Any benefit to using matched mics vs buying 2 individual mics?

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maderic

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Hi folks.. just joined the forum.. looking forward to spending a lot of time here.

Quick question.. I'm going to be recording some acoustic guitars, and I'm in the market for a pair of microphones to record my acoustic.. I was thinking of going with a pair of
AKG c-451b mics... they sell them individually, or as a matched set.... is there any benefit to buying the matched set? (I think the db are within 1 db of each other, etc)... its a bit more for the matched pair, so I'm wondering if this is a superior solution vs buying 2 individual 451b mics... i will be recording the acoustic through 2 mics.
Thanks!
 
maderic said:
Hi folks.. just joined the forum.. looking forward to spending a lot of time here.

Quick question.. I'm going to be recording some acoustic guitars, and I'm in the market for a pair of microphones to record my acoustic.. I was thinking of going with a pair of
AKG c-451b mics... they sell them individually, or as a matched set.... is there any benefit to buying the matched set? (I think the db are within 1 db of each other, etc)... its a bit more for the matched pair, so I'm wondering if this is a superior solution vs buying 2 individual 451b mics... i will be recording the acoustic through 2 mics.
Thanks!
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I don't know about AKG but the QC at Sennheiser & Neumann is so tight that there is no need to worry about matched sets of anything in their respective lines.

I'd suggest auditioning the 451 before committing to a purchase. Some people love them while others think they make decent paperweights. Personally, I thought they sucked.
 
I have five or six AKG451/CK1 mics (the old ones where you can unscrew the capsules) and find them the most versatile mic in my kit. I often use them as stereo pairs (in fact have a session coming up next week where I'll be doing that) and find them well enough matched that there's never a problem.

...and they certainly don't suck. I've used them for everything from guitars to violins to overheads (and even some vocals) and they've been great for everything. They were a workhorse mic in TV studios in the UK for a couple of decades

Bob
 
Bobbsy said:
I have five or six AKG451/CK1 mics (the old ones where you can unscrew the capsules) and find them the most versatile mic in my kit. I often use them as stereo pairs (in fact have a session coming up next week where I'll be doing that) and find them well enough matched that there's never a problem.

...and they certainly don't suck. I've used them for everything from guitars to violins to overheads (and even some vocals) and they've been great for everything. They were a workhorse mic in TV studios in the UK for a couple of decades

Bob
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It's definitely a matter of taste. No 2 of the 5 I had sounded alike enough to use as a pair but all had one thing in common, a very harsh top end. These were all the original 451's with exchangeable caps. I have no experience with the current version.
 
I think the whole point to a matched set is that they're supposed to be guaranteed to be within +/- 1 tolerance of each other. I imagine that this could make an audible difference to someone with golden ears but myself, I cannot discern any major differences between non-matched mics made by a reputable, quality manufacturer.

Cheap mics on the other hand, can sound very different from one to another.
 
akg.webp

Theres my 2! They were not sold as a matched pair but I'd bet my beer money ya can't tell the difference! :) You get a nice case with the matched pair but apart from that you pay lots extra.
 
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Thanks for the feedback guys. Appreciate it. I have a pretty good ear but I'm not sure I'll be able to pick out the benefits of a matched pair. Now I have to confirm whether or not to buy the AKGs. I need a killer acoustic guitar mic without defaulting on my mortgage!!!
 
Well, acoustic guitar is one of my main uses for the 451 and I really like the sound.

Just to name drop horrendously, back in my TV days I used a pair of 451s to mic John Williams (it was one of those interviews ending with a "can you play us out" bits) and he was happy enough with the sound....

Bob
 
And if your main use is recording acoustic guitar, even if you could hear a difference between 2 "unmatched" mics of the same model, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Unless you're in an XY configuration, the mics are recording different parts of the instrument. Different = bigger sometimes.
 
Thanks for the feedback... I love the Neumanns, but they're a bit out of my reach... think I'll have to settle between The Shure SM81, Oktavia MC012, or AKG c451bs.... time to check out some youtube vids
 
chrisharris said:
And if your main use is recording acoustic guitar, even if you could hear a difference between 2 "unmatched" mics of the same model, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. Unless you're in an XY configuration, the mics are recording different parts of the instrument. Different = bigger sometimes.
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+1 - when I record acoustic I use two completely different types of mics - you get a nicer range of sound in my opinion - then you pan them a little and get a nice full sound - like butter
 
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