Cardioid Condenser Microphones

T

TeenChristian

New member
Hey there! I've recently started my journey of Home recording and right now I'm using an SM57 for all purposes (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard), and it has occurred to me that when thinking about mics, the next mic(s) I'm going to want to purchase are Cardioid Condenser mics for stereo recording with acoustic guitar. Right now the SM57 covers the electric guitar and it sounds great with percussion through keyboards (sounds like a real drum set), and I'm thinking of using a midi cable for the actual piano tones from the keyboard, so right now I think I should be looking at a nice pair of Cardioid Condenser Mics. Correct me if I'm wrong though!

What I really have my eyes on are the "Studio Projects C4 Matched Pair of Cardioid Condenser Microphones"

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these mics, or if anyone had any suggestions for a pair, or if anyone suggests a different route for my next mic.

Thanks! :)
 
So your budget is about $400 then? You could always buy some used ones that would sell for like $600ish new....might get a lot better quality :D I'm no SDC expert though, so I'll leave it at that and let others take it from here!
 
I don't know much about SDC's and I don't know much about budgeting.
What I do know is that multi-pattern is a good way to go from the beginning!
 
The C4s are okay mics and I've used them several times. If you might have need of an omni in the future, the interchangeable capsules could be a bonus.

However, if the cardioid pattern is your main need, for acoustic guitar I prefer the SE 1a, also available in a stereo pair for about the same price. I've used the SE1a mics lots on acoustic guitar and have always been happy--and also on drum overheads and for various brass instruments.

Or...if second hand is an option for you, watch the usual sources for a pair of AKG391B mics (which are an AKG SE300 powering module with a CK91 capsule). These would be another step up in quality and you could also buy CK92 or 93 capsules in future for omni or hypercardioid patterns.

Finally, if you see any AKG451EB mics for sale used they'd be my absolute favourite--but you might struggle to find them on budget unless you're very lucky.
 
brother rat said:
I don't know much about SDC's and I don't know much about budgeting.
What I do know is that multi-pattern is a good way to go from the beginning!
Click to expand...

It depends on what you are doing and a multi-pattern is normally NOT the way to go from the beginning.

I had been recording for over 30 years before I got my first switchable-pattern mic.

Switchable-pattern mics are a compromise and their frequency response and polar-pattern are not as good as a dedicated mic.

Starting off with a limited budget I would get a matched pair of SDCs - eg: Røde NT5 or Sontronics STC-1. You can get the omni capsule for the Røde so you can have a pair of cardioid or omni mics. Or - Sontronics are actually giving the omni and hyper-cardioid capsules free of charge at the moment when you buy a pair of STC-1. And as both these options are exchangeable heads they are dedicated microphones that do not have the compromises of a switchable-pattern mic.

I would then get a cardioid LDC for vocal work - maybe something like the new Sennheiser MK 4.

I hope this helps.
 
John Willett said:
It depends on what you are doing and a multi-pattern is normally NOT the way to go from the beginning.

I had been recording for over 30 years before I got my first switchable-pattern mic.

Switchable-pattern mics are a compromise and their frequency response and polar-pattern are not as good as a dedicated mic.
Click to expand...

Now John ... sit back and tell me my KSM141's aren't all they should be with a switchable pattern :eatpopcorn:
 
moresound said:
Now John ... sit back and tell me my KSM141's aren't all they should be with a switchable pattern :eatpopcorn:
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Dammit Henry, you're doing yourself outta a sale.

Think how many mxl you could get with the profits! :p

I hear they've a new mxl rubix cube multipattern coming out! lol
 
I record a lot of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, old-time banjo, fiddle), and have used several SDCs.

If it were me, and I had $400, I would hold off and save to reach $600-700, then spring for a pair of sm81s ($700/pr) or peluso cemc6 ($650/pr). I have used both extensively. These are both highly capable mics - the cemc6 is a little brighter with a rounded peak at 7khz, where the sm81 is pretty flat in frequency response. For a brighter guitar (Taylor), I would get the sm81s. For a boomy Martin, I would get the cemc6s. I would not use the cemc6 on fiddle, but I would use the sm81 on a fiddle, so I consider the sm81 to be more versatile.

Rode NT5 and at4021 sound very good on acoustic guitar as well, and you could get a pair of these for a little less than the cemc6 or sm81. I would not really be looking at anything LESS than nt5s though, if you are serious about a good sound.

You can hear a lot of the mics mentioned here on flatpicked acoustic guitar in this excellent SDC shootout:
Flatpicking Guitar Magazine: Articles: Small-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Comparison

Among the less expensive but very useable mics, the at4021 and the NT5 really stand out in this shootout.
 
gehauser said:
I record a lot of acoustic instruments (guitar, mandolin, old-time banjo, fiddle), and have used several SDCs.

If it were me, and I had $400, I would hold off and save to reach $600-700, then spring for a pair of sm81s ($700/pr) or peluso cemc6 ($650/pr). I have used both extensively. These are both highly capable mics - the cemc6 is a little brighter with a rounded peak at 7khz, where the sm81 is pretty flat in frequency response. For a brighter guitar (Taylor), I would get the sm81s. For a boomy Martin, I would get the cemc6s. I would not use the cemc6 on fiddle, but I would use the sm81 on a fiddle, so I consider the sm81 to be more versatile.

Rode NT5 and at4021 sound very good on acoustic guitar as well, and you could get a pair of these for a little less than the cemc6 or sm81. I would not really be looking at anything LESS than nt5s though, if you are serious about a good sound.

You can hear a lot of the mics mentioned here on flatpicked acoustic guitar in this excellent SDC shootout:
Flatpicking Guitar Magazine: Articles: Small-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Comparison

Among the less expensive but very useable mics, the at4021 and the NT5 really stand out in this shootout.
Click to expand...



Then that does it! I'm purchasing a SM81 pair ..... Wait ..... I've already got a butt load of them and some are for sale.

See how easily I'm swayed.

Seriously though they are a great flat microphone.
 
I seem to be persuaded in the direction of buying your used pair of Sm81's moresound. They sound like the best mics I could get for that price.
 
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