Schoeps MK4 verses DPA 4011

[Dave Ferris]

Hey thanks Russ for your thoughts.

Yeah, I've known Larry for a long time. He's right up the hill from me in La Crescenta. Great player, needless to say one of the best jazz guitarists in LA.. Don't know his dad that well, I think we played together once a long time ago. I went to your site. Beautiful playing and recording on your CD. Dave Stone and Ray Brinker are old comrades in arms as well.

Anyway, I threw out the tube pre as someone mentioned in another DPA thread that this might perhaps soften the sound of the 4011s a bit.

I would really like to hear that "Schoeps sound " on my D.

[Corran]

Just bought my third pair of Schoeps CMC6 bodies!

I would like to try DPA but I've never had a chance. After getting my first pair of Schoeps I didn't really want to invest in anything else, with the removable capsule system and everything. I think that's the value with Schoeps - being able to at least have omni and cardioid caps even if you have only one pair of bodies.

Of course then you might be like me and just have to snag another pair of bodies every time you get some new caps!!

[fifthcircle]

I think you'll like the Schoeps. It is a great sound- different than DPA, but still quite nice. Even in the line of Schoeps, you'll find very different sounds. The MK 4 is a standard (and I have 3 of them), but not my favorite of the Schoeps mics.

For jazz piano work, though, I reach for the MG M930 first and I have yet to have a client that hasn't liked it...

Drop me a line off-site. Perhaps we could get together and I could bring a bunch of stuff for you to try on your D. There are tons of great mics and pres out there, it is just a matter of what you like.

--Ben

[Uncle Russ]

Dave, accept Ben's offer. He is my good friend, ultimate "audio guru", and currently is mastering an album for me. I have found his taste and mine to be very close and I trust his opinions and judgment. If it happens, let me know and I'll try to stop by!

Russ

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by fifthcircle

Drop me a line off-site. Perhaps we could get together and I could bring a bunch of stuff for you to try on your D. There are tons of great mics and pres out there, it is just a matter of what you like.

I would like to hear the outcome of these tests.

I the past I have used the MKH 20 primarily on a model D, my last piano session (on a Bluethner) were with Neumann KM183-D, but I am now also getting MKH 8020 for this as they can be very discreet on a single extension tube. I do have a pair of MKH 800 but have not yet tried them on piano

But the Schoeps, DPA and Gefell are also superb mics and would just love to hear what you think about them all.

[didier.brest]

I've not got the MK4, nor the 4011. Here a comparison between the MK21 and the 4060 (don't confuse with the 4006). Two takes, same setting like in the attached picture, same preamp (Fearn VT-2), same processing.

[Sheikyearbouti]

Recently I did an album recording for one classical guitarist and we did a test session at the beginning of the project with a pair of DPA4006 (the old transformer version) and Schoeps MK2. Both me and the player preferred the Schoeps but I guess this was just the case of this particular player with his instrument in this particular space.

I have used em on many different instruments (piano, guitar, strings, orchestra, organ, OH, electric guitar) and I have never been disappointed. Yes, I got a great electric guitar sound with just one MK2 near the cone (being careful with the volume). The SPL handling is an advantage of the DPAs but I the MK2 did the job without any problem.

In general I have to say that if I have to chose my first pair I would go for the Schoeps as to me it sounds a bit more pleasant in most cases than the DPAs.
Saying this a few days ago I heard a recording done by a friend of mine with DPAs (3503) in great acoustics with great performers trough a modified DPA pre (HMA5000) and I couldn't believe that such a beautiful recording is possible. It didn't sound even a bit sterile, just beautiful

The samples below are from the test session with that guitarist. Both a trough Grace pre/ADs. The placement is one which I would never choose for an actual recording - 30cm away from the guitar almost in front of the sound hole but it is still a good ab test IMO. I might as well be able to upload a normal AB done from a more adequate distance as it really make more sense but I'll have to ask for a permission of the player since I have only bits of his original compositions...

[didier.brest]

The choice is not easy. Your samples illustrates well what was said in the topic before: a bit more of musical warmth from the Schoeps, a bit more transparency from the DPA. Great mics...

I might prefer the DPA here.

[David Spearritt]

Didier, in your photo, the MK21's appear very close and off-axis. Is this the way it was recorded?

[didier.brest]

Yes David, I did this take on yesterday evening and took the photo just after. The 4060 take is a few weeks older but the mics were about at the same place. Note that the mic are steered at the LH part of the keybooard which is a configuration that I read somewhere (on DPA site ?). The spacing is the length of the stereo K&M bar, 19 cm, which is just right for a so close take. Actually, I might make it even smaller because I don't like listening to a too wide piano.

[Dave Ferris]

Ben-thanks for your generous offer. I'll definitely take you up on it.

[Don S]

I just did a job this weekend. Second time in the hall. First concert, I used MKH8040's in ORTF. Too much reach and detail. It sounded good, but not what I was looking for. Did I mention it was a student orchestra? Next concert I used Mk4's in ORTF in the same position. It gave a very musical ensemble sound that just blended a little better.

[fifthcircle]

There are times that depth of sound and detail are not a good thing. I've taken some great mics down on various shows because they just were not giving me the sound that I wanted. Most times when this happened, it was because the rig was showing too much.

With a student ensemble, I can totally see this being the case.

With a good group, however, the 8040 can be a beautiful thing.

-Ben