, without too much hassle or expense. Could be good for live work, capturing the ambience of the event etc?

[Mr Funk]

BTW

Did anyone actually notice that the mic's use a group (cartridge) of SD caps rather than 1 lD? This is to keep the accurate, fast response and durabilty of SD's but achieve the low noize of LD's!

Is this unique to Line Audio? It must have a bearing on the sound the mic's produce and thus be worth further investigation by anyone serious about adding new, distinct flavours to the mic arsenal?!

Quirky mic's!!!

[BasPer]

Well, as I understand it the mics are designed and assembled in Sweden but the capsules are Japanese. I don't remember exactly which capsule it is though.
I have the CM2, (but I have not used it extensively so everything I say should be taken with a andfull of salt) it is a nice natural sounding mic. In fact the tone is not entirely unlike that of my Milab VIP-50, which is of course world famous for its unhyped highs (and is entirely made in Sweden capsule and all). The CM2 is not good enough for orchestra or choir recording though because the off axis response is not quite up to par, and the intermodulation distorsion gets out of hand for complex choir stuff. But hey what can you ask for that kind of money?
-No, I have not compared it to the NT5 or the C4!

[Stefan Elmblad]

I've heard recordings done with the QM12. It sounded wonderful on a variety of instruments such as acoustic guitar, trombone, percussion etc... never worked with it myself, but I think the surround thing about it is great. The QM12 uses 12 (!) diaphragms... 3 in each of 4 directions.

With this single mic you can do cardiod, hypercardiod, omni, figure 8, x/y, wide x/y, m/s, blumlein and sorround.

Just about all known mic techniques except for spaced omni, ORTF and jecklin disc... if I'm not forgetting anything.

And the sweetest part is that you can change the mic technique used after you recorded it.... you can actually choose the pickup pattern och stereo mic technique while mixing the song.
(Except for the different techniques where one uses a diaphragm towards the source of sound, while other techniques use the diaphragm in a 45 degree angle to it)

How cool is that ?

[Mr Funk]

I have recieved a reply to my email and here is a summary:

Q. Where are the mics made?

They are made right here in Sweden, Europe. We buy the capsules via a Japanese trading house, I stumbled upon this capsule 10 years ago and was amazed what I could do with it (each capsule is tested and modified). Everything else is built by hand, assembled and tested in our own facilities in a small village in Sweden. No child labour or under paid workers!

Q. Where can we in the UK try and buy your products?

We do not have any retailer in the UK, (closest reseller to the UK is the Neatherlands). Instead we offer free shipping within Europe, for small orders to the countries where we do not have re-sellers.

We like all our customers to be satisfied, so you are welcome to return the microphones or preamps for a full refund within 20 days (minus shipping costs), if you should not find them satisfactory. The condition of the microphones should be "as new". Delivery time is 1-3 weeks, depending on product

Q. What about in the USA?

Same thing, no reseller. Instead We give a 50% rebate on the shipping cost.

Q. I hear good things about your pre amps. Can you tell me if any of your products have been or will be reviewed by any magazines etc?

No I cannot say. I'm not too happy about sending products to magazines since I do not want to sponsor them in order to get good results (principles...) and I'm not well informed which magazine that make objective tests.

So we recommend our customers to try themselves or ship it back if it should not please. Hardly no one does so it's practically no effort for us to offer this!

All the best, Roger Jönsson.



He didn't fully answer my qestions regarding the type of capsules used. I wanted to know about the thickness etc. I am guessing though that as they are at least 10 years old, they will not be of the sub 3micron variety? This is not to say that they aren't any good of course. Thinner diaphragms are used to give fast transient response (I believe), but as the caps used in the Line Audio mic's are SD's anyway, this is of less consequence -right?

I will try to get more info from Mr Jonsson.

[Recording Engineer]

Well damn... Might just have to try their QM12 soon... So no one wants to buy this Trident EQ so I can?

[BasPer]

Well, diaphragm thickness isn't the end of the world (I seem to remember a few german mics with 12my diaphragms that sound half decent), but you should perhaps note that unlike the Rode NT5 it is not an externally polarized, but an electret capsule. (I don't know about the C4, but all the new AKG stuff is electret.) Which isn't the end of the world either I guess...

[Mr Funk]

Are you saying all the Line Audio mic's are electrets, or just the CM-2? Like you say, this is not the end of the world if it is so, but still important to some.