Are Neumann clones worth it?

  • Thread starter Thread starter YupItsTrav
  • Start date Start date

Are Neumann Clones Worth it?

  • Hell yea, way better than any other condenser mic you can get at the price.

    Votes: 1 20.0%
  • NOO WAYYY not at all stay away from the neumann clones

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Depends on which one you get.

    Votes: 4 80.0%

  • Total voters
    5
Y

YupItsTrav

New member
i am just wondering peoples opnion on this topic. go ahead and vote and post.
 
What mics/product lines specifically are you referring to?
 
anyone... i have a gauge USA one i have yet to use it though. I cant wait to try it out though.
 
I have seen the DIY u87 clones and some people have had pretty good luck with it. I don't know that it will be a u87 when you're done but seems to make a great sounding mic. Looks like roughly $400 in parts if you go the cheap route, sky is the limit if you are going for the best of everything.

Even the $400 version seems to get good sound though.
 
They're all Neumann Clones

Nearly every chinese mic out there is a clone of a Neumann mike of one sort or another. Their greatest downfall is the cheap, cheap, cheap electronics. Most Neumanns have a separate circuit to tame some of the high end that they have. Some chinese mics don't have this.

I have found out recently that the modified mics are as good as or better than Neumann mics. I have a modded MXL V63M, Two Modded AKG Perception 170's and two MXL 603S. Michael Joly replaces both the electronics and the capsule with a Neumann Clone capsule. (It doesn't matter that the chinese capsule is also a clone). His goal is to get that Neumann sound. John Bonnell on the other hand does not replace the capsule and in most cases that is sufficient. The capsule in the mic is generally a Neumann clone to begin with but may have it's shortcomings in some cases. I noticed that the AKG capsules are not replaced by some of the modders because they are pretty good capsules to begin with. When modded I don't actually know what the difference is yet. I have an AKG Perception that I may have modded at some point. But I dont' know that I need another LDC mic.

Of the mics I have had modded there is a large increase in quality. It used to be you would turn the mic all the way up and hear hiss and noise. Now I don't have that. I am quite pleased with the mods that have been done and the quality of my recordings has shown a giant leap.

So the answer to your question is "They are all Neumann Clones and for the most part are held back by their cheap electronics." The mods are very much worth it.
 
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