m149 vs rode k2 !!!! ( nice test )

[ahmz]

test neumann m 149 tube
http://www.truemediabh.com/ali/M149.wav

test rode K2
http://www.truemediabh.com/ali/K2%20Test.wav

neumann price = $5000

rode K2 price = $700


after you hear the nice test what you think ?

[JoeyM]

Did you tube roll it ahmz?

I like my K2 so much I bought one of those springless arms and mounted it onto a heavy Atlas 30 pound base, so you can position that heavy mic up down left right, effortlessly.

A little piece of nickel flaked off it though and that grinds my gears, but this mic is special in the way it thick and rich, like pancake syryp

Man I wish I'd run across an attic full of NOS tubes

[MikeTSH]

I love that tounge twister you did as a test for plosives

Damn near no difference, M149 is a little more "warm", but to be honest, for the price, the K2 comes so damn close it's not worth a second thought

[DeepSpace]

On this source in this room, the difference may not be great but still *quite* noticeable IMO. I'd say the Rode mic is okay for the price (if price is your main concern), but not in the same league as the M149.

If you're on a tight budget then there are some passable options under 1k and I daresay the Rode is one of them. If the result matters more than the price, the M149 continues to justify itself IMO.

[ahmz]

i have m149

Frankly
I am thinking of buying another Mic

You know the different voices from each other

Therefore,
I'm looking for a very good mic price and good

and I want less sensitive than M149
so
I am thinking of buying rode k2
after i heared this test
so what you think ?

[JoeyM]

-edited- I'd keep the M149 but you can add the K2 to your collection.

My 12-string took me 15 years to break it in, but it's rich but jangly and through the K2 I just want to play Tangerine and live richly.

About comparing the mics, is there a law of the jungle where I'd EQ the K2 to get closer to the M149? I noticed a slight dip @ 1k made the K2 smooth out a little bit.

Recently I tried the K2 in Antares Mic Modeler and the result was okay but it was less dimensional, sounded flatter.

In the end I think of my K2 as a variable polar patterned hearing aid, with girth

The NT2a (uses same capsule as K2) is just the slightest bit colder than the K2 but it's got it's plusses too (those switches).

[Ciozzi]

Two people said the difference was there but minimal. What monitors are you using guys ? how's your room ? The M149 has a much more authoritative sound and the low end sounds huge in comparison. It's funny I've heard people claiming a night and day difference for much less, but this is gearslutz, everything's possible

[Space Station]

Interesting. I did a similar shoot out with a K2 and a C12VR. The VR beat it hands down in blind tests. Considering the VR gets slated..what does that say about the M149.

I use the K2 a lot on guitars, electric especially.

[wildpark]

you rate the 149 in same ballpark as k2 you might better use a sm7a
and have better sonics. the k2 sound really tin for me.

ok ok the price.......

but i mean for the price of a k2 are other alternatives out there(do you really need a large condenser anytime!?)

meaby a good handheld mic if cardiod is you direction choice (beside i prever omni in a good room safes me for too much deessing later ).

if i where in the situation too buy a m49ish mic like the 149,
i might consider
a flea 49 with after treathment by andi grosser berlin
if iam looking for a cheap workhorse i might pic a cheap secondhand soundelux 49

[bogms]

I own a K2 and an M149.

I like both for different reasons - but in this test - I think the M149 is nicer.

The bottom end is very solid and a more flattering tone is produced. The K2 and indeed the original NTK always sound a little too harsh and sibilant on the wrong voice when a high impedance setting is used on a mic amp. At least I've noticed this when switching my ISA.

But I agree that for the money the K2 is an exceptional product and on certain voices - I have chosen it over the 149.

Thanks for the test.

[ahmz]

Thanks all of you

[ThomasWho]

Thanks for doing the test ,


The M149 recording is much louder than the K2 recording , when you take that into account the difference between the two is not so big.

Claiming that the M149 is better is just silly to me. The difference doesn`t make it better than the K2. Just different .

I think this is a fine example of how high-end gear costs more than it "tastes" .
Nice to have these things but we don`t NEED `em. And could do just as fine work with the moderately prices alternatives.



Thomas

[HDMusicGrp]

ive owned a k2 and had a bunch of different mics including the m149...
i miss the k2. for the price that mic cant be beat, plus i had a mullard tube in it too...
im gonna get a new k2 very soon

[didier.brest]

i might consider
a flea 49 with after treatment by andi grosser berlin

Why do you think that the FLEA 49 would take benefit from such a treatment?

By the way, you can listen a shootout with the FLEA 49 and the K2 here: Microphones shootout eSnips Folder. Click on download at left below the streaming reader if you want to get the file.

[boedoconstrictor]

I think the 149 is a "Too Hyped" Mic

[mac black]

Sorry, I never liked the 149 ... 5k or 5 pence ...

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Ciozzi

Two people said the difference was there but minimal. What monitors are you using guys ? how's your room ? The M149 has a much more authoritative sound and the low end sounds huge in comparison. It's funny I've heard people claiming a night and day difference for much less, but this is gearslutz, everything's possible

+1 and totally agree. I'm just listening on Gene 8040a's and the M149 spanked the K2 silly. Much more authoritive and deeper low mids. The K2 sounded like a good chinese LDC by comparison IMHO.

[Pepe Ortega]

Originally Posted by Baz

+1 and totally agree. I'm just listening on Gene 8040a's and the M149 spanked the K2 silly. Much more authoritive and deeper low mids. The K2 sounded like a good chinese LDC by comparison IMHO.

Even in my macbook pro speakers m149 sounds much better. the low mids on the K2 are weak. Even with a great baritone voice..
On my genelecs 1032 the difference is pretty obvious.

[ThomasWho]

you guys need to level match the two recordings. Or at least yank the volume slider down on the 149 file in iTunes or something. If you just listen to the sound itself the difference is not so big. I believe when we are down to adjectives like "authoritive" midrange it`s more the volume talking. And maybe a little psychology .

FWIW , the 149 puts out a lot of signal. Just plugging the two mics into the same preamp will give the 149 an unfair advantage over many other mics.

Thomas

[huarez]

I ´m really wondering why the 149 is so much picked on. It´s so much better than the K 2 in this test. The bottom is much better than the K2, it sounds bigger and much more open. It catches the ear . The K2 isn´t a bad mic, but simply not in the same league. I don´t think it´s a small difference.
What I wanted to write is: The Test is very NICE!

[JoeyM]

I don't think there's a night and day difference, but maybe a partly cloudy to mostly cloudy comparison

The M149 IS more authoritative under 100hz, but 3db boost in that area on the K2 I thought was indiscernable. The only other area I thought begged my attention is the strictly siblant area, which a quick dip @ 1k and up brought closer (I used ElectriQ just screwing around here).

In the end us K2 owners sometimes get flamed, but NEVER burned


p.s. However the K2 can't be compared to a polished C12 or T3 sound (I think).

[Martin Kantola]

That's the voice of Colin Hill, a fine gentleman and a great guy.

Martin

[newlyformedmind]

In short, the M149 sounded a lot thicker than the K2. The K2 sounded brighter and thinner to me. Wish they did a singing test rather than a voiceover.

[hipass]

Originally Posted by ahmz

test neumann m 149 tube
http://www.truemediabh.com/ali/M149.wav

test rode K2
http://www.truemediabh.com/ali/K2%20Test.wav

neumann price = $5000

rode K2 price = $700


after you hear the nice test what you think ?

This is such a bogus test why not compare it to a Shure 58?
a Fukin Voice Over is how you compare 2 mics?
Put a real singer in a song EQ and compress the mic put into a mix and I guarantee that you think the Rode is a piece of crap compared to just about anything decent. fuuck

[Yetti]

after you hear the nice test what you think ?

In this test
The 149 sounds really full, thick, round, smooth, and rich.
The K2 sounds smooth and balanced, no harshness, and nice mids with an overall warm sound...nice.

If the 149 was a 10, the K2 would be a solid 8, possibly a 9 with a slight low-mid eq boost

Thanks for the test!!!!

[vernier]

Not interested in the mics, but liked the "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" ..
'

[JoeyM]

Originally Posted by hipass

This is such a bogus test why not compare it to a Shure 58?
a Fukin Voice Over is how you compare 2 mics?
Put a real singer in a song EQ and compress the mic put into a mix and I guarantee that you think the Rode is a piece of crap compared to just about anything decent. fuuck

Why don't you try it if you're so certain bigshot?

I too have a question, was Peeder starting to get into trouble around November 8th, 2008, because that's where hipass started his GS account, talked ProTools like Peeder and posted about the same per-capita posts. Peeders last official post was 26th November 2008 and we know everyone was sick of him way earlier than peeder left.


No, I'm CERTAIN that's peeder because that's the same grammer as he gave to Jim Williams when he was helping people with parts.

The irony being that Peeder wanted ProTools TDM on an LE budget. He wanted it for thousands of posts and hundreds of arguments.
If Rode people want to get the best out of their equipment, that's the same fundamental thing, isn't it?

So PEEDER do you troll with a C12 or radio shack mic?

[reflixtinian]

haha

thanks for the research Joey,

I like the neumann better , sounds more expensive ...

[JoeyM]

Thank you right back I agree the M149 sounds better.

Still the K2 isn't intended to be my main vocal mic that I'll use forever. The reason I'm always extatic because it always surprises me when I've stereotyped in my mind what it would sound like and it ends up makign me happy.

That's the point because anything that instills confidence in an otherwise glitch-fraught world of DAWs is a good thing.

My future forever mic will probably be an MA200 or U47 "clone" and I do use quotation marks

[ThomasWho]

I think we can all agree that the m149 isn`t 8 times better than the K2 , like the price difference.

To me this is good news . Not that I`m planning on buying any of these mics but I`m trying to quit being such a damn gearslut and be content with what I have!


Thomas