Quote:
Originally Posted by lajos  avebr
A second vote for the 441.
And indeed, the figure 8 worries me somewhat, because most live environments I am used to are far from ideal and getting the noise in the null point would be near impossible.
The Crown CM-700 is in quite a different class indeed, financially speaking. It looks interesting, although one of the reviews I read mentioned that it does distort high notes of wind instruments. Also, we'd probably have to get it very close, and get the woodwind player to try to not move too much. (What kind of distance would you suggest, and where to position it with soprano sax and flute?)
The Sennheiser MKH40 is another really nice mic that seems well out of reach. (Unless CD sales suddenly explode, and we get rich, of course.) |
Hello!
The CM-700 is an inexpensive SDC with 'dynamic mic' low sensitivity (2.5mV/PA). In my experience, for flute and soprano sax I still may prefer the MD441; but for clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone,... give the CM-700 a try. (clarinet and bass clarinet can still sound great on a good dynamic mic)
A friend of mine that has three CM-700 uses it for almost everything and it's [almost] always a nice surprise - even as an ORTF pair on too bright pianos - that at the end get less brighty. With a pair on woodwind section (even brass section) we never had 'distortion on high notes of wind instruments'... but if you need more gain, as the CM-700 is 'low sens', you may need a cleaner mic pre.
About positioning, you may use it from a near position (studio-like) and try a not so close, as the enviroment allows. With MD441 I would be more on close positioning; with CM-700 from close to 'mid' (almost as an 'spot' on a classical recording). If I am correct, the MD441 is also 2.5mV/Pa!
Try to borrow an MD441, CM-700, and other mics that were suggested here, and try by yourself to see (hear) wich one fits better to you! But surely the MD441 is the kind of mic that any great mic locker should have.
PS: I have no CM-700s, but I have a condenser with similar characteristcs. I have no MD441 
, but had seven (!) in a studio I worked, but no more - I really miss them, also lovely on percussion...
Good luck!
all the best,
ave.