Posting blind mic shootout $250 - $800

F

Frusciante_Fan

New member
thanks to the help of duane at smafia.org I finally got this up and running.

Hi guys , I just recently done a great little mic shootout. It is between 4 condenser mics, priced between $250 - $800.

--- Shure KSM27
--- Rode NTK
--- Audio Technica 4040
--- Rode K2

It is a 9 second clip of me singing a passage from one of mike pattons albums.

It was recorded in my friends studio. Signal chain used is :
Presonus Eureka pre - pro tools HD converters - pro tools LE software

This is a blind test the files are 24bit / 44khz
I will post the answers when we get some good feedback.

I will warn you, unless you have some good monitors you wont be able to tell a BIG differance. Listening through cheap computer speakers will only yeild a small differance in sound.

HERES THE LINK --- http://mictest.smafia.org/
 
I'm really digging the sound of mic C.
Mic A is second.
Mic B is third.
And D is last by a longshot.
 
C sounds the smoothest to me. There was some plosive in B, but that may have been vocal technique.

D blows.

B and A are close but I agree with xtjdx, A is slightly better, but again that might be due to a performance issue.

Nice vibrato at the end there dood.
 
thanks for the replies guys. I have a feeling people are going to be a little surprised with the results. sorry for the technique, I tried to get them all the same. But then agian this is my first attempt at a shootout. I did notice that two of them where more inclined to plosives and simbilince.

by all means keep em commin , I will post the answers in a day or two depending on the amount of people that check em out.
 
First of all, you freak, who the hell posts Mr.Bungle as a vocal sound clip :cool: ....... lol ...... and a prime slice at that.

More importantly, cool of you to post a comparison at all.

C
A
B
D

I think D may be decent on a female voice or paired with a bright mic on a cabinet or something.

Since nobody's guessed yet ..... C - 4040 ; A - KSM27 ; B - K2 ; D - NTK.

And that is a guess, although from the Listening Sessions I remember not caring for the NTK that much also ...... in a darkish kinda way.

BTW .... if your into this sort of thing.......

released april 5
Fantômas Suspended Animation (available in deluxe limited edition; all editions include 30-page calendar w/artwork by renowned artist Yoshimoto Nara) (Ipecac)

http://www.ipecac.com/bio.php?id=3

-mike
 
Frusciante_Fan said:
I have a feeling people are going to be a little surprised with the results.
Click to expand...

Actually, given the mics you picked, I'm almost expecting the less-expensive ones to come out on top. The Shure and the AT are really good mics -- not just at their price point. And I'm not sure the Rodes hold their own as well as they used to.
 
wow guys , great responses. thanks alot for the input.

well now is as good a time as any. Here are the answers.

A = Rode NTK
B = AT4040
C = Shure ksm 27
D = Rode K2

Now with any mic it surely depends on the type of voice. I in no way want to bash the Rode K2. But when I recorded with this mic , it did seem really flat.
so I recorded 3 more times and it sounded the same way. I think it has some great uses. But for my wierdo voice, I just dont think it fits. So I agree with the rest of you on that one.

Although my fav is the at4040 and the rode NTK. But the shure is very close to them IMHO. The reason I wanted to do this is because of the price differance that the at4040 and the shure ksm has from more expensive models iv heard. So I highly recommend these mics to any body with little cash.

Thanks for listening guys..

oh yea and I will definatly check out that new fantomas album.
 
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What's so bad about the K2? It and the KSM 27 (my favorite here) reveals a texture in the voice that the others don't. Listen to the last two words - it shows up best here. The 4040 and NTK sound cheaper to me.

I really like the KSM 27. I might have to git me one 'a dem!
 
this is the real life

this is one of the best threads I've seen anywhere.
more, encore!!! encore!!!!

i couldn't play today because my speakers are broken.
 
thanks for your input flatpicker.

it just goes to show , when it comes to gear, especially mics.
you always have to try them out , or at least hear them.

Everyone hears a little differantly. For instance my GF loved the sound of the K2. While I didnt.

I am going to make it a point to try and do more of this kind of stuff.

I urge any newbie guys out there just starting to get into it. Dont listen to magizine reviews. It dont matter if the guy is "world famous super engineer whatever". Always try to see for your self. Even if you have to go into guitar center and bugg the shit out of them. Make them hook up to the monitors, dont settle for headphones or sales talk.
 
nice thread!

out of all those mics, i own only the ksm27. guess i picked the right one, eh? :)

the ksm27 really shines on female singers, btw.

i use the at3035 on my voice more than the ksm27, but they are both great mics.
 
Frusciante_Fan said:
wow guys , great responses. thanks alot for the input.

well now is as good a time as any. Here are the answers.

A = Rode NTK
B = AT4040
C = Shure ksm 27
D = Rode K2

Now with any mic it surely depends on the type of voice. I in no way want to bash the Rode K2. But when I recorded with this mic , it did seem really flat.
so I recorded 3 more times and it sounded the same way. I think it has some great uses. But for my wierdo voice, I just dont think it fits. So I agree with the rest of you on that one.

Although my fav is the at4040 and the rode NTK. But the shure is very close to them IMHO. The reason I wanted to do this is because of the price differance that the at4040 and the shure ksm has from more expensive models iv heard. So I highly recommend these mics to any body with little cash.

Thanks for listening guys..

oh yea and I will definatly check out that new fantomas album.
Click to expand...
I have the NTK and AT4040 the AT4040. I like both of them but to my ears, my voice sounds much nicer on the NTK.

I agree. Our mic preferences depend largely on the source (in this instance, the voice) and how we hear it. I've never used the K2 or the KSM but I think all the mics in your test are considered "good mics."
 
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