Anybody Familiar with HDW mics?

[joeruffatto]

Has anybody used products from hdwaudio? They have an interesting pair of sdc's (HDW 306 FET) with goodies for a cheap price. Wonder if they are any good?

 

[dgatwood]

Just looking at them, they're probably exactly the same mic as the Nady CM-90, but with a roll-off switch added, which would also make them basically a shiny-case version of my Astatic mics. Been there, used both of them, hated both of them.

I don't like them stock on anything. With lots of modding (a couple hours apiece and about $15 worth of parts), you can make them usable for some sources. They'll always have poor directionality and all sorts of comb filtering due to the metal bars in front of the grille, making them terrible choices for stereo recording (or anything else off axis) unless you're willing to disassemble the capsules, tear into the front part with a Dremel, and put the capsules back together....

Just my $0.02.

 

[joeruffatto]

Thanks for the $0.02. By the way, what does FET signify in reference to a mic?

 

[dgatwood]

Field Effects Transistor. It refers to the transistor used to amplify the signal off the back of the capsule and bring it up to a more usable level. That's why condenser mics require some sort of electrical power (usually phantom power).

 

[dodgeaspen]

I think this is the first time I have heard of this brand.

 

[dgatwood]

*shrugs*

I think the group buy is sufficient evidence that anybody with enough money to order a run of even fifty or a hundred of these things can call themselves a "brand". So a few grand investment can get you several models to sell, each with your own logo on the front, etc. It's like the Yahoo merchants that set up storefronts for the same two or three warehouses....

 

[MCI2424]

I think this is the first time I have heard of this brand.

Don't worry, next week there will be 14 new brands out there. Why is it that people think purchasing 1000 shitty quality chinese mics, rebranding them and charging a fortune for them is a new idea?

Buy good mics that have stood the test of time and buy now while you can. In this economy, buying used good mics is the way to go.

 

[joeruffatto]

Thanks. I'll stop looking at the cheapo mics. I'm left with deciding between the Rode NT5's or the Studio Projects C4's. I am familiar with Rode products and like them, but I like the flexibility of the Studio Projects modular capsules.

 

[darrin_h2000]

I have a pair of MXL603s and they were cheap enough...go to youtube and listen to some of the drummers using them for overheads...and some of the guitar sounds using them.

I recommend just going there and entering the model of mic as a keyword...most things are in a video somewhere on that site.