tried an ADK A-48 yesterday....

[calidus]

...and I have to recover yet!

Jesus Christ, that smoked! I went to the local gear pimp, they have a nice mic room, lots of mics and many different preamps. My aim was to give the Rode NTK a spin, along with the Baby Bottle and a few others in the same price range.

As a preamp I used a Voicemaster Pro, trying to resemble the kind of preamp I got at home...., ain't going to afford a >1000$ pre anyway so....

I didn't get to try the NTK anyway, they got the new ones, the NT2000 and the K2; the K2 especially sounded nice and warm, yet not suitable for my voice. The same about the Baby Bottle, I'm sure it makes wonder on many voices, it surely didn't fit mine.

Well, to me the A-48 was the killer one, huge sound, kind of slimmer bottom compared to some of the others I heard, a sparkling sheen overall and, of course, tube warmth, for sure it has some brightness and color, I wouldn't call it smooth, but I think they did things right, it's not so hyped on top. Well..., I'd like to share my experience as well as hear what you think, I was really impressed, I can get it for about 700$.

(I loved the 2400$ Neumann I heard almost as much, it sounded beatifully as well, smoother and more "mature", sad it's out of reach for me).

Cheers...

 

[Flatpicker]

The recordings I've heard using this mic are very 3-D, open, and clear in comparison most other non-European mics. It is a very bright mic, though, and maybe even a bit lacking in the bass region. I do like it overall.

 

[calidus]

thanks flatpicker!

Yet it's very interesting to hear other opinions, it helps me to understand WHY I liked what I heard. The bright tone of this mic and its sparkling sound as well as the slim bottom flatter my voice that is clean and kind of "operatic" on most materials.

I still want to try the NTK before I make up my mind.