C4 or 4 other mics : Which would you buy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Simmons
  • Start date Start date

Which option would you buy?

  • Studio Projects C4 : $369.00

    Votes: 4 66.7%

  • MXL 603s (matched pair) + 2 Behringer ECM8000's : $279.00

    Votes: 2 33.3%
  • Total voters
    6
  • Poll closed .
S

Simmons

New member
1) Studio Projects C4 : $369.00
OR
2) MXL 603s (matched pair) + 2 Behringer ECM8000's : $279.00

A difference of $90 (halfway to a new VTB-1 mic pre)

Application : tracking stereo acoustic guitars

This is my dilemma. Probably like you, I've been waiting to hear reviews before making a decision. What I've read about the C4 has been positive and encouraging, however not as super-encouraging as I expected (like the C1 hype). I started thinking about bang for buck and versatility. Comments like this got my attention. "Switching to spaced Omni, I was struck by how similar the C-4's sounded to my Behringer ECM8000's" https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=86951

I'm believe the C4 to be a great mic system, but is it that much better than what's behind curtain number two above? Tell me what you think.

I own a Studio Projects C1 and I'm very happy about it's performance on vocals and I like the personal touch from the guys at PMI Audio. I'm certain to invest in a more expensive large diaphragm condenser in the future, but I'm sure I'll continue to use the C1. It's a great mic. I'll certainly wait on more personal and technical reviews of the C4 before buying anything, but I was interesting in what you guys are thinking.

Simmons
 
Simmons said:
1) Studio Projects C4 : $369.00
OR
2) MXL 603s (matched pair) + 2 Behringer ECM8000's : $279.00

A difference of $90 (halfway to a new VTB-1 mic pre)

Application : tracking stereo acoustic guitars

This is my dilemma. Probably like you, I've been waiting to hear reviews before making a decision. What I've read about the C4 has been positive and encouraging, however not as super-encouraging as I expected (like the C1 hype). I started thinking about bang for buck and versatility. Comments like this got my attention. "Switching to spaced Omni, I was struck by how similar the C-4's sounded to my Behringer ECM8000's" https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=86951

I'm believe the C4 to be a great mic system, but is it that much better than what's behind curtain number two above? Tell me what you think.

I own a Studio Projects C1 and I'm very happy about it's performance on vocals and I like the personal touch from the guys at PMI Audio. I'm certain to invest in a more expensive large diaphragm condenser in the future, but I'm sure I'll continue to use the C1. It's a great mic. I'll certainly wait on more personal and technical reviews of the C4 before buying anything, but I was interesting in what you guys are thinking.

Simmons
Click to expand...
Well, I've never heard the C4's before (and most people on this BBS haven't either) so out of the three mic's you've listed... I'd take the Marshall MXL603S's.

I'd want to A/B the SP C4 with some other mic's like the Oktava MC-012 sense the Oktava MC-012 have the extra capsules, pad, and etc... and the Marshall MXL603S is a little brighter sounding than the Oktava MC-012... so I'd A/B them with the C4 also.

I know a lot of people on this BBS like the Behringer ECM8000 mic's... but, I don't care for them.

But my favorite SDC mic right now is the Shure KSM141... man, these mic's sound sweet.
 
I figure that by the lack of response.

Thanks for the Shure tip.....I'll try to find a review.
 
Hm, as I understand it the MXL is halfway omni already, so I think I would go either with the C4 or with the ECM and something with little better rejection than the MXL for those occations when you want less bleed.
 
BasPer said:
Hm, as I understand it the MXL is halfway omni already, so I think I would go either with the C4 or with the ECM and something with little better rejection than the MXL for those occations when you want less bleed.
Click to expand...

Hi BasPer. I see your in Sweden, way cool... hey are some of these budget type mic's hard to get in Sweden? Also do you have the SP C4's, Marshall MXL 603S's and Behringer ECM8000 omni mic's? I've got a few MXL603S's and I like them alot... I sold my ECM8000 and I've never heard the SP C4's so I can't comment, or recommend them. Anyway, what's the budget microphone seen like in Sweden? Thanks
 
Well, you can buy almost anything here that you can buy in the US, but some stuff is a little overpriced. (That is really changing though. Prices have come down drastically the last couple of years. Now almost anything can be had for the same price as in the US, and some european stuff even cheaper.) And then there are quite a lot of great older gear floating around that appear to be a lot pricier in the US. Some great deals to be had on old Swedish mics like Perl and Milab, and on some of the more obscure German ones. (Old MKHs and Gefells for exemple.)
Seeing how many on of us Swedes on these boards have them I guess the numero uno cheap mic in Sweden would be the Line Audio CM2.
http://lineaudio.se
No, I don' thave the MXL or the C4. For small diaphragm capacitor mics I have a pair of ECM8000, a pair of CM2 and a Sennheiser MKH435... and probably something else I forgot... They are all quite good I think, for different things... I'll probably get another pair after the summer, something in the really great category. Shoeps perhaps, if I don't spend too much money on beer this summer. :)
 
Richard Monroe mentioned in his thread that he cot his C4s from Macmidimusic for $279. I love my 603s, and I've never heard the C4s, but I would always buy the best mic (value wise) I could afford.

In the $400 pair range I'd consider the AT 4041 bulk pac at $199 per mic. These mics usually sell for $279 each. I haven't heard them personally, but Bruce Blue Bear likes them a lot.

http://www.8thstreet.com/product.asp?ProductCode=3060&Category=Microphones
 
Thanks BasPer,

Simmons, I'm guessing it's about the same in France too?

I guess it's just hard to get good prices on mic's in some parts of the world, like down under, and etc.

I'd love to get my hands on some nice obscure German ones at a low price... some mic's cost an arm and a leg over here.

I'd like to hear the Line Audio CM2's... those are really small mic's, what have you been using yours on mostly?

Anyway, thank you for the info... oh, and I love beer too. :D
 
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More than those choices, what I want now is a sennheiser md421.
 
Yea, the Sennheiser MD421 is one of the "Must Have" type dynamic mic's.
 
Sorry- typo- It was $379 shipped. And you quoted me out of context- like the ECM8000's but without the self noise- which is fairly brutal.-Richie
 
Richie - Sorry about the quote out of context, but that's the part that got my attention.

France is complete vacuum for good audio deals. I NEVER buy anything in France. I went to Turnkey Audio in London to buy my compressor (TL Audio). It was 3 hundred dollars less in the UK if that tells you anything and the tax on this audio equipment can range from 19% - 23%. I'm an expatriate American living abroad, so it's impossible for me to accept this. Basically I use my US sources (thanks god for friends) and get them to ship items directly to my office to avoid the heavy taxes. So far, so good. I've found a couple of interesting sites in Europe though.

http://www.thomann.de/index.html?partner_id=97926

http://www.musicstorekoeln.de/englisch/index.htm

BasPer - I love Sweden. I go to Götenborg and Stockholm every so often for business. Stockholm is a city of supermodels. I could easily live there;) Cool music scene there also....
 
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AT 4041

Any opinions /comparisons between the 4041's and shure sM-81's?

d out ITNOJ
 
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