Small Diaphragm Condensor Suggestions...

[ghetto3jon]

i'm looking to replace my mxl 603 mics. they're certainly not bad, but i'm just looking to upgrade all of my mics. i'm hoping to spend $500-$800.

i recently decided to buy the AT4050 for vocals, but i'm looking for a complimentary small diaphragm to record acoustic guitar, glockenspiel, tambourine, bells, perhaps some organ or piano, etc...right now i'm looking at the AKG 451. does anyone have any other suggestions? thanks!

 

[ghetto3jon]

i just noticed the post below mine talks about the Shure SM81 and Peluso CEMC6. perhaps those are a good idea for me. thanks for the indirect suggestions, kensington!

 

[homestudioguy]

SE3-$299 each $649 matched pair
http://www.seelectronics.com/

 

[ghetto3jon]

very interesting suggestion. both the se1 and se3 are affordable...i'll look into them for sure. thanks!

 

[ghetto3jon]

right now, i'd say it's a battle between the Josephson C42 and the Peluso CEMC6. both seem pretty great for the price. anyone want to share their experiences with either of these mics?

 

[bigtoe]

dunno about the last two you mentioned but the 451 w. ck1s will serve ya for years. i'd buy the originals used - not the new ones as they aren't the same.

i bought one of mine at telesis gear.com...nice guy. i bought another thru a webboard. sent them to AKG to get checked out...use them for stereo work all the time.

total cost was 600-700 including the checkup.

btw- i always put the normal small diaphragms in either the 451 category or the km84 category. the 451s have a bit of zing...the 84's are mellower. your current mic is more 451. the josephsons are more 84 from what i understand... the peluso's i can't say one way or the other.

Mike

 

[apl]

Do consider the fabulous MSH-1O SDCs.

 

[pohaku]

This may be helpful:

http://emusician.com/mics/emusic_smokin_condensers/

I've got a couple of these -- pairs of AT-4051, AT-4053, AT-4049, Josephson C42 and Beyer MCE93s. I also have a couple of single Beyer SDs and one Neumann KM-84.

The ATs are great mics and pretty affordable used (@$250 each). If i was going to get a pair of those, I'd probably get the AT-4051s as they would be the mosy useful pattern. The Josephson mics are great and have a bit more top end/air then the ATs. More $$$ though (@$700 or so used for a pair). Get a matched pair if you can as they are often sold that way. I don;t think AT sells matched 4051s, but it hasn't been an issue for me. The Beyer MCE93s are pretty decent mics and can be a bargain as people in teh US seem not to have heard of them. I have 2 pairs that I picked up on e-bayfor an average around $200 a pair (as best I can recollect). They typically come with shocks and clips. There is a battery powered version as well -- the MCE94. Very nice. Not quite as good, IMHO, as the ATs or the Josephsons, but very respectable. Here's a review:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun...=yes&session=a0aed17f32f9780b3ab28f9b0d542595

I've never used the Peluso, although I've been curious about it as well.

My preference, if I could find another for I price I'd like to pay, is the KM84. Absolutely wonderful mic -- but discontinued of course. The KM184 is not the same.

If you want something different, you could also consider a pair of GT-44s. Tube MD mics that are excellent on lots of things, especially acoustic instruments. I haven't used them for overheads, but others apparently like them for that purpose. They can be found used for @$250 each or so. The AM-40 produced when GT was distributed by Alesis is the same mic.

 

[ghetto3jon]

great reply, pohaku. thanks for all the info.

jon.

 

[Drewcifer666]

right now, i'd say it's a battle between the Josephson C42 and the Peluso CEMC6. both seem pretty great for the price. anyone want to share their experiences with either of these mics?

Go with the C42 pair...best bang for the buck. They are very round sounding, full.

 

[TheHunter]

Check CAD E100, I was impressed the test result of this mike in acoustic guitar compare to other 32 mikes. Listen for yourself here's the link http://www.thelisteningsessions.com/session5.htm it delivered a clean, accurate sound. By the way this is a large (not small) diaphragm condenser mike. I don't own this yet but I think I'm craving for it... . I own as well MXL 603 this is also a great mike.

 

[Track Rat]

While not a SDC (but a MDC), AT4033's are good work horses. I picked up a used pair of Earthworks SR-71's for around that price and I'm very fond of them. I also have the KM-184's. I wish I could say I've used the along side the KM-84's for comparison but I haven't. I have to say these are decent mics.

 

[travelin travis]

Check CAD E100, I was impressed the test result of this mike in acoustic guitar compare to other 32 mikes. Listen for yourself here's the link http://www.thelisteningsessions.com/session5.htm it delivered a clean, accurate sound. By the way this is a large (not small) diaphragm condenser mike. I don't own this yet but I think I'm grieving for it... . I own as well MXL 603 this is also a great mike.

I don't know exactly how to put this...............I've listened to thelisteningsessions on many occasions and can barely hear the differences in any of the mics. If I went by what I heard over there, I could just about use any mic in place of another and get the same sound. Maybe it's just me.

 

[bigtoe]

+2 on the groove tubes gt44. mdc's but kick ass mic. i have a pair.

them at4051's are nice. however, they are extremely prone to internal overloading and or have body resonance issues. beware! nice to have around but man very unreliable on a slightly loud source like overheads. i ended up selling mine due to the unreliability in that regard.

i had some 184s for a year. i am familiar with 84s. yes decent mic but eh...no longer an 84. too much top.

Mike

 

[XLR]

I don't know exactly how to put this...............I've listened to thelisteningsessions on many occasions and can barely hear the differences in any of the mics. If I went by what I heard over there, I could just about use any mic in place of another and get the same sound. Maybe it's just me.

I just listened to the TLM103, E100, mxl990 and V67. I can tell a bit of difference but basically think the same thing. The playing sounds kind of pinched and wispy - doesn't really give the microphones a source that would let their character in the upper mids and highs come through.

Tim

 

[wheelema]

I have not yet popped for a pair of the MSH mics but I am looking forward to the day when I get multiple ins working to buy a pair.

It is a weird psychological phenom that people equate low price with low quality and high price with high quality. That may often (but not always) be true, but even when it is true there is a point of diminishing returns... witness the Neumann TLM 103.

Often we forget that it is the sound that you get from your gear that matters, not what you paid for it. If something is as highly recommended as the MSH and so affordable, you are doing yourself a disservice to not check them out.

 

[TheHunter]

I don't know exactly how to put this...............I've listened to thelisteningsessions on many occasions and can barely hear the differences in any of the mics. If I went by what I heard over there, I could just about use any mic in place of another and get the same sound. Maybe it's just me.

Well I think I have a good ear... Hey Travis try compare the MXL 2001 then the CAD E100, if you still can't hear the difference either you are a drummer hehehe or you need a good set of monitor or headphone.

 

[homestudioguy]

very interesting suggestion. both the se1 and se3 are affordable...i'll look into them for sure. thanks!

Warren Dent aka WAR on this forum did comparisons with the original Neumann K84 (not the newer KM184) and the sE Electronics SE3 and the recordings are on the Front End Audio website. The KM84 had a little more signal strength and sounded very nice but the SE3 IMO added more depth.
Here is link: http://forums.frontendaudio.com/index.php?showtopic=334
I own the SE3 and really like it a lot.
I took it over to a friends pro studio (Neotek Elan/RADAR IZ/yada yada) and he tried it as an overhead for drums and really liked it a lot and he is a percussionist!
We did an A/B on acoustic guitar with an AT pro 37 and the SE3 won hands down.
As I don't own an SE1, I can't say much about it although there are reviews of both on the sE Electronics website. They generally prefer the SE3.
FYI, I spoke with Bob Reardon of Sonic-Distribution U.S. awhile back who shared that there are plans to come out with an omni-capsule for the SE3 in the future.

 

[pohaku]

+2 on the groove tubes gt44. mdc's but kick ass mic. i have a pair.

them at4051's are nice. however, they are extremely prone to internal overloading and or have body resonance issues. beware! nice to have around but man very unreliable on a slightly loud source like overheads. i ended up selling mine due to the unreliability in that regard.

i had some 184s for a year. i am familiar with 84s. yes decent mic but eh...no longer an 84. too much top.

Mike

Interesting. I've never had that problem with my 4051s.

 

[bigtoe]

it's completely intermittent...which sucks. i've had a few people correlate my problems. i had loud cymbal hits distort these guys... completely annoying.

when it will happen is on the big important date where you have no chance of making it up.... just watch your distance...

i've also used them to mic a full mesa stack on 11...no problems.

just be careful if you do have them. excellent sounding mics. i far prefer them to 451s! much more hi fi.

Mike