Stellar CM6, KEL HM-7u, Oktava MK-319 mod or SE mics?

[uncle duncan]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

... I felt if this mic had less of a frequency bump between 8-15k and maybe a small notch around 5k it would be a great match?....

You've just described the response curve of the Miktek CV4.

[Karloff70]

Find. An. Old. Groove Tubes MD1. Thank me later.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

You've just described the response curve of the Miktek CV4.

Just had a quick listen to the clips of this and it is one very nice sounding mic! Unfortunately it costs £1149 in the UK which is £750 more than my budget.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by Karloff70

Find. An. Old. Groove Tubes MD1. Thank me later.

I've heard some people say that this is quite a noisy mic?

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

I've heard some people say that this is quite a noisy mic?

Not what I remember. Besides, you're recording a gospel singer, not fingerpicking, right? But the later MD1a was lower noise, so ideally get that. Only DON'T get the new MD1b version! What you want is one with a psu for two mics that has little square 9 pin screw in connectors.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by Karloff70

Not what I remember. Besides, you're recording a gospel singer, not fingerpicking, right? But the later MD1a was lower noise, so ideally get that. Only DON'T get the new MD1b version! What you want is one with a psu for two mics that has little square 9 pin screw in connectors.

Ok thanks for the info. I'll do some research on this one and see if I can find one to try.
She is a gospel singer but as I said she can be extremely dynamic. On some songs she goes from almost a whisper to full on belting so noise might be a problem at her quietest?

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

Ok thanks for the info. I'll do some research on this one and see if I can find one to try.
She is a gospel singer but as I said she can be extremely dynamic. On some songs she goes from almost a whisper to full on belting so noise might be a problem at her quietest?

I recorded some loud singers with that mic and never had an issue with noise, and that was the MD1 not the quieter 'a' version. The thing with this mic is what happens when you lay into it. Unlike the others you described, which fold in some way or another under pressure this thing is made to be layed into and comes back with a fat, healthy tone as a thank you.

Not sure where you'll get to try one of the old ones today, but when they come up on the bay they are pretty matched with your budget, which is a bloody steal.

[dickiefunk]

It's not the loud bits that cause concern for mic noise, it's when she is practically whispering certain sections.

I'll keep and eye out for one but am also interested to see if there's anything else out there that is available today within my budget.

[dickiefunk]

Ok been doing a bit more research and listening to various clips online and I'm liking the sound of these

JZ Vintage 11
Shure KSM44a

I'm leaning a little more towards the KSM44a based on the clips I've heard so far because it has a little more detail and presence but until I actually try them here I won't really know!

Does anyone know how the JZ Vintage 11 and KSM44a compare to the KEL HM-2D's sound?

[LTJazz]

Never said his mods weren't viable. That being said, you can find similar mods at a better price point without the attitude. That's not bias...its a fact.

Doesn't change the fact he's an unpleasant fellow, in my personal opinion, that overcharges for what he wants done. The short story is you can find very comparable mods, without the "hype" at a more reasonable price.

There's a reason he was banned from this forum, and it wasn't because he was doing God's work.

All he does is pry a layer of the headbasket off with a jeweler's file, changes the capsule (a cheap, though good Ningbo Tongxin capsule he charges up the arse for, and clearly oversells...) and does some light circuit work.

This is the same guy that was trying to partner, exclusively, with Ningbo to undercut all of the great little mic designers that were having mics premodded there.

Joly is a great salesman, but not one I would do business with. No doubt his work is legitimate, but you're paying for a lot of dishonest marketing. You could have a microphone custom made at the Ningbo Factory for less than he charges to mod one with one of their capsules. Or you could just grab the parts yourself and have another great modder do it for less. Joly doesn't have proprietary or special parts or circuits. He found good quality, cheap parts and put it behind his name, marketing skills, and technical ability.

If that offends you, I'm sorry, but it's the truth. He's not your "friend." He's running a business, as evidence by his attempt to get a monopoly on the Ningbo production line by acquiring "exclusive rights."

You don't think it's smart business to keep your most vocal customer on a large message board happy? You're an accomplished composer and awarded figure in the music community. See if he'd do that for the average joe.

Originally Posted by drBill

Hardly. I just bought a pair of used Joly modded 205's. They were far out of warranty and had significant ribbon problems the seller didn't know about. Joly covered the cost of repair on them for me, even though I didn't buy them from him. I've dealt with him many times, love what he does to mics no matter HOW or WHAT he does to them and he has never deceived or lied to me. Slanderous accusation IMO, and shows your obvious bias.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by LTJazz

Never said his mods weren't viable. That being said, you can find similar mods at a better price point without the attitude. That's not bias...its a fact.

Doesn't change the fact he's an unpleasant fellow, in my personal opinion, that overcharges for what he wants done. The short story is you can find very comparable mods, without the "hype" at a more reasonable price.

There's a reason he was banned from this forum, and it wasn't because he was doing God's work.

All he does is pry a layer of the headbasket off with a jeweler's file, changes the capsule (a cheap, though good Ningbo Tongxin capsule he charges up the arse for, and clearly oversells...) and does some light circuit work.

This is the same guy that was trying to partner, exclusively, with Ningbo to undercut all of the great little mic designers that were having mics premodded there.

Joly is a great salesman, but not one I would do business with. No doubt his work is legitimate, but you're paying for a lot of dishonest marketing. You could have a microphone custom made at the Ningbo Factory for less than he charges to mod one with one of their capsules. Or you could just grab the parts yourself and have another great modder do it for less. Joly doesn't have proprietary or special parts or circuits. He found good quality, cheap parts and put it behind his name, marketing skills, and technical ability.

If that offends you, I'm sorry, but it's the truth. He's not your "friend." He's running a business, as evidence by his attempt to get a monopoly on the Ningbo production line by acquiring "exclusive rights."

You don't think it's smart business to keep your most vocal customer on a large message board happy? You're an accomplished composer and awarded figure in the music community. See if he'd do that for the average joe.

Funny, the main reason I chose him to work on my mics beyond his meticulous and superior workmanship was because of the DOZENS of "average joe's" that were thrilled with the support he gave in difficult cirumstances where mics went bad, etc..... And THAT'S where you measure the man / business. IMO of course. The internet has not been so kind to other mic repair/modder guys out there.

Your entire bias seems to be based on his internet "persona" which he self admittedly put on to flush out his detractors and some competitors who were stealing ideas, and spreading innuendo, rumor and outright lies about his product / services. He didn't take well to that. I'm not actually sure how I would handle a similar circumstance, but I know it would seriously piss me off too.

Listen, I don't agree with everything he said or did, but it evidently worked wonders for his business. He's not been on here in a long time and he's busier than ever. And those who were undercutting him behind closed doors were pretty much outed to those who have eyes to see...

As for those who have actually done BUSINESS with him (not just internet jousting), I don't know anyone who regrets it of finds his work shabby, wanting or overpriced. Hell, he offered to buy back Uncle Duncan's mic which he was incessantly complaining about, but UD refused the offer last time I heard. Makes one wonder....

If you need dirt cheap, then he's probably not your guy. If you want someone who does what they say, has a ****load of satisfied and loyal customers, someone who holds on to your mic for a minimal turn-around, and is no nonsense and no BS in business and financial dealings....well, you won't find a better mic modder out there IMO. Both Michael and Meryl - who handles logistics - are top notch.

If you want horror stories of low end to high end mic repair and modders, GS is REPLETE with dozens of horror stories. Out of respect, I won't mention any names or post links, but they are some of the most revered top end and bottom end guys. Funny though, none of the horror stories I've read is an MJ story. All the anti-MJ stuff I see is just a bunch of nagging internet haters - most of whom have never even heard one of his mics. I'd be willing to bet you that your favorite mic modder is on the list though....

Cheers,



bp

[MadGuitrst]

Originally Posted by LTJazz

you can find very comparable mods *snip* at a more reasonable price.

Definitely can.

See if he'd do that for the average joe.

Definitely does.

I have varied opinions about MJ.

His prices are a bit high IMHO - but it's his right to charge what the market will bear and the buyers right to buy from whoever he chooses.

I didn't like when other modders and imported mics started showing up here and MJ pissed all over so many threads, like he and only he had a right to that business (IMO, of course). The shame of that is that MJ did quite a lot to help self modders previous to that. But, so what.....it's an internet forum..

No matter what, MJ's customer service is top notch, period.
You know exactly what you're going to get and exactly when you're going to get it. He never fails to deliver and there is no BS, no disappearing acts, no flakiness.

The bottom line is if someone thinks the price is too high they are not forced to buy (I did have him to work on a couple of mics, then when his prices went up, I didn't and did it myself). However, I don't think one can question his customer service and don't think it's the best forum etiquette to bash someone that you are not forced to do business with.

[metatron13]

If you think the at 4040 was consistent with dynamics but too bright - you may want to try - the at 4047 or tube at 4060 - they both are less sibilant than the 4040 - and can usually be found in your price range! I have also found the blueberry to work well on this type of singer for me. The cm6 is a bit blah for me - had one tried a few tubes and all - sold it - it is a bit less hyped - but I had other mics that covered its ground. IMHO. If it was your only darker mic it would be money well spent though!

[metatron13]

The Tlm-49 works well for this kind of singer too - but may be out of your price range! It's darker and has that nice compression type thing going.

[dickiefunk]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried the AT4047 and found it to be more sibilant than the 4040 on the vocalist I'm recording!
The 4040 actually sounds great on this vocalist for very modern pop styles but I didn't like it for smooth jazz etc.

I'm very interested in hearing the KSM44 and Vintage11 but have no way of doing this unless I buy them both but don't have the money.

[kidvybes]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

I'm very interested in hearing the KSM44 and Vintage11 but have no way of doing this unless I buy them both but don't have the money.

@dickie...just a follow-up to my last post...I was setting up for a vocal tracking session and decided to put up the JZ V11 once more, but this time I put up the BeesNeez Arabella GT for a quick comparison...these were quick passes just to get a general idea of each mic's tonality on this singer...yeah, there's some noise and headphone bleed on these MP3 tracks, but try and focus on each mic's voicing in regard to this particular female singer...I was ready to pull the trigger on the JZ, but these final snippets motivated me to return the demo V11 mic and look for better options for this singer...IMHO, the lack of "air" and overall smokey/darkness of the JZ V11 wouldn't cut through a mix enough for my liking...of course, YMMV...

[LTJazz]

I've used a Joly modded products but I'm not a fan of the man or his attitude. That's not "spreading lies," it's my opinion. The fact of the matter is you will find comparable mods at a better price point.

But the bulk of what I see related to "raving" about Joly has been posted by you, and I've also seen you go into it with other users who aren't fans of Joly to defend him. I'd rather not do that here. I already know where you stand, but you're attempting to discredit my opinion because...why now?

If it makes you feel any better, I sent emails to Joly that inquired about what he was using in DETAIL when I was purchasing mics. Rather than give me any hard numbers or info, he tried to give me the "hard sell" about how his mics were so great and how he tried to enter an exclusive deal with Ningbo but they weren't willing to bend for him

That's a large part of why I don't like him and will find similarly priced products elsewhere. I'm willing to give you my money, but you won't tell me what makes your mics worth more than the competition? And you're going to further lie to me by saying your capsules are specially sourced, when they are straight off the Ningbo line? Come on now...it's ridiculous. To me, that's blatantly dishonest and deceitful.

You can take the same money, go on the the GroupDIY boards, and commission someone to build you a near clone of a classic circuit for less than the Joly cost.

Like I've stated before, his mods are viable, and just the same as a lot of others doing great work. The difference is he's spewing a lot of fluff that is downright dishonest, and he's using it to pump his prices up.

Originally Posted by drBill

Funny, the main reason I chose him to work on my mics beyond his meticulous and superior workmanship was because of the DOZENS of "average joe's" that were thrilled with the support he gave in difficult cirumstances where mics went bad, etc..... And THAT'S where you measure the man / business. IMO of course. The internet has not been so kind to other mic repair/modder guys out there.

Your entire bias seems to be based on his internet "persona" which he self admittedly put on to flush out his detractors and some competitors who were stealing ideas, and spreading innuendo, rumor and outright lies about his product / services. He didn't take well to that. I'm not actually sure how I would handle a similar circumstance, but I know it would seriously piss me off too.

Listen, I don't agree with everything he said or did, but it evidently worked wonders for his business. He's not been on here in a long time and he's busier than ever. And those who were undercutting him behind closed doors were pretty much outed to those who have eyes to see...

As for those who have actually done BUSINESS with him (not just internet jousting), I don't know anyone who regrets it of finds his work shabby, wanting or overpriced. Hell, he offered to buy back Uncle Duncan's mic which he was incessantly complaining about, but UD refused the offer last time I heard. Makes one wonder....

If you need dirt cheap, then he's probably not your guy. If you want someone who does what they say, has a ****load of satisfied and loyal customers, someone who holds on to your mic for a minimal turn-around, and is no nonsense and no BS in business and financial dealings....well, you won't find a better mic modder out there IMO. Both Michael and Meryl - who handles logistics - are top notch.

If you want horror stories of low end to high end mic repair and modders, GS is REPLETE with dozens of horror stories. Out of respect, I won't mention any names or post links, but they are some of the most revered top end and bottom end guys. Funny though, none of the horror stories I've read is an MJ story. All the anti-MJ stuff I see is just a bunch of nagging internet haters - most of whom have never even heard one of his mics. I'd be willing to bet you that your favorite mic modder is on the list though....

Cheers,



bp

[drBill]

Originally Posted by LTJazz

You can take the same money, go on the the GroupDIY boards, and commission someone to build you a near clone of a classic circuit for less than the Joly cost.

Where?

[guitarboy94]

I think Joly's a pretty honest guy, as I've bought his products. However, the need to mod mics these days just doesn't seem necessary anymore. There are equally good/inexpensive mics coming in stock form these days: Cads, MXL 2003A, Kel, Stellar, to name a few. Plus, the resale of a stock mic isn't such a nightmare either as trying to sell a modded mic.

Originally Posted by LTJazz

I've used a Joly modded products but I'm not a fan of the man or his attitude. That's not "spreading lies," it's my opinion. The fact of the matter is you will find comparable mods at a better price point.

But the bulk of what I see related to "raving" about Joly has been posted by you, and I've also seen you go into it with other users who aren't fans of Joly to defend him. I'd rather not do that here. I already know where you stand, but you're attempting to discredit my opinion because...why now?

If it makes you feel any better, I sent emails to Joly that inquired about what he was using in DETAIL when I was purchasing mics. Rather than give me any hard numbers or info, he tried to give me the "hard sell" about how his mics were so great and how he tried to enter an exclusive deal with Ningbo but they weren't willing to bend for him

That's a large part of why I don't like him and will find similarly priced products elsewhere. I'm willing to give you my money, but you won't tell me what makes your mics worth more than the competition? And you're going to further lie to me by saying your capsules are specially sourced, when they are straight off the Ningbo line? Come on now...it's ridiculous. To me, that's blatantly dishonest and deceitful.

You can take the same money, go on the the GroupDIY boards, and commission someone to build you a near clone of a classic circuit for less than the Joly cost.

Like I've stated before, his mods are viable, and just the same as a lot of others doing great work. The difference is he's spewing a lot of fluff that is downright dishonest, and he's using it to pump his prices up.

[LTJazz]

A number of affordable kits on the DIY boards. And people there will offer to assemble/sell or you can do it yourself or take it to an assembler of your choice. Not too complex for the DIYer familiar with electronics. Alas, I am not one of them. A wide variety of models as well.

That being said, you can snag them at even better prices if you can source the Ningbo capsules (a lot of the DIYers there are using capsules from the Ningbo factory marked up by the resellers. You can find them unbranded from Ningbo on eBay alot of the time, or just contact the factory direct.) Same thing goes for the donor mics/or bodies. A lot of those kits using Ningbo bodies marked up by resellers.

An example is this MK47 kit. Ioaudio MK47 Tube mic - D.I.Y. Recording Equipment And you can get the mic body and capsule straight from Ningbo for about $100. So for about $380, plus assembly anyone can have a near 1 to 1 of the MK47.

What tube mics is Joly doing that's even close to that in price? If I were to find something remotely comparable....the Nady TCM 1050? $300 for the mic plus $400 for his mod? (not saying the mics are the same, but if you're looking at work on a tube microphone..) And as per Joly's site for this mod, all he's doing is replacing the capsule and cutting back a layer on the headbasket. And, though he does state he upgrades the tube and some components, you never really know what. Do the components that come from the same place as his "proprietary 3 micron MJoly special capsule," ie the Ningbo factory? Doesn't say anything about addressing the transformer, either.

A while ago, Joly was on the cusp of innovation. But I just don't think he's kept up with the market and he realizes he has to play catch up a little bit now (thus the move to work with Ningbo microphones, as have Kel, Stellar, Advanced Audio, and I've even heard Mojave/Sterling.)

If I had the electronics skills, I'd do this myself. Source a box of capsules from Ningbo, a box of microphone bodies from Ningbo, a box of printed PCBs of classic circuits (dirt cheap. You can get a U67 PCB for about 15 dollars from a reseller....) Electronic components (cost negligible in bulk,) and some good transformers. And hell, if you want the best of the best grab a Thiersch capsule for $300 and you've maxed out your mic.

I'm honestly a bit surprised Joly or others haven't done this and capitalized on the untapped market. Early-Beesneez and Peluso were doing something similar but I think they missed the mark by targeting the mid-high end market.

Anyway, so many options, just have to be creative. And that being said, if one doesn't go the kit/have someone assemble it route, Ningbo is doing in factory mods in the mics it produces for other companies that MJoly is charging 300 to 400 to do aftermarket.

Originally Posted by drBill

Where?

[drBill]

Originally Posted by LTJazz

A number of affordable kits on the DIY boards. And people there will offer to assemble/sell or you can do it yourself or take it to an assembler of your choice. Not too complex for the DIYer familiar with electronics. Alas, I am not one of them. A wide variety of models as well.

That being said, you can snag them at even better prices if you can source the Ningbo capsules (a lot of the DIYers there are using capsules from the Ningbo factory marked up by the resellers. You can find them unbranded from Ningbo on eBay alot of the time, or just contact the factory direct.) Same thing goes for the donor mics/or bodies. A lot of those kits using Ningbo bodies marked up by resellers.

An example is this MK47 kit. Ioaudio MK47 Tube mic - D.I.Y. Recording Equipment And you can get the mic body and capsule straight from Ningbo for about $100. So for about $380, plus assembly anyone can have a near 1 to 1 of the MK47.

What tube mics is Joly doing that's even close to that in price? If I were to find something remotely comparable....the Nady TCM 1050? $300 for the mic plus $400 for his mod? (not saying the mics are the same, but if you're looking at work on a tube microphone..) And as per Joly's site for this mod, all he's doing is replacing the capsule and cutting back a layer on the headbasket. And, though he does state he upgrades the tube and some components, you never really know what. Do the components that come from the same place as his "proprietary 3 micron MJoly special capsule," ie the Ningbo factory? Doesn't say anything about addressing the transformer, either.

A while ago, Joly was on the cusp of innovation. But I just don't think he's kept up with the market and he realizes he has to play catch up a little bit now (thus the move to work with Ningbo microphones, as have Kel, Stellar, Advanced Audio, and I've even heard Mojave/Sterling.)

If I had the electronics skills, I'd do this myself. Source a box of capsules from Ningbo, a box of microphone bodies from Ningbo, a box of printed PCBs of classic circuits (dirt cheap. You can get a U67 PCB for about 15 dollars from a reseller....) Electronic components (cost negligible in bulk,) and some good transformers. And hell, if you want the best of the best grab a Thiersch capsule for $300 and you've maxed out your mic.

I'm honestly a bit surprised Joly or others haven't done this and capitalized on the untapped market. Early-Beesneez and Peluso were doing something similar but I think they missed the mark by targeting the mid-high end market.

Anyway, so many options, just have to be creative. And that being said, if one doesn't go the kit/have someone assemble it route, Ningbo is doing in factory mods in the mics it produces for other companies that MJoly is charging 300 to 400 to do aftermarket.

You make a LOT of very big assumptions about where his parts are sourced from, and what he's doing there bud. I have no such knowledge and I know the man pretty well and own a dozen of his mics - they are all different, and to draw one large assumption over all of them is laughable.

I do know for a fact though that on the mics he replaces capsules on (not all of them by ANY stretch - maybe half his products) that he goes over each capsule and culls out the losers. How much is it worth to have somebody listen to them before you get em and toss the bad ones? No matter who you source capsules from, if they are coming from China, you're standing a fairly large chance of getting a lemon as they do pretty ****** QC, and dump the lousy ones on ebay. Thiersch or someone like that? Well, that's a different story, and they come with a completely upscale price to match. Do you begrudge Thiersch for charging so much for a capsule? Peluso? Bock?

What about Joly's ribbon mic mods? I like my modded 205's better than Coles 4038's. Proprietary, hand corrigated ribbons made in MA. Where you gonna get that from China?

As for a DIY mic being less than a custom modded mic.... Well of course. Dude, even Joly has to eat and have a place to work Can't do that for the same price as DIY. BTW, his 1050 is killer. I've personally had it up against Frank's U48 at Capitol and they sound virtually the same. At least close enough for me to not be able to accurately and consistently tell the difference between them - and several other engineers with way more experience than myself were also present - and they felt similar. So....$400 is too much to charge for changing your $200 mic into a virtual U47 capable of competing with a priceless mic?

I don't have the time, knowledge or resources to source out and DIY mics, but I know that DIY is certainly a way to get a good product if you have the time, patience, knowledge and know where to source the right parts. But even if I did have the needed resorces, I wouldn't be so ignorant as to expect them to cost the same as a hand made mic from someone who'd built thousands of mics. I think most busy producers feel the same. You can feel how ever you want - it's your right. But it's just not right to spread innuendo and guesswork on your part about what he does. Not right.

[uncle duncan]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

....The TLM 102 and Gemini II were by far the best match for her voice and the track.....

If you look at the graph for the Miktek CV4, you'll see a collapsed version of the TLM102 - less high end, bigger dip in the 5k - 7k area. If you can't get your hands on one of those, perhaps you could run the 102 through a dark preamp, or experiment with mic placement to see if you can get less high end presence. The TLM102 is a transformerless mic, which means it can sound a little harsh going through a clean preamp.

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

If you look at the graph for the Miktek CV4, you'll see a collapsed version of the TLM102 - less high end, bigger dip in the 5k - 7k area. If you can't get your hands on one of those, perhaps you could run the 102 through a dark preamp, or experiment with mic placement to see if you can get less high end presence. The TLM102 is a transformerless mic, which means it can sound a little harsh going through a clean preamp.

Sorry, don't want to be petty, but shouldn't that be "the TLM102 is a transformerless mic that can sound a little harsh", as certainly not EVERY transformerless mic has that problem.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by uncle duncan

If you look at the graph for the Miktek CV4, you'll see a collapsed version of the TLM102 - less high end, bigger dip in the 5k - 7k area. If you can't get your hands on one of those, perhaps you could run the 102 through a dark preamp, or experiment with mic placement to see if you can get less high end presence. The TLM102 is a transformerless mic, which means it can sound a little harsh going through a clean preamp.

The Miktek CV4 certainly looks like a great mic but it costs £1150 over here!! I can't really go beyond £400!! Maybe I'm expecting too much??

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by kidvybes

@dickie...just a follow-up to my last post...I was setting up for a vocal tracking session and decided to put up the JZ V11 once more, but this time I put up the BeesNeez Arabella GT for a quick comparison...these were quick passes just to get a general idea of each mic's tonality on this singer...yeah, there's some noise and headphone bleed on these MP3 tracks, but try and focus on each mic's voicing in regard to this particular female singer...I was ready to pull the trigger on the JZ, but these final snippets motivated me to return the demo V11 mic and look for better options for this singer...IMHO, the lack of "air" and overall smokey/darkness of the JZ V11 wouldn't cut through a mix enough for my liking...of course, YMMV...

Sounds pretty good. I can't seem to find a price for the Arabella GT so but most of the other mics are around the $1000 + price tag. By the time I've paid VAT, import duty and shipping it will probably cost over £1000 which again is more than double my budget!

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

The Miktek CV4 certainly looks like a great mic but it costs £1150 over here!! I can't really go beyond £400!! Maybe I'm expecting too much??

I repeat, look for one of these:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gears...ubes-md1a.html

That's an old thread, but it also has a little clip inside where you can hear the warm sweetness. I'm telling you, nothing, I mean nothing will go near it in your budget! More people know these days, so it may stretch the budget more than that thread, but it will be possible if you hunt. Hunt man, you will be grinning a lot if you get hold of one.

[kidvybes]

Originally Posted by LTJazz

thus the move to work with Ningbo microphones, as have Kel, Stellar, Advanced Audio, and I've even heard Mojave/Sterling

...just for the sake of clarification, KEL mics originate from the Ningbo iSK/Shengke/Tongxin factories, the major capsule supplier in southern China...Stellar, Advanced Audio, and Mojave (as well as ADK, Peluso, Telefunken-elektroakustik, Blackspade, Charter Oaks, Sontronics and many others) get capsules from the older northern China Shanghai Feilo/ShuaiYin factories...a nice assortment of capsules from both major sources are now available for the DIY market from microphoneparts.com...not sure where the Sterling mics originate, but I believe the original GT line (from which the Sterlings are based) as well as the M-Audio mics originate from another northern China factory, Shanghai Fenglei, known for their “resonator disk” capsules, originally implemented by Aspen Pittman for Groove Tubes...

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

Sounds pretty good. I can't seem to find a price for the Arabella GT so but most of the other mics are around the $1000 + price tag. By the time I've paid VAT, import duty and shipping it will probably cost over £1000 which again is more than double my budget!

...I have been tracking drafts for a few new songs for this particular female vocalists, alternating between the BeesNeez Arabella GT ($899) and the Stellar CM-6 ($415)...the overlapping in voicing of the two mics, and the results I'm getting so far, leads me to believe you could easily get the same results from the CM-6 at half the cost...if you care to hear snippets of both mics on her voice, let me know and I will post them...

...over the past year or so, the vocal mics that have most impressed me are the Pearlman TM1, the Manley Reference C, the Miktek CV4, and the BeezNezz Arabella GT...if those options are out of your reach financially, IMHO, the CM-6 gets you well within a similar sonic ballpark at a fraction of the cost...

[retrogradeorbit]

I see you mention a UA 610. I get great results on a very wide variety of signers with a u87 through a UA 610. Save up and get a second hand u87. With the vocal booth and UA 610, a u87 it will complete the trifecta. Should be easy to source a u87 in the UK. I know its not 'lowend' technically, but you will not have any buyers remorse.

[dickiefunk]

Originally Posted by kidvybes

...I have been tracking drafts for a few new songs for this particular female vocalists, alternating between the BeesNeez Arabella GT ($899) and the Stellar CM-6 ($415)...the overlapping in voicing of the two mics, and the results I'm getting so far, leads me to believe you could easily get the same results from the CM-6 at half the cost...if you care to hear snippets of both mics on her voice, let me know and I will post them...

...over the past year or so, the vocal mics that have most impressed me are the Pearlman TM1, the Manley Reference C, the Miktek CV4, and the BeezNezz Arabella GT...if those options are out of your reach financially, IMHO, the CM-6 gets you well within a similar sonic ballpark at a fraction of the cost...

Thanks for the recommendations! I wouldn't mind hearing those clips if possible? You could email them to me if you prefer at rich-p@tiscali.co.uk .

[kidvybes]

Originally Posted by dickiefunk

I wouldn't mind hearing those clips if possible? You could email them to me if you prefer at rich-p@tiscali.co.uk .

...emailing ruff tracks...you kind discretion is appreciated...