Warm Audio microphone comparison

PorterhouseMusic

PorterhouseMusic

Mitakuye Oyasin
Not sure if anyone has any interest, but....

I did a quick straight forward no frills comparison of my three WA mics: WA87, WA14, and WA67.

All three mics were set identically as far as placement relative to the guitar - approx 13-14" away pointed at the neck/body joint.

I played these three takes immediately back to back - warts and all - in order to be somewhat consistent.

Cables, mic-pre, etc are all the same. Mic-pre did have the hi-pass filter engaged - as well as the 2:1 compressor to soften peaks. No other EQ or effects whatsoever.

Guitar was a Taylor 414ce.

I did my best to match the level on each one - it's close but less than perfect in that sense.






 
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I'd like to have had non-compressed audio and enable downloads at SC for those. Transient response, especially for acoustic instruments, is important to hear. (Does the WA-14 have a HPF, or was it some EQ/plugin?)

Honestly I'm not crazy about any of them, which could have had something to do with the guitar, space or placement chosen. Something about the 67 really bothered me to the point I don't think I'd have spent any time trying to find a better placement for it, though.

Might have been interesting to include a WA-84, while you were at it!
 
HPF was set in the mic pre (RND 5017).

I wasn't particularly impressed with any of them either. The WA67 is brand new - just got it yesterday.

The other two - I have gotten much better recordings from both through placement and some EQ tweaking.
 
i agree with bill...
the 87 seems nice. the taylor can be bright, but i'm not hearing that here.

honestly, once you put a compressor in line,
you've colored enough to make the comparison not really legit; the compressor is the great 'equalizer' that can take the mic, and the preamp, out of the total tone equation.

you needed that HPF for sure, i know how deep those taylors can get!

but it's still a good comparison, with all things equal, i'd use the 87, i think that one sounds fine.
 
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