S
Sklathill
Soundcard Junkie
I checked it out...not too much interesting. I did talk to the Rode dudes...actually mentioned to their japanese distro dude about the low price of the mics in Japan...was just wondering if there was anything behind it.
He (the Japanese distro...) took Peter Freedman and stepped the two of them out of my earshot and started talking in hushed voices about something.
I wonder if I stumbled onto something? Anyways, I'm definitely looking into importing Rodes from Japan, now. Peter didn't seem to scoff at the idea when I quietly mentioned it.
I also asked CAD (in fairly subtle terms) about allegations of QC problems (as heard originally on this board via Fletcher) and, of course, he said they're untrue. I then asked about the low price of the M mics these days and about their production. The guy I talked to did say they're still made in the US... (I didn't want to press on about ASSEMBLED or otherwise...)
I ordered two unmatched M179s a few days ago just to see how well these new mics will fare against my old stereo matched M179s I got back when they cost almost 400... (less than 300 for the two of these mics! If they are anything like my old M179s, then I will proclaim it to be the steal of the century...) The build quality on their new Equiteks looks nice. Pricing wise, it looks like the E-100^2 will list around 400, street around 300... (For some reason I didn't get a price on the others...) he mentions the capsule design is quite different from the originals...but not much else...
No Stephen Paul mic...though I did see the Studio Projects 8 channel mic pre. Looks nice enough, and you know how impossible it is to test sound on a convention show floor... It seems there are a bunch of 8 channel mic pres out there competing for project studio dollar. (M-audio has one, now, to go along with their Luna, Solaris, and now the Aura mic, which looks more like your generic Chinese mic compared to the lollipop Luna/Solaris...) Alan seemed decent enough, though he certainly looked tired (early in the day, even) so I didn't want to trouble him too much. Did mention the preamp in less than 3 months, and the Stephen Paul mic in the same time, if not slightly longer...
SE Electronics (mentioned in the Chinese mic editorial thread I started earlier) actually had some very interesting designs. There was one called...ARGH! Can't remember the name, but it had a very intriguing looking double grille design. They are actually trying some interesting stuff, and not a mention from the brochure or their rep about their bottom feeder mics. i guess they really are trying to sell themselves up...
Marshall still sells that MXL 600...and I don't know why. I asked and they just said they continue to sell it because it still sells... nothing new from them...
Royer showed off some neat stuff, including a stereo version of their active ribbon.
The various other Chinese guys were showing their self-branded mics. nothing special, though I DO want to mention this mic from the avlux/superlux guys...a side address electret condensor from their so-called Sonata series... in a rubber (or at least rubberized) body. WHACKY. I guess it's made for micing drum kits and repelling errant drum sticks?
Definitely not for impressing clients... or prospective buyers. I mean, it made me think "My First Sony..."
Couple guys I didn't see...Schoeps, Sennheiser, Earthworks, others...some ebcause I didn't find them, and some because I didn't have the time. Only so much you can do in 4 hours... and now...back to work!
He (the Japanese distro...) took Peter Freedman and stepped the two of them out of my earshot and started talking in hushed voices about something.
I wonder if I stumbled onto something? Anyways, I'm definitely looking into importing Rodes from Japan, now. Peter didn't seem to scoff at the idea when I quietly mentioned it. I also asked CAD (in fairly subtle terms) about allegations of QC problems (as heard originally on this board via Fletcher) and, of course, he said they're untrue. I then asked about the low price of the M mics these days and about their production. The guy I talked to did say they're still made in the US... (I didn't want to press on about ASSEMBLED or otherwise...)
I ordered two unmatched M179s a few days ago just to see how well these new mics will fare against my old stereo matched M179s I got back when they cost almost 400... (less than 300 for the two of these mics! If they are anything like my old M179s, then I will proclaim it to be the steal of the century...) The build quality on their new Equiteks looks nice. Pricing wise, it looks like the E-100^2 will list around 400, street around 300... (For some reason I didn't get a price on the others...) he mentions the capsule design is quite different from the originals...but not much else...
No Stephen Paul mic...though I did see the Studio Projects 8 channel mic pre. Looks nice enough, and you know how impossible it is to test sound on a convention show floor... It seems there are a bunch of 8 channel mic pres out there competing for project studio dollar. (M-audio has one, now, to go along with their Luna, Solaris, and now the Aura mic, which looks more like your generic Chinese mic compared to the lollipop Luna/Solaris...) Alan seemed decent enough, though he certainly looked tired (early in the day, even) so I didn't want to trouble him too much. Did mention the preamp in less than 3 months, and the Stephen Paul mic in the same time, if not slightly longer...
SE Electronics (mentioned in the Chinese mic editorial thread I started earlier) actually had some very interesting designs. There was one called...ARGH! Can't remember the name, but it had a very intriguing looking double grille design. They are actually trying some interesting stuff, and not a mention from the brochure or their rep about their bottom feeder mics. i guess they really are trying to sell themselves up...
Marshall still sells that MXL 600...and I don't know why. I asked and they just said they continue to sell it because it still sells... nothing new from them...
Royer showed off some neat stuff, including a stereo version of their active ribbon.
The various other Chinese guys were showing their self-branded mics. nothing special, though I DO want to mention this mic from the avlux/superlux guys...a side address electret condensor from their so-called Sonata series... in a rubber (or at least rubberized) body. WHACKY. I guess it's made for micing drum kits and repelling errant drum sticks?
Definitely not for impressing clients... or prospective buyers. I mean, it made me think "My First Sony..."Couple guys I didn't see...Schoeps, Sennheiser, Earthworks, others...some ebcause I didn't find them, and some because I didn't have the time. Only so much you can do in 4 hours... and now...back to work!
