Well, I feel like an eight year old at Christmas. My KM-184s arrived today. They're in perfect condition. I just did some quick tracking with them on acoustic and Hammond organ. Very nice. I'm using a RNP as my pre, then directly into Digi 001.
First, I recorded some stereo acousic with one mic at the 12th fret about 8 in. away, and the other mic at the bridge about 8 in away. I used a pick for one track and finger picked the other. This is my first pair of SDCs. The first thing I noticed is that damn these things are sensitve. Very accurate and detailed. I'm more of keyboard player and have only been playing acoustic for about a year. These bring out all of my deficiencies as a guitar player. String noise, buzzing strings ect. I compared these tracks to some identical tracks I recorded a few weeks ago with the SP C1 alone, and in combination with the the MXL 63M.
The SP C1 is an excellent vocal mic, but as a solo mic for acoustic I find that it sounds a little too metallic. It was nicer with the MXL 63M as a spaced pair. However, the KM-184s have a more present sound. They are also considerably more accurate. I know they aren't supposed to be as flat as say the Earthworks, but they sound damn flat, accurate and uncolored to me.
On
my Hammond A102/
Leslie 147 these things sound divine. They pick up the complex overtones of the Hammond very nicely. It sounds very professional. I placed them in a 90 degree angle, about a foot away from the horn notches. I think I got this positioning from Harvey. The KM 184s will definitely be my Hammond mics when the Hammond is the lead instrument. When the Hammond needs to blend into the rhythm section, a pair of SM-57s in the same position do a very nice job.
Well, that's my novice review. Since these are my first SDCs I can't compare them to any others. All I can say is that they sound damn nice to me.
