A Neumann to not get excited by......... BCM 104

R

rob aylestone

Moderator
A friend sent me a Neumann mic to try against my SM7B, so I gave it a go this morning and it's the first mic that is, well, kind of boring.
It's nice, and solid, and well thought through, but all the other mics I have, can pan and tilt, while this one is sort of 'fixed. It's the first mic I've used that has the mic orientation fixed to the stand thread. It means that you cannot really put it on a normal mic boom. If you try that it will point at the floor, or ceiling. It needs to 'dangle'. Can't complain about the sound - it's bright but not excessively so, and while it does have bass, it's less warm down there than the Shure. It's back in the post, I shan't miss it. I'm sure that if I had a radio type studio with guests, then these could be a useful mic, but just not that versatile.

 
In casual listening, these sound nearly identical. But when I focus, the SM7B is warmer, and the BCM 104 is indeed slightly brighter - more sibilant with your vocal.
 
I do think it's a truthful mic, and going off a little to the sides doesn't seem to have much impact, but most Neumann mics have a sort of character - something you can describe in words, and this is kind of neutral. I wonder what the dynamic is like?
 
Somebody left a response saying they thought it was not worthy of a Neumann, or even faulty - but it sounds OK to me. I didn't bother to do it with lips almost on the grill as it sounded like the other Neumann cardioids very close in - proximity effect made speech very strange sounding - not what you hear on the radio. I've spent a bot of time Googling BBC radio for images, and I can't find any examples of it in current BBC images - looks like they've gone back to 87s and similar. Canford, the popular supplier to BBC radio are still pushing them, but I'm left wondering if it's a mic on the wane?
 
I wouldnt have known there were the green and red versions.
Thought about trying one many times, peculiar looking like the SM7.
Great video as always.
Seems the Neumann in this shape is very obvious, theres no hiding it, maybe in a situation where there is no cameras, no video it wouldnt matter much.
The whole mic boom arm and mic in front of the camera upside down... seems odd.
Not that a U47 or 47Fet is smaller, so it is what it is I guess...thats the BCM 104, take it or leave it?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top