Rode K2 & Neumann TLM 49

C

cusebassman

Freakin' sweet
I'll be doing a side by side comparison of these in February, but I'm curious if anyone has ever worked with both, and could consider these in the same class of vocal mic in terms of quality.

I've got a K2 for vocals with a NOS Telefunken 6922 tube swapped in, and its always sounded pretty damn good to me, but in terms of upgrading, will I get much from upgrading to something like the 49?

Both will be running through a JDK r20 mic pre, into a Tascam 2488. I know, its all about what you ultimately hear yourself, but figured I'd get opinions in the meantime.
 
Are you speaking based on experience with the two companies' products? I only ask, as I figure there will be a noticeable difference, but then again, given the fact that the 49 is "cheap" by comparison to other mics from a company like Neumann, who knows :P
 
I don't think it's as clear cut as all that.

I've never heard the K2 with the tube you mention so I can't comment directly but the basic K2 has always sounded a very nice mic to me...a very smooth, slightly warm sound and definitely useful for a wide variety of material.

The TLM49, on the other hand, has a couple of peaks in the upper ranges and a gradual roll off at lower frequenies--the response is quite a way down at the low end of the range. This makes it pretty "bright" on most things, often too much so. On the plus side where you need a voice to really cut through it can be an excellent choice (which is why we used to use one in a voice over booth sometimes) but I wouldn't necessarily want it as my all-purpose "go to" mic.

Your idea of doing a comparison is a good one--in fact practically essential in this case.
 
Two completely different mics.
I've sung through them both and really like them both.
However, to me, the TLM49 worked best with my voice.
In fact, it was REAL nice on my voice.
And I didn't feel it to be a very bright mic at all.
Creamy. Smooth. A Crooner's Delight. :cool:
Just try them both and see what works for you.
 
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