New mics that SUCK.

[FZfile]

I felt compelled to relay this info as I recently saw a thread about some new Superlux sd pencil condensers.

I went to my local shop to check out a Senn 421 they had come in for me from another store.
The thing was all beat up and they would only drop $10 so I passed.

So....I know they have a good return policy and was going to try out the new Shure 194??.......their new sd condenser that looks kinda like an SM81......when I see the Samson C02 set of 2 pencil condesers for $120.

Looking at the sheet inside i see they seem similar to the Superlux's and I remembered that somebody said they thought that the Samsons, Superluxs, and numerous others were all the same mic.

So I took them home and tried them.

Now let me 1st say my set up is no lab.

I recorded acoustic guitar only.

mics went to an Art MP and DBX mini > Audiowerk2 sound card into Sound forge 6.0

After adjusting the gain on the pres so that I was hitting about -6 on loudly strummed parts the SF meters were registering about -50db !!!! with nothing playing.

It sounded like bad tape hiss.

Now somebody made the comment about the Super's in the other thread that their listed noise level of 25db made them not quite enuf for critical applications.

The Samsons are listed at 22db and if thats what 22 sounds like I wouldn't use them for ANY application.

I never expected them to be great....actually I expected that I would return them but figured,,,,,,what the hell.

SUCK!

Actually they didnt SOUND that bad but on anything of medium strumming or quieter, like fingerpicking or even sustained chords, the noise was soo bad it was distracting.

So I can officially NOT recomend these mics.....not that I expected to.

-mike

 

[flatrockrecordin]

I had started that thread. This is exactly what I feared, hence the question about noise level before making a purchase. I'm actually planning to purchase a pair of something for room mics in live situations. Audiences are noisy enough without adding any more!!
Thanks for taking the time to share your results.

 

[FZfile]

No problem....

I mean I wouldn't have gotten them if I didn't know that the place I got them from has a good return policy.

I am looking for a pair of mics for room mics (also) and for stereo recording in general.

I have two ECM8000's but they're omni's and I need something directional.

I think the Oktava 012's are available as a set for like two bills.
I dont think they come with the extra capsules though.

-mike

 

[trevor machine]

FZfile, what's the word on the ECM8000s please? I need some omnis and these seem to be about as cheap as anything gets in mic world. Applications I'm thinking of are X/Y accoustic guitar and also drum OHs. I hear they're noisey - which might make 'em ok for the latter, but not so good for the former. Am I warm? Cheers.

 

[morindae]

From what I've read about the ECM8000 you are warm. If you do a search you will find a lot of posts about them.

 

[FZfile]

They are somewhat noisey....

....but not too bad.

They are not nearly as noisey as those CO2's.....although I did have one that was noisier than the other.

The main thing about the ECM's is that they have a very low output so you need a lot of gain with them on low volume sources.

I really like the ECM on acoustic guitar.
Its totally neutral which transltes to unhyped highs and I like unhyped on a lot of things....although I've been liking the sound of my V93 on acoustic in place of the ECM and that has a pretty hyped high end.

But I never really liked the sound of X/Y-ing the ECM's or spacing them for acoustic (haven't tried them as OH's).
I usually wind up putting up just one and then using a cardiod for the other.

I no longer have 2 ECM's or the CO2's or this p.o.s. CAD22 I've had collecting dust for years.
I just brought the CO2's back to my dealer as well as 1 ECM and the CAD22 and got a CAD E200.

I'm pretty psyched.
Am going to try it out in about 15 minutes.

-mike