Mic Comparisons

[taylorguitarman]

I have a bunch of cheap mics (most of the popular budget ones) and as I was doing some recording with them in my new studio room and I got to thinking. I've done a couple of comparison tests before where I set each mic in as much the same spot as possible and set the same levels and stuff to see how each one sounds against the other. I got to thinking that might not be the best way to rate the mic though. Instead of trying to make the mics "play fair" I really should be trying to get the mic to sound the best I can and then compare them against each other. Wouldn't that be a better test of the mics; trying to give them the best advantage against each other?

Am I not thinking straight here? Has anyone done this already?

 

[thajeremy]

sounds reasonable to me...we all know that some mics sound better on the grill of an amp, and some better back a few inches...some on axis and some off...I would think that 2 different mic's, each in its own sweet spot would be a good test. Maybe the results shouldn't sell the mic, just as the test of 2 mics in the same spot. But the overall results of the two tests could be more meaningful to many.

 

[junplugged]

i have a bunch of mixes on cd of my mic comparisons, but now I just use each one for 2 days to a week and listen and get to know them. I need to work with them to really figure them out.

 

[tdukex]

...I really should be trying to get the mic to sound the best I can and then compare them against each other. Wouldn't that be a better test of the mics; trying to give them the best advantage against each other?

Yes, that is my approach. I look for two things: Where does the mic sound best, and how good does it sound doing its best thing.