cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
Anone used this mic? If so, what are your impressions?
D
Dot
New member
I used and ADK TT Commemorative Edition on a session recently. Really really nice mic. I want one. Very full and rich, somewhat colored. Definitely a serious mic.
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
How does it compare to really high end tube mics, like Soundelux, Blue, or Microtech Gefell?Dot said:
D
Dot
New member
cominginsecond said:
Except for the some of the Gefells, I don't consider Soundelex or Blue to be "really high end". I consider them to be great mid-level mics. And that's how I consider the ADK TT CE. And like I said - I really want one.
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
Dot said:
Why not? The Soundelux E47 is $3500, and the Blue Cactus is $3000. The Gefell UM 92.1 is $3200, so it's right in the ball park there.
Have you used the Lawson mics?
D
Dot
New member
I'm not just looking at price. Gefell is owned by the Neumann family.
"Really high end" mics to me are made by companies like DPA, Gefell, Telefunken, Brauner, Wagner, Sony, Neumann.
Yes, I've used some Lawson mics. They're excellent.
What are you looking for in a mic? What kind of applications? What kind of mic pres are you using? What made you consider the ADK TT?
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
"Really high end" mics to me are made by companies like DPA, Gefell, Telefunken, Brauner, Wagner, Sony, Neumann.
Yes, I've used some Lawson mics. They're excellent.
What are you looking for in a mic? What kind of applications? What kind of mic pres are you using? What made you consider the ADK TT?
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
cominginsecond
Decentralized Media Mogul
Dot said:
Oh, I don't know. That special something, I guess. I am quickly becoming addicted to beautifully recorded guitars and drums.
Dot said:
I really, really like large diaphragm mics on strummy acoustic parts. There's almost nothing that I like to record better. That and vocals of all kinds would be the main applications.
Dot said:
Right now I have a Focusrite Penta, a DMP3, and a Joe Meek MQ3.
Dot said:
I thought it might be good because it is built in China (right?), but yet it's still $1000. I figured that it was probably the equivalent of a $2000 European or American built mic, because of reduced Chinese manufacturing costs. That's what piqued my interest, but for all I know, all those assumptions are wrong.
Plus, it's pretty.
I'm mainly just curious. I'm not extremely serious about buying it.
T
tdukex
Man of the Muse
Dot said:
Dot, I heard somewhere that the ADK TT was either a rebadged 797 CR998 or a modified CR998. They look very similar. Are you familiar with the CR998? If so, how would you compare these two mics? Thanks for any info you have. This is what I found at the respective websites:
TT:
TYPE: True Condenser Pressure Gradient Mic with Dual 1" Six Micron Diaphragms and Valve Pre-Amplifier
POLAR PATTERN: 9 Polar Patterns Including Omni, Cardioid, Figure 8 and Six Intermediate Positions
SENSITIVITY: 1mV/Pa = -37dBV (0 dBV = 1v/Pa)
FREQUENCY RANGE: 20 Hz to 20k Hz
IMPEDANCE: < 250 Ohms
RECOMMENDED LOAD IMPEDANCE: > 1000 Ohms
MAX SPL FOR 1% THD @ 1000 Hz: 125 dB
EQUIVALENT NOISE LEVEL: IEC 286-4 (A Weighted) 20 dB Typical
S/N RATIO @ 1Pa: 76 dB
POWER REQUIREMENT: Dedicated ADK Power Supply
REL. HUMIDITY: 90% (C) / 85% (C)
CONNECTOR: 7 Pin Multi-Pin Cable (Supplied)
SIZE: Diameter 53mm (2.1") Length 225mm (8.9")
NET WEIGHT: 750gm (26.5oz)
CR998:
Type: large diaphragm condenser microphone
Polar pattern: nine differernt polar patterns are selected from cardioid to figure eight;
Frequency range: 20Hz~20000Hz
Sensitivity: 16mV/Pa(~36dB@1000Hz,re.0dB=1V/Pa)
Output impedance: 200¦¸
SPL(1KHz,distortion<1%): 124dB
Equivalent noise level to IEC 268-4(A Weighted): 20dB-A
S/N ration re 1Pa: 74dB
Power requirement: dedicated "N95" power unit
Dimension: ¦µ55¡Á230mm
http://www.797audio.com/web/Frameset.htm
Fletcher
New member
Dot said:
Wow Dan... you really don't have much of an idea of what you're talking about do you.
Yes, DPA, and Microtech Gefell and Brauner, and one model of Sony, and 30+ year old Neumann stuff... and for that matter 30+ year old AKG stuff and 30+ year old Telefunken stuff [which is actually 30+ year old Neumann and AKG stuff] are indeed "high end mics"... from what I've heard of the Lawson product, it too is some pretty high end stuff.
You say you don't consider Soundelux to be "high end"... I have to ask on what you base that conclusion.
The capsules are made in the same factory where the Brauner capsules are made... and you consider Brauner mics to be "high end" [with the exception of the Soundelux U-195, which uses a Soundelux designed"Chinese capsule" because it is the only capsule made that achieves the proximity effect David Bock sought for that creation... the fact that the capsule "rejection rate" is like 50-60% is a fairly good indicator of the care that goes into every microphone even though one of the key components was made in the PRC].
Soundelux recently built their own anachoic chamber... something that damn few boutique mic manufacturers have... yeah, Neumann has one, AKG has one... Telefunken never actually made microphones so they didn't need one... DPA has one... but all of those companies have been around so much longer than Soundelux it's ridiculous.
The craftsmenship from the Soundelux factory far exceeds the craftsmanship from the Neumann or AKG factories. Hand built and inspected, they don't use the surface mount technology components found in modern Neumann and AKG product, nor do they skimp on the internal components, like transformers. Neumann and AKG haven't designed their mics to be transformerless because they sound better [though I think they do "spec" a bit better which is a glowing rationalization of the process]... they designed and built them to be transformerless because transformers are expensive... remove the transformer from the circuit, lower the build price, lower the cost to the end user... sell more mics, make more profit. Either AKG and Sennheiser/Neumann could be making toasters for all they give a shit... as long as they're making a profit.
The testing proceedures and quality control proceedures for all Soundelux product far exceeds that of 5 or 6 of the companies you mentioned in your original statement [I've never heard of a microphone company called "Wagner", so I certainly can not comment on their product].
David Bock has been doing experiments into the physics of microphone capsules that few have explored. Klaus Heyne, David Josephson, Stephen Paul [in the microphone design community, often discussed is that through many of Stephen's efforts came advances and study from Neumann... though they neither compensated, nor credited Mr. Paul] have all advanced the state of capsule and microphone amplifier design in terms of clarity and depth of tone, as has Dirk Brauner and the people of Microtech Gefell.
These are all men commited to the process of advancing microphone technology... yet Soundelux isn't "high end" in your opinion? Dude, the stuff they make may have a cosmetic reminiscent of designs of yesteryear... but the stuff inside is some pretty well designed, well constructed, and dare I say cutting edge shit that is built with only the highest commitment to excellence and quality. The grill assembly for the soon to be released E-49 spent well over two years in development. Two years of examining the properties of grill material and grill geometry to achieve a desired effect... but that wouldn't be high end research in your opinion? Who the fuck are you?
Look at the Neumann M-149... Neumann calls it a "toob mic", and yeah, there is a subminiature tube inside the mic... but the capsule is coupled to the "toob amplifier" circuit with a FET!! Now that says "solid state" to me in a big way... but yet this thing is revered as a "toob mic" Why did Neumann use the FET in the M-149? Why do they use surface mount technology for their amplifiers? It cuts costs, that's why. It's not done for superior tonal effect, it's done to lower the manufacturing costs, and to lower manufacturing costs only!!!
So, in light of some of this information [and I'll be more than happy to have any of these designers explain the process to you... well, Stephen may be tough to get a hold of, but Klaus Heyne and David Bock, and Dirk Brauner and David Josephson are all just a phone call away].... I would appreciate a clarification of your previous statement.
BTW, I don't consider B.L.U.E. to be "high end" across the board... but a couple of their models are quite "high end". I have found more variations from microphone to microphone, even at the top of their line, but no more so than would be found in those coveted 30+ year old Neumann and AKG mics.
R
Recording Engineer
Moderator
My thoughts exactly... If only I could express them as well...
F
Flatpicker
...
FWIW, I did a bunch of quick test with my own voice through the mics that were set up a Summer NAMM ’03 and the TT Commemorative was my absolute favorite. Somehow, it found all the bad characteristics of my voice and turned them down while turning all the good characteristics up (how does it know how to do that? 
).
A close second was the Dave Royer Tube Mic kit from Dave’s company Mojave Audio ($500), which had most of the characteristics of the TT. I’d get this one if I didn’t need multi-patterns. Of course you have to build it yourself, but I’ve heard it’s no big deal. The Mojave mic was at the ADK booth because they supply the parts for it.
The other ADK mics, along with countless other mics from the orient that I tried, just didn’t do for my voice what these two mics did.
I want one too!
). A close second was the Dave Royer Tube Mic kit from Dave’s company Mojave Audio ($500), which had most of the characteristics of the TT. I’d get this one if I didn’t need multi-patterns. Of course you have to build it yourself, but I’ve heard it’s no big deal. The Mojave mic was at the ADK booth because they supply the parts for it.
The other ADK mics, along with countless other mics from the orient that I tried, just didn’t do for my voice what these two mics did.
I want one too!
B
bgavin
New member
[ ...reading the above commentary with a big grin ]
As always, I am truly illuminated by Fletcher's experience. Being the perpetual newbie, I have to sift through the sugar coating to uncover the true meaning, but it does come to me.
Thanks for the back ground on Soundelux. Very educational.
As always, I am truly illuminated by Fletcher's experience. Being the perpetual newbie, I have to sift through the sugar coating to uncover the true meaning, but it does come to me.
Thanks for the back ground on Soundelux. Very educational.
D
Dot
New member
Hey, Fletcher, I'm well aware that the original Telefunken company was only a distribution company and put their badge on many manufacturer's mics. I was referring to the new company, http://telefunkenusa.com/ and their products.
The newer crop of high-end LDC mics are not a strong area of mine, so yes, you're right when you reply "you really don't have much of an idea of what you're talking about." I don't. I've mainly concentrated on mic pres, small condensers and budget to mid-level large condensers. That's kept me busy enough. I'll get around to looking at more of the higher end mics.
Thanks for the info on Soundelux. I hadn't considered them as a company producing high-end mics. We have a U195 and I've used the U99. They are excellent mics, and very much what I would call "mid level".
Your comments on Neumann are preaching to the choir. Nevertheless, they are still producing some excellent microphones. Mics like the M149 and the M150 and even the "lower priced" M147 are still exceptional products.
I'd agree - just as we've found with preamps - that the better microphones these days are often being made by smaller boutique companies.
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
The newer crop of high-end LDC mics are not a strong area of mine, so yes, you're right when you reply "you really don't have much of an idea of what you're talking about." I don't. I've mainly concentrated on mic pres, small condensers and budget to mid-level large condensers. That's kept me busy enough. I'll get around to looking at more of the higher end mics.
Thanks for the info on Soundelux. I hadn't considered them as a company producing high-end mics. We have a U195 and I've used the U99. They are excellent mics, and very much what I would call "mid level".
Your comments on Neumann are preaching to the choir. Nevertheless, they are still producing some excellent microphones. Mics like the M149 and the M150 and even the "lower priced" M147 are still exceptional products.
I'd agree - just as we've found with preamps - that the better microphones these days are often being made by smaller boutique companies.
Dan Richards
The Listening Sessions
The Project Studio Handbook
