Mxl603 vs. Sm81 - Which would you choose??

[Scinx]

I am looking for a pair of mics that can excel at acoustic guitar and eventually be used as drum overheads, piano, etc. I dont like the Oktavas for a couple reasons - most of which - I dont think they are as good on guitar (if I wanted overheads only I think Id go for them)

Without thinking about price - are the SM81s better performers than the Mxl603s?
If so, does the better sound justify the extra cost. I dont want to shell out $200 and then wish I used that $200 towards something else.


Thanks a bunch in advance

 

[freshmattyp]

I can't comment on the Shures, not having a pair myself; but a matched pair of 603's is money well spent. You won't regret buying them, and IMHO these are mic's you can use as your skills and gear progress.

 

[omtayslick]

I'm on the flipside. Can't comment on the MXL's. The SM81 is a fine mic. Very true to source. Never been sorry I bought mine. Does a lot of things well. There's somebody out there that's used both. Should be along any time now.

 

[Tonio]

I've got shure Sm81's, they are usable for many things. 3 bass cuts, pad. They seem to be clinical and /or neutral-true for instruments. IMO they are fairly flat, but seems to capture the upper mid nicely, high end is neutral and not hyped.

FWIW, I hear the 603's can be strident on upper freq's.

Actually I've been thinking about getting some 603's for light percussion stuff. Wind chimes, shakers, blocks etc.. Any thoughts?

T

 

[Michael Jones]

I have a pair of both, the SM81's and the 603's.
They're both useful mics, but for slightly different applications.

I use the SM81's on grand piano, acoustic guitar, violin, woodwinds...

I've tried the 603's on some of those instruments, but I think the 81's smoke 'em, hands down. I don't know what it is, maybe the 81's have a wider cardiod pattern, I'm not sure. The 603's seem to be great on cymbals and as drum o.h's. Depends on the cymbals though.

The 603's, I dunno, they just seem to lack the depth of the 81's, and maybe that's due to the seemingly narrower pick-up pattern.

If I had to choose, ..... I'd get 'em both!
But I think I'd get the SM81's first.
No one should be without a pair of 81's.

Actually I've been thinking about getting some 603's for light percussion stuff. Wind chimes, shakers, blocks etc.. Any thoughts?

I think they'd kick ass on stuff like that! But it does have a somewhat exagerated high end and the high end harmonics can tend to get a little .....mushy.

 

[Armistice]

That's interesting MJ - I've gone from NT5s to MXL603s for recording acoustic guitar, and not been happy with either, as it turns out - SM81 was the next step up I was looking at. Just have to sell the others though first...

 

[ozraves]

for about $70 more per mic than the sm81, you can get the shure ksm141 with switchable patterns. i can' say enough good things about the ksm141.

steve
www.mojopie.com

 

[Michael Jones]

for about $70 more per mic than the sm81, you can get the shure ksm141 with switchable patterns. i can' say enough good things about the ksm141.

steve
www.mojopie.com

A buddy of mine has a pair of those, and he keeps threatening to bring them over, but to date, I've only seen pictures of that mic in ads.

I'd like to try them out, I should hit him up on that.

I like the SM81 so well because I know the sound of the mic, and I know what I'll get out of it. Its consistantly very good and certianly a studio staple.

 

[Mark7]

I've tried the 603's on some of those instruments, but I think the 81's smoke 'em, hands down. I don't know what it is, maybe the 81's have a wider cardiod pattern, I'm not sure. The 603's seem to be great on cymbals and as drum o.h's. Depends on the cymbals though.

The 603's, I dunno, they just seem to lack the depth of the 81's, and maybe that's due to the seemingly narrower pick-up pattern.

Since the MXL 603S is already a Wide Cardioid, wouldn't that make the SM81 practically an Omni!?

 

[Michael Jones]

Since the MXL 603S is already a Wide Cardioid, wouldn't that make the SM81 practically an Omni!?

I only offered an opinion based on actual use of each mic. I'm not refuting any specifications.
Wide can be relative.

 

[chessrock]

Actually I've been thinking about getting some 603's for light percussion stuff. Wind chimes, shakers, blocks etc.. Any thoughts

Yea, for shakers, tambo, and/or just about any other types of hand percussion, I like the Behringer ecm8000 a lot. Not overly thrilled with them on much else (self noise sometimes an issue), but they really seem to take well to hand perc.

 

[ed2brute]

That's interesting MJ - I've gone from NT5s to MXL603s for recording acoustic guitar, and not been happy with either, as it turns out - SM81 was the next step up I was looking at. Just have to sell the others though first...

Let me guess: NT5s mute too many upper harmonics and the MXL603s hype the "sparkle" so much that you can't get a balanced tone.

The SM-81 is very flat up until about 14kHz, then it starts to fall off (but it's only like -3dB @ 20kHz). It's probably just what you're looking for.

 

[ed2brute]

Just have to sell the others though first...

Are you serious about selling the NT5s and the MXL603s? I'm looking to pick up matched pairs of both of these mics. Maybe we could work out a deal...I'll PM you.

 

[ozraves]

A buddy of mine has a pair of those, and he keeps threatening to bring them over, but to date, I've only seen pictures of that mic in ads.

I'd like to try them out, I should hit him up on that.

I like the SM81 so well because I know the sound of the mic, and I know what I'll get out of it. Its consistantly very good and certianly a studio staple.

You should have your buddy bring over his pair of KSM141s. The switchable patterns are worth the extra $$ per mic. On acoustic, we'll sometimes find ourselves with one mic cardioid and the other omni. It's not something I'd normally go for but it ends up being the best sound which gets "discovered" by just turning the switch on the mic.

Steve
www.mojopie.com

 

[omtayslick]

Hey Oz,
Have you had an opportunity to compare the KSM 141 and SM81?
If so, what similarities and differences did you find?

 

[Tonio]

Thanks Chess, but I do have a Tr40 (audix) omni, plus a 414, among others. They do good on most things I've thrown at it. I guess I'm looking for a different color.

603's seem to have the MC012 type wide cardioid as per Harveys description. I thought that might be a good addition to my closet.

Yea, for shakers, tambo, and/or just about any other types of hand percussion, I like the Behringer ecm8000 a lot. Not overly thrilled with them on much else (self noise sometimes an issue), but they really seem to take well to hand perc.

Now this is where I'm apprehensive. I don't have any hyped HF mics. Usually with the SM81 if I have a problem (like distorting HF)
I just back up alittle. Allthough I do like the depth, I been thinking about the"in your face" type mics. wouldn't the 603, MC012 be in that character?

Michael get those 141's and check em out!!

Scinx, sorry if I hijacked your thread, but looks like some good info has been passed on.

T

Posted by MJ:
I think they'd kick ass on stuff like that! But it does have a somewhat exagerated high end and the high end harmonics can tend to get a little .....mushy.

 

[DJL]

I am looking for a pair of mics that can excel at acoustic guitar and eventually be used as drum overheads, piano, etc. I dont like the Oktavas for a couple reasons - most of which - I dont think they are as good on guitar (if I wanted overheads only I think Id go for them)

Without thinking about price - are the SM81s better performers than the Mxl603s?
If so, does the better sound justify the extra cost. I dont want to shell out $200 and then wish I used that $200 towards something else.


Thanks a bunch in advance

I have both and they are two different sounding mics, and I like both too... depending on what I need them to do.

And without thinking about price - get both... heck, the Marshall MXL603S mics are so cheap costing IMO everyone should own at least one.

 

[Scinx]

http://emusician.com/ar/emusic_shure_ksm_3/
That review isnt too favourable - and I dont take that very well since almost every reviewer is having happy strokes with whatever theyre reviewing...I almost never see a negative review it seems...People could be reviewing a tin garbage can lid and exclaim how its the best snare ever made...

Thanks for all the posts and the information...


And dont mind about the hijacking - just give me a 10% cut and you can keep the title "Ringleader"

 

[ozraves]

Hey Oz,
Have you had an opportunity to compare the KSM 141 and SM81?
If so, what similarities and differences did you find?

Nope I haven't had a chance to do a direct comparison. Sorry.

 

[ozraves]

http://emusician.com/ar/emusic_shure_ksm_3/
That review isnt too favourable - and I dont take that very well since almost every reviewer is having happy strokes with whatever theyre reviewing...I almost never see a negative review it seems...People could be reviewing a tin garbage can lid and exclaim how its the best snare ever made...

Thanks for all the posts and the information...


And dont mind about the hijacking - just give me a 10% cut and you can keep the title "Ringleader"

I've had about eight small condensers come through for review so far this year. The KSM141 is by far the best of the bunch. You won't be reading reviews of most of them because they weren't all that good and I don't normally write reviews of things I don't like. So, after the review the KSM141s go up, that'll be three small condensers I wrote about out of the eight. Warren Dent wrote the review of the C4 mics. I will say in my opinion the KSM141 are in your face with their sound. I'd say they are a tad dark but in a way that goes with pop music idioms such as rock, country and hip hop (the sort of sound the guys who fawn over the "Neve" name like). I think they are somewhat balanced despite being just a tad dark. And as Fletcher wrote recently on gearslutz.com: "I have yet to hear one... but in a recent conversation, Steve Albini told me that he thought they were quite excellent microphones..."

BTW, Dot could give you his opinion on a lot of small condensers since he's had just about everything from the low to high end through for www.thelisteningsessions.com

Steve
www.mojopie.com