Speaking of misquotes... or at least misleading quotes...
Michael Joly of Oktavamod has been taking a quote of mine out of context on at least three audio/recording forums, including this one (although it was recently changed). But if I dont' respond to this, people who have read it might continue to believe I wrote it. Here's what he wrote in his sig line:
<<<Ultimate MXL 603 Mod
"...better than the Neumann KM 184..."
Mike Jasper - Tape Op Magazine #70>>
Let me state this flatly: I do NOT think the Joly-modded MXL 603 is better than a Neumann KM 184. (I'll probably see this later: Mike Jasper says: "... Joly-modded MXL 603 is better than a Neumann KM184.)
This makes it appear that I am saying his MXL 603 mod is unequivocally "... better than a KM184..." And that's ridiculous. I owned a KM184 for at least three years and used it on acoustic guitars and electric amps in both stereo and mono configurations. I also used the KM 184s on a few live recordings. But I only used the Joly MXL mod for 40 minutes on one acoustic guitar, my car keys and a shaker. On that day, in that room, with the 30-second piece I played on that guitar o' mine, I did prefer the sound of his mod over the KM 184 on acoustic guitar. (Note: I use sound files for all my shaker recordings and I've always preferred the Schoeps on car keys.)
That said, the KM 184 proved itself over and over to me for three years. It's durable, it's consistent, it holds its resale value well, its sound, while a tad bright, takes EQ well and the Neumann name attracts clients. All this may be true for the Joly mod as well, but I'm no position to say. I only used it for a 40-minute test.
Here's what I did write in my Tape Op review:
"When I finished the tests on the KM 184, I switched out mics and tried the same three tests with the MXL mod. It really did sound a lot like the Neumann. In fact, after re-listening to the sound files in preparation for this review, I think the mod sounds a little bit better than the KM 184, especially on acoustic guitar."
That's a pretty strong endorsement, I think. So why does Joly have to use a misleading pull quote? Isn't the truth -- the "truth," in this case, being my opinion -- enough?
Here's some more truth. I really liked the guy when I talked to him on the phone. Now he's put me in a position where I feel compelled to argue against his 603 mod on several audio forums where he's used the quote.
Jasper