Help: Mic Decisions and My Trip to Guitar Center

tdukex said:
Why are you starting shit in a civil thread?

And, BTW, Don is correct. There are no legally justifiable "health issues" related to a "no returning mics" company policy. GC is just trying to deter the crowd that used to buy mics, use them for a couple of weeks on their project, then return the mics. It is a company policy. Period.
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I agree with tdukex.
The Guitar Center sales rep told me (from one side of his mouth) that I could not demo the mics I was interested in at home because that was against their policy but then in the same breath he said (from the other side of his mouth) that if I were interested in $2000 and $3000 mics, I could demo them at home for a few hours. Apparently the health issues do not exist in mics over $2000.
 
Didn't he tell you about the $3000 dollar mics having a special disease protection device in the capsule?

It's not about health and anyone who thinks so is an idiot, it's purely about dudes with home recording studios "buying" a mic for a few days or a week and after they get done recording their little project they return it for a refund and then the store has to sell it as B-stock cuz now it's used.
 
slobbermonster said:
It's not about health and anyone who thinks so is an idiot, it's purely about dudes with home recording studios "buying" a mic for a few days or a week and after they get done recording their little project they return it for a refund and then the store has to sell it as B-stock cuz now it's used.
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What do you base this on Einstein? If that's the case they wouldn't accept ANY returns.

Ciao Sport. :rolleyes:
 
What do you base this on Einstein? If that's the case they wouldn't accept ANY returns.
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whatever.......

I guess I just run in different circles than you. Those of us that buy mics in the $3000 - $10,000 range don't usually return them unless they are broken and then we trade them for ones that work instead of just getting the money back. I also am very much in the know about music store return policies, I have good friends that own major music gear stores and all of them , just like GC, have had to put up with free "rentals" from idiots. The only "health" issues in music stores are wind related instrument like harmonicas and other stuff you wrap your mouth around.

I guarrantee I can have a mic from GC delivered here and if I have an issue, they will take it back from me no questions....that's part of what their pro site is about.

get it now slick?
 
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JohnnyMan, having used all those mics myself, I'd say I agree with your findngs. You reported about the 414 that it seemed to pick up less surrounding room noise than the KSM44. That's spot on! I think you did a good job at auditioning and reporting. I think it's fine to use headphones and your voice live like that. Klaus Heyne [ mic modder guru ] works exactly like that - with a pair of headphones and his voice. I think it's also fine you took your DMP3 preamp. It's clean and certainly good enough - and you're used to it.

Your first-hand research will serve you well.
 
I never understood the health law thing, I know what the jargon is based on but I've never heard of such a law.

Please don't lick the mic if you're going to return it. :)

War
 
Hi War... I hope you enjoyed the holidays and had a great new years.

Hey JohnnyMan... I've got to agree with Dot "Your first-hand research will serve you well."... and like I told you before, the KSM44 is a good mic, but so is the C414 and it really comes down to personal taste... if you were buying the mic for a new commecial type studio, I might lean more towards the C414 first... but for personal use you need to decide for yourself. Good luck, have fun and best wishes. Don
 
slobbermonster said:
whatever.......

I guess I just run in different circles than you. Those of us that buy mics in the $3000 - $10,000 range don't usually return them unless they are broken and then we trade them for ones that work instead of just getting the money back. I also am very much in the know about music store return policies, I have good friends that own major music gear stores and all of them , just like GC, have had to put up with free "rentals" from idiots. The only "health" issues in music stores are wind related instrument like harmonicas and other stuff you wrap your mouth around.

I guarrantee I can have a mic from GC delivered here and if I have an issue, they will take it back from me no questions....that's part of what their pro site is about.

get it now slick?
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I do get it now. I just didn't realize who I was talking to.

Let's see something to back up your wildass claims... Gotta' link to your site? www.gooberslobbermonster.com??? Hep a brutha' out now...show me a little sumpin' sumpin'...

Peace, love and rodeo,

Slick

You have a nice day now. :p
 
Warhead said:
I never understood the health law thing, I know what the jargon is based on but I've never heard of such a law.

Please don't lick the mic if you're going to return it. :)

War
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War,

It's not a law. Merely a policy to circumvent possible health issues. And a good one I believe.

A law/ordinance of this type would be of a local (ie: city) nature anyway and would vary from locale to locale.

"If you lick the mic, you buy it." :D
 
Dot said:
JohnnyMan, having used all those mics myself, I'd say I agree with your findngs. You reported about the 414 that it seemed to pick up less surrounding room noise than the KSM44. That's spot on! I think you did a good job at auditioning and reporting. I think it's fine to use headphones and your voice live like that. Klaus Heyne [ mic modder guru ] works exactly like that - with a pair of headphones and his voice. I think it's also fine you took your DMP3 preamp. It's clean and certainly good enough - and you're used to it.

Your first-hand research will serve you well.
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Thank you Dan.

I appreciate your comments.

As of today I am leaning very strongly in the direction of the AKG C414. I have listened to the comments on this thread about my not-so-upper-class preamp but I’m confident that this mic will function well with a higher-class mic pre when I choose to upgrade. After weeks of listening to me groan over making a microphone purchasing decision, my wife has told me to “just buy the damn thing” so tonight when I return home from the office I will order the C414.
A fellow hr.com poster has pointed me in the direction of a retailer that will sell a new C414B-XLS for $602. Guitar Center’s current best price is $794 including tax. Frankly, I would prefer to have purchased from GC because they did allow me to spend 3 hours auditioning their mics and borrowing their acoustic guitar but $192 is $192!


If anyone has any objections to me purchasing the C414 vs. any other mic please tell me now or forever hold your peace. :)
 
JohnnyMan said:
After weeks of listening to me groan over making a microphone purchasing decision, my wife has told me to “just buy the damn thing” so tonight when I return home from the office I will order the C414.
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Hmmm, maybe if you moan and groan for another week or so you could talk her into a pair of C414's (sneaker)... J/K. By-the-way, I'm proud of you for challanging GC on that health crap. In some states a company policy prohibiting the return of an idem must be posted in plain site/view to hold any water in a court of law. And IMO a company would only be asking for trouble if they were to say it was because of health issues without providing proof... like the health code. Also, think about this... if GC really thinks there are health issues with returned mics they wouldn't allow the auditioning of mics in the store either. Anyway, enjoy your new C414, it's a good mic.
 
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JohnnyMan said:
A fellow hr.com poster has pointed me in the direction of a retailer that will sell a new C414B-XLS for $602. Guitar Center’s current best price is $794 including tax. Frankly, I would prefer to have purchased from GC because they did allow me to spend 3 hours auditioning their mics and borrowing their acoustic guitar but $192 is $192!


QUOTE]

Just give them a chance to match it. If they won't it's then their problem.
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omtayslick said:
JohnnyMan said:
A fellow hr.com poster has pointed me in the direction of a retailer that will sell a new C414B-XLS for $602. Guitar Center’s current best price is $794 including tax. Frankly, I would prefer to have purchased from GC because they did allow me to spend 3 hours auditioning their mics and borrowing their acoustic guitar but $192 is $192!


QUOTE]

Just give them a chance to match it. If they won't it's then their problem.
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omtayslick, I will give them another chance. This time I will speak to a manager. When I was auditioning the mics, I told the sales rep about prices I have seen on either ebay stores or on the web and this guy said we won't meet those prices but I felt that he was maybe trying to keep his commission higher.

John
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JohnnyMan said:
If anyone has any objections to me purchasing the C414 vs. any other mic please tell me now or forever hold your peace. :)
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The C414 is a keeper, espeacially for $602! However, once you make the mic purchase, I'd upgrade that pre ASAP. You are only solving half of your problem...
 
Flatpicker said:
The C414 is a keeper, espeacially for $602! However, once you make the mic purchase, I'd upgrade that pre ASAP. You are only solving half of your problem...
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I'm just curious, what pres do you consider the next reasonable step up from the DMP3?
 
I bought the AKG C414B-XLS

I did it.
I bought the AKG C414B-XLS! It will take two business days to arrive. I called a manager that I know at Guitar Center and told I him what I was about to do and I asked him if they could match the price. He told me to go buy it from BSW-Broadcast Supply Worldwide because he said “we can’t even buy it for that price”. If anyone is interested, the sales rep I dealt with was Steve Thomas.

John
 
JohnnyMan said:
A lot of people here like the FMR RNP or the Grace 101.
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Yep... and the next step is ~$500 more for a John Hardy or Great River.

Funny thing about the Grace 101 is from what I've heard, it uses an IC type circuit similar to the DMP3 - just with very good components... makes all the difference in the world! (Plus they can charge a lot more for it. ;) )

Folks over at the Lab just had a thread going on the Focusrite ISA - the very high-end pre that once knocked everyone off their feet. It uses... guess?

...a $0.50 5534 op amp and an inexpensive class AB driver circuit between two very good transformers!
 
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The C414 arrived today and I've tried it out on my voice. I am very happy with my purchase! :D :D
I highly recommend this mic.

John
 
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