Finalizing my home studio. Need mic recommendations.

drbluezz

New member
I'm not asking for a direct comparison between these mics so much as a comparison between these mics given this application and this specific gear setup.

Room Description And Treatment:

OK, with that in mind, my setup is my family room studio (~ 30' x 10') with wood paneled walls and painted, perforated pegboard ceiling (the same kind you can hang hooks on to store tools, etc.). There is a large entry to the room on the east wall, taking up approximately 1/3 the length of the wall. There are bed sheets hung on curtain rods that can be pulled together to cover the entire entry. We do this in the winter to hold the heat from the small wood burning stove which is situated on the wall opposite the recording studio about 20' away. I also use the drawn curtains for minor "room treatment". I use an sE Electronics Pro Reflexion Filter (like a small baffle that forms a semi-circle around my Manley Gold Reference vocal mic). The floor is carpeted and there is a leather recliner, cloth love seat and couch that take up half the room opposite my studio. My studio takes up the other half of the room. The vocalist stands behind the Reflexion Filter and faces the west wall while the recording gear (monitors, etc.) face the south wall (~ 8' away) with the "engineer" facing the north wall (~ 14' away).



This is a current semi-hypothetical setup based on purchases I've recently made ( Manley Gold Reference vocal mic, Millennia HV-3C pre) and purchases I'm about to make but need your opinions on before making a final decision and purchase.

To clarify, I have pretty much decided I'm going to purchase the UA Apollo Twin DUO interface and Neumann KH-120 monitors so please factor those two pieces into your mic recommendations. Thus my "hypothetical" setup below is based on the given choices for interface and monitors above.

Gear:

I have a two year old dedicated Dell PC running Windows 7 and Reaper, UA Apollo Twin DUO interface, Millennia HV3C and UA LA 610 preamps, and these current mics... Manley Gold Reference LDC, Royer R-122 ribbon mic, AT 4041 stereo pair, a couple SM-57s, and some other dynamic mics, Neumann KH-120 monitors. The UA interface and monitors are hypothetical and have not yet been purchsed. I currently own Alesis Mk 1 monitors and a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 interface. But I will be ordering the UA interface and the Neumann monitors along with the mics I'm asking your opinion on.

A couple other things to keep in mind before offering your comments: I'm a bluegrass flatpicker and mandolin player and will only be recording bluegrass/acoustic music and it will only be done in my family room studio, one track at a time.

OK, given all that, the only other components I need to make a final decision on are the guitar, mandolin, and acoustic instrument mics. I'm wanting to move a few steps up the ladder so I'm thinking a stereo pair of KM-184s, a Schoeps CM-6, or possibly a DPA.

I've read where the KM-184s have a somewhat bright top end. Not necessarily a bad thing, especially for acoustic instruments. The Schoeps and DPA are highly accurate and maybe subtly darker vs the KM-184s. If I purchased the KM-184 I'd likely go with a stereo pair, while with the Schoeps or DPA I'd likely go with a single mic and use it with one of my other mics in a stereo pair or possibly m/s recording. A stereo pair of Schoeps or DPAs would likely be prohibited due to cost. Not sure I want to deal with the noise and/or maintenance issues of a vintage mic (i.e. KM-54, KM-84, etc.). Or, simply having to hunt one down and get it for a decent price.

Anyway, that should get the ball rolling. I'll likely be placing an order within a week or so. I've been taking a pretty serious look at the KM-184 stereo pair but I've read where very knowledgeable and experienced people have seriously dissed them. Then I've read other comments from equally knowledgeable people saying KM-184s are superb mics for acoustic instruments and don't get too caught up in the hype of often overrated vintage mics. It's very difficult to know what or who to believe.

I guess one place to start is with my preamps and what would go well with them. I currently own a brand new Millennia HV-3C and a UA LA Solo 610. The Millennia is so new I haven't even had a chance to try it out yet. Just got it this week. The Millennia will likely be my go to acoustic instrument pre and the LA Solo 610 will continue to be my main bass and vocal pre, although I've heard the Millennia is also a good vocal pre. But I've heard the Millennia is highly accurate with some very slight top end openness whereas the LA 610 will add fat, body, and presence to vocals and bass. Anyway, I'll shut up and let far more experienced people comment. Thank you for your patience with all the above and your advice.
 
I have heard violin recorded with the Schoeps and it was super nice - straight through a USB interface (no outboard pre). No experience with the KM-184s.
 
I have heard the Schoeps and liked them a lot.
I have used the KM 184s and felt they were brighter than my taste runs.
I personally like more natural sounding mikes for bluegrass and acoustic based music that does not have to compete with electric instruments or loud drums.... hense no need for overly bright mics.

I personaaly would buy the Miktek C5mp matched pair.
You can hear then reviewed on youtube.
They cost brand new about $1200-1300 a PAIR and sound excellent in my opinion.

again... my opinion...take it for what it is worth.
I would love a pair... i just don't have enough business to afford them at this point.
 
don't believe what you read especially on gearslutz! the KM184s are very good mics, I think they are slightly better on classical guitars and piano than steel string guitars, to me they are not too bright and smooth in the high end. I've recently been amazed though by how good Oktava mk 012 mics sound, a little darker than the km184s probably closer towards the vintage km84i but with better self noise performance, and also a bargain.
 
I own a pair of KM184's, and they have served me very well. Yeah, the top end is very detailed, and that's a good thing. When I want something a little flatter, I use AKG C414B-ULS. One or the other will generally give me what I want.
 
All these nice mics, and not one word about acoustical room treatment. Hanging sheets won't do a thing for acoustics - they won't do much keeping heat in, either, just restrict air movement.
 
All these nice mics, and not one word about acoustical room treatment. Hanging sheets won't do a thing for acoustics - they won't do much keeping heat in, either, just restrict air movement.


You're wrong about hanging sheets not keeping heat in. I can tell you from experience they indeed do. Being in the basement during winter, if we don't pull the sheets between our family room and utility room there is a definite drop in temperature by about 5-10 degrees. Sometimes more. We do open them back up once the wood burning stove gets to temperature.

I also think you're wrong about the sheets not doing anything for acoustics...I think they do...but I can't say for sure...but I think you're wrong...maybe...I'm just not quite sure...but I think you're wrong.


Tom
 
You're wrong about hanging sheets not keeping heat in. I can tell you from experience they indeed do. Being in the basement during winter, if we don't pull the sheets between our family room and utility room there is a definite drop in temperature by about 5-10 degrees. Sometimes more. We do open them back up once the wood burning stove gets to temperature.

I also think you're wrong about the sheets not doing anything for acoustics...I think they do...but I can't say for sure...but I think you're wrong...maybe...I'm just not quite sure...but I think you're wrong.


Tom

you said 'I think you're wrong' four times in this sentence lol
 
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