AV JEFE STM9 looks nice, anyone own one?

theCKWilliams

theCKWilliams

New member
i've been staring at this av jefe stm9 large diaphragm condenser microphone (from avleader?) for quite some time now and i work on a VERY VERY VERY limited budget. Does anyone own this mic and can you give me any indication as to how it sounds? My curiosity is killing me and if I buy this thing for $79.00 and it ends up sounding like a Behringer C1 mic, i will have to starve for a week AND replace a window that I threw it through.

anyone?
 
Your instincts might be right...too many chinese companies out there making mics...I dont think anyone has bitten on that one yet that I know of.
 
Save a bit longer and up that budget to $200...that is a much better neighborhood to shop in...try Ebay and stick with some of the cheaper mic reccomendations arround here...I just bought a Shure KSM32 for $300...and that is highly recommended...there was an AKG c214 for $300 on Ebay too...sticking with AT...AKG...Shure is a good idea.
 
Thanks for the replies, guys!

i've been looking into the
AKG 200,
Samson C03 (or CL7)
Sterling Audio ST51 / ST55,
Studio Projects B1,
and i've used an Oktava m319 and it worked great for the band i was playing in, at the time, but it wasn't mine so no keeps. if i can find one of those for under $100, i'll take it. i've been scouring ebay for deals Really, I just need a decent mic with a roll off switch. i need a practical, all purpose mic (CAD E100 would be good, as well) that i can do a lot of different things with. i am doing home recording and demos so it's not like these are projects i'm doing to sell for great sums of money ($20 is a great sum to me), i just need something that accurately displays my playing style (acoustic guitar) and doesn't make my voice sound extremely annoying in the midrange (tenor vox) but has a high enough threshold for an overhead drum mic.

also, i have projects coming up VERY VERY SOON so saving even longer for a mic is kind of out of the question. i really wish i had an extra 3 months to save up some more cash but, really, i don't. i'm looking into getting a $300+ mic around this time next year. but, like i said, i kinda need to get up and on my feet asap, even if my feet sound a lil less than studio quality. i have around $100 to spend and i just feel like i should be able to find something "quality", especially on ebay, for this price.

i'm just not looking to buy anything anyone would consider "harsh" or "distorted" or "cheap." i don't mind low prices i just hate overpaying for a piece of S***. ;)
 
Well seeing as no one else on here has actually owned one of these mics, I guess I am your best & most reliable source. I actually own 2 of these mics & purchased them from eBay for my home studio. They are WELL worth their price, actually surpassing many other "quality" mics I have recorded on in other studios. The gold plating on the diaphragm helps to distinguish any slight sound that you produce when recording. Also it is extremely good in a more open area than some mics because of it's almost uni-directional sound pick-up that excludes sounds emanating from the opposite side of the mic. If you are still in a bind with your budget then this is a good investment. I have recorded many artists in my area @ my home studio & none have complained about the sound quality offered by this mic.
 
I love you J-swag- looks like a 1-post scammer for some cheap company- possibly even a spam-bot, given that he can't frame a coherent sentence, and didn't name the mic he is recommending. It is also clear that the original poster knows more about mics than Mr. spam-bot. If you liked Oktava MK319, just buy an MXL V67G and have done with it. It will do everything you are asking for, and is sonically rather similar to the Oktava.-Richie
 
dude, thank you soooooo mcuh. very insightful and i'm glad SOMEONE had the gumption to actually buy not one, but two of those things! having someone that actually owns the mic give me some info, i feel a bit more educated. and yeah, i've been involved in singing since i was 4 (had some very vocally active cousins that were a few years older and close) and playing trumpted since i was 11, guitar since 13, bass and drums since 16. i'm 27, now. done recordings with an old tascam 4 track, Korg M1600 daw, cool edit pro, acid, reaper, been in a couple professional studios for tracking on friend's albums and know that i can learn a lot from other people, just by observing and keeping quiet.

i'm not a total noob but i am a poor working class sap that has bills to pay but loves music.

again, i thank you all for your input, glad i finally found SOMEONE that owned this mic that was willing to give some input.

my guess was that this is a very new company to the U.S.A. and the rest of the western world and that is why its so hard to find info., not just because they're a crappy company with a crappy product.


(edit note: i thought the last 2 posts were from the same person upon originally posting as i have been drinking rolling rock and floating around a pool for the last 3 hours.)

upon reflection, thank you, richard, for your insight, as well. i appreciate any and all replies to this post. any and all info is taken into consideration. i've heard very good things about the 67, jsut haven't found one for under $90+shipping.

i am forever in debt to your priceless advice and if ANYONE ELSE OWNS ONE OF THESE THINGS I'M STILL LOOKING FOR MORE OPINIONS! especially people with problems with the mic. the more negative, the more info i have to base this on.

PLEASE help me keep this ball rolling!

(i'm probably going with a different mic for my first but if i can get up $80 in the next few months, this will DEFINATELY be my second.)
 
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There was that shill above...he seemed to have 2...I might have owned one...those chinese mics are rebadged a couple of hundred times...and could be the same as any other
 
I luv the ST101

theCKWilliams said:
i've been staring at this av jefe stm9 large diaphragm condenser microphone (from avleader?) for quite some time now and i work on a VERY VERY VERY limited budget. Does anyone own this mic and can you give me any indication as to how it sounds? My curiosity is killing me and if I buy this thing for $79.00 and it ends up sounding like a Behringer C1 mic, i will have to starve for a week AND replace a window that I threw it through.

anyone?
Click to expand...

I've not used the STM9.

But I've recommended a AV-JEFE ST101 condensor large diaphargm mic to a client. I was v surprised. It sounded better (warmth, bottom end) then his new AKG C414; it reminds me of Neumann U87ai's sound. I must do a AB comparision with the latter.

I luv the Neumann TLM 170, U 87, U89 Hubba hubba... I've used them since 1995.

Audition da ST101 - "listen and you'll see' (B&W matrix slogan) and let me know what you think.

Cheers!

alaster
 
Yo Alaster- new name, same old spambot. Yo moderator! can you get this bot's ISP and send him a nice browser hijacker? -Richie
 
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Richard Monroe said:
Yo Alaster- new name, same old spambot. You moderator! can you get this bot's ISP and send him a nice browser hijacker? -Richie
Click to expand...

But Richerd...If you cant trust somebody who has only one post and chimes up with an unknown chinese mic to everybody here...who can you trust...

you heard him...go buy this mic before the newbs have them all...and they all will have better recordings than us AKG C414 owners.

Must serve Spambot...Spambot?...Friend:rolleyes:
 
do people really have enough time to sit around and spam for crap like that? i mean reeeaaally?


and the mic is made in Tiawan... i feel that holds some importance because the 9 year olds in Tiawan that make these microphones have much smaller fingers than those 12 year olds in Chinese factories. this could hold some merit! :p
 
I've just got a AV-Jefe ST101 myself

OH NO, you found out that I am "working" for them. :-o

Arhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Think as you pleased.

I just had a A-B comparison with a Beyer Dynamics MC740 (USD1999) - its top end sounds smoother while the AV Jefe ST101 sounded brighter but not inferior.

BTW: Regarding my last A-B audition of the ST101 against the AKGC414 - the latter's output is stronger - BIG fat hairrrrrry deal.

I have also just tried AV Jefe's smaller golden-grill STM06 or 09 (i'm unsure of the model) which was more slightly expensive than the ST101. The former model sounded lacking in the higher-mid freq & less transparent too. I still thinks the ST101 sounded better. OMG! I shouldn't write things like this because I am a spammer!!!!!!!!! Oh dear I'll get fired soon. Arhhh again!!!! Oh NO!!!!

I am very pleased to have stumbled upon a very good mic at budget prices.

My Taiwanese wife said (about Taiwanese products) they make good stuff but wish the same can be said about their marketing. BTW: I am not Taiwanese.

Anyway my review is "biased" so don't believe what I have written.

So please go buy the more expensive estab mics because budget Taiwanese-made mics aren't good. Damn - now AV Jefe is really going to FIRE me!!!!!!! Arh!!!!!

I am so glad you guys are the experts here e.g. Richard Monroe - you are such a blessing to this forum - and aren't suckers unlike others.

Cheers!

"Greenie"

I'll go A-B audition the ST 101 against a Neumann U87ai (USD2333) soon. I wonder what's the outcome.



alaster said:
I've not used the STM9.

But I've recommended a AV-JEFE ST101 condensor large diaphragm mic to a client. I was v surprised. It sounded better (warmth, bottom end) then his new AKG C414; it reminds me of Neumann U87ai's sound. I must do a AB comparision with the latter.

I luv the Neumann TLM 170, U 87, U89 Hubba hubba... I've used them since 1995.

Audition da ST101 - "listen and you'll see' (B&W matrix slogan) and let me know what you think.

Cheers!

alaster
Click to expand...
 
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I'm weary of mics that use unidirectional in their description. I know shure has at least one using that naming convention, but still. There are established polar patterns and frequency response curves that should be available for said mics. And not look hand drawn. If not, I'd steer clear of one myself. Not that I've looked at this mic yet. But gold sputtered and < $50, is it real gold?

google is your friend, and if a couple of the top ten don't load, not looking good so far. Found one that loaded though, and the charts look very hand drawn. And specs seem to suggest it's a noisey mic. If the specs are to be trusted. So what do you plan on recording with it? Grunge bands, or the local symphony?
 
yes. ;)

anything from rootsy-folk blues, garage rock, southern metal, rap & hip-hop, prog rock stuff, live shows (for reference, 2 mics, L-R) and anything else that happens to come my way.

though i recently bought the AKG Perception 200 (for $49, excellent condition) i'm still interested in getting another cheaper LDC for other applications and flexibility in sounds.
 
theCKWilliams said:
though i recently bought the AKG Perception 200 (for $49, excellent condition) i'm still interested in getting another cheaper LDC for other applications and flexibility in sounds.
Click to expand...

Dont shop for an LDC unless you have at least 300 to spend...and dont count out used ones...you can get an AT40 series or maybe a shure KSM mic.

There are super nice dynamics that you will be able to hold on to for arround your budget....sm57....sm58....Beta57....beta58...565....545...etc
 
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