The Mics You have Dumped, and Why...

[steveschizoid]

Originally Posted by Jim vanBergen

Danny, I'm in the same boat, not just on C42's! People on GS seem to HATE the older Earthworks mics, I love them for near-miking crowds and instruments, and people here HATE them for their self-noise, which is not an issue for my applications. I also have TLM103s that are detested here, and have found they can be great in some applications.

YMMV on everything!

JvB

I love the EW QTC 30's for drum overheads and serious close mic'ing. I keep getting great drum sounds with them; I wish I could afford to upgrade to the 40's or 50's.

If you have a guitar player who fingerpicks really quietly, they can definitely be noisy.

[Turdadactyl]

Originally Posted by tampa

I don't think I have ever sold a mic. Sure some are better than others but I always manage to find a use for what I have.

I saw this response and my first reaction was, "Really?! Never?!!!" And then I thought about it. I've never sold a mic either. They just keep coming in. Some get less use, but they never go back out.

Gearslut extraordinaire.

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by Turdadactyl

I saw this response and my first reaction was, "Really?! Never?!!!" And then I thought about it. I've never sold a mic either. They just keep coming in.

Same here. I've never sold a mic. I've never sold anything, that I
can think of.

[Studiodawg]

I got rid of two CAD m9 tube mics because they picked up the FM radio station housed in my studio. Bought Peluso matched pair SDCs to replace.

[studentjohn36]

My Apex 415's.

I loved them at first, and then I got an equally cheap pair of AT3032's. One time I was setting up in front of a chamber orchestra and had the chance to have both 415's and both AT3032's set up and I went back and forth from one pair to the other under headphones.

An "aha" moment, indeed. The 415's seemed somehow less open than the Audio-Technica's.

I gave the 415's to my ex, who uses them with her video set-up for documenting rock&roll bands.

JG
Toronto

[ABBA]

All Röde mics - sharp and nasty.
MG UM-70s - overrated, forget about the hype about "warmth".
Neumann U87ai - overrated
Neumann TLM 103 - too bright
Neumann TLM 193 - too.... boring
Neumann KM 184 - really good but a tad sharp and poor levelmatching.
Shure SM81 - spikey.
AKG 451 - very sharp, no good.
AKG 414 ?? - sometimes good, sometimes just weird.
Audiotechs 4033 -
Oktava MK012 original (cardio+omni) - nice but too much noise.
Joly Oktava MK012 - good but bought Schoeps instead.
Earthworks QTC - really good but irritating noise levels.
Coles 4038 - too much bass and generally problematic proximityeffect.
Golden Age Ribbon (not active) - too noisy but nice and really cheap.

/ABBA

[Thomas W. Bethe]

Originally Posted by ABBA

All Röde mics - sharp and nasty.
MG UM-70s - overrated, forget about the hype about "warmth".
Neumann U87ai - overrated
Neumann TLM 103 - too bright
Neumann TLM 193 - too.... boring
Neumann KM 184 - really good but a tad sharp and poor levelmatching.
Shure SM81 - spikey.
AKG 451 - very sharp, no good.
AKG 414 ?? - sometimes good, sometimes just weird.
Audiotechs 4033 -
Oktava MK012 original (cardio+omni) - nice but too much noise.
Joly Oktava MK012 - good but bought Schoeps instead.
Earthworks QTC - really good but irritating noise levels.
Coles 4038 - too much bass and generally problematic proximityeffect.
Golden Age Ribbon (not active) - too noisy but nice and really cheap.

/ABBA

So what do you currently use??? Inquiring minds want to know!

[ABBA]

Hi Tom.

Not that it matters in this thread but I frequently use
a pair of Schoeps CMC6/MK2 (Omni) and
Oktava 319 (Cardio) Michael Joly-mod.
I've got other mics as well but these are my absolute favourites.

ABBA

[Johns]

I guess I'll join the disposed mics anonymous club. I'll preface this by saying that I never have gotten rid of a mic until I've used it for at least a year.

Neumann TLM147
Never liked the sound and I tried. Good on kick.

Gefell M930
A little too bright for me. Usable.

Neumann TLM193
I regret selling this as it worked well for many things. I got a TLM170 to replace it because I needed the patterns.

Neumann TLM103
I didn't hate it as some here do, but it wasn't getting much use.

AT4060
Nice mic, but I had other tube mics that worked better for what I needed.

[marc_oceano]

Usually keep all my mikes, exeption off :
neumann tlm103 way to harch
sennheiser MKH 416 and MKH 816, previous studio owner was using them to pick up drum sound !!!
Rode K2, i've just keeped one and like it.
The Calrec CL50 is another one i never use
i'm about to dump my RE20, don't really know what to do with, i've tried dbl bass, trombone and kick with no good results, only for certain type of vocal.

my actual mikes :
R121
c414 eb
c414 eb silver
c414 ULS
(2) D12
U87
(2) km84i
Geffel MV 692 + UM70
Oktava (3)mk012
MK 219
Schoeps
(3)CMV/51 9F
CM51/U CARDIO OMNI
CM51/7 OMNI
Schoeps Studer
(2) CMT 54
(5)SM57
SM58
520dx
beta 57
atm25
MD421
E604
(2) bf 509
441U
Rode K2
Sony
(2) C38b
C35P
Beyer
(3) M160N
(4) M81
COLES
(5) 4038
MELODIUM
(2) hf111
Calrec
cl50
RCA
(2) BK-5
ElectroVoice
RE20

[rob61]

AKG "The Tube", purchased when I really wanted a C-12. Was talked into it by a fast talking salesman who sold these "why would you want that old mic which could break down right away".

It was basically a 414 with a tube, sounded very similar too my 414 except duller. Sold it, ponied up, and got an actual C12.

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!

[rob61]

Bought the original, in a nice metal case. Everytime I used it, I always seemed to prefer something else. After years of not using it, or trying it again and going back to something else, I sold it. Being an original, it was snapped up instantly (I didn't realize some say, not sure if its true or not, that the original somehow "sounds better").

Lately, I've been doing some screaming type bands, and they're asking about the SM7. Crap. Just ordered a new one.

If it doesn't fair any better than the original, I'll probably dump that one too.

[Nobilmente]

I have never parted with any microphones, just never bought what I didn't think I could use somewhere.

Can you see the halo ?

[SaraLs]

This thread piqued my interest!

JZ BT-201's. I got them in a, ummm, "settlement". The former owner loved them, and I thought they'd be useful for me, too. Cute they were, useful they weren't. Just toooooo bright for these ears!

I have a small locker, and because I'm a tiny, tiny less than full time at this gig "recordist", I am very careful with my budget. I record a lot of choral, and to that end:

Beyer MC930 pair
Royer SF12
Audix SCX-25A
Naiant X-W pair

I'm of the mind that if I picked it, I did it for good reason, sonically and budget-wise. I like what I have and I get wonderful results with them. No dumping for me (except for those JZ's).

[jnorman]

small update - i sold my DPA 4061s and bought a pair of DPA 4090s to replace them. just easier to stand mount.

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by Brackish

Same here. I've never sold a mic. I've never sold anything, that I can think of.

Same here three! I've given mics/gear away, on occasion, but I usually keep most everything. We have the makings of a secret society...!

[Maximum Sound]

The josophins c?? The skinny pencils fletcher told to buy and sucked! They were more bright then the 400 Dollar rode's....I can tell u a mic the is unreal
For the dough....those cascade
Fatheads are pretty damn sweet...

[hbphotoav]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

Same here three! I've given mics/gear away, on occasion, but I usually keep most everything. We have the makings of a secret society...!

Teach me the Super Secret Double Whammy handshake... aside from theft and give-aways, I'm in the same place... Better to have it and not want it than to need it and have to rent it (or buy it again)...

[Salty James]

Originally Posted by jnorman

i have dumped:


neumann km184s - way bright and harsh
neumann tlm103s - horrible in every way, i truly hated these mics
rode NTKs - not bad mics, just didnt use them, replaced them with AT4050s
gefell m300s - better then km184s, but not by much
at4041s - swapped em for pair of AT4051s which i love
shinybox and cascade fatheads - impedence problems
rode NT5s - too bright, much like km184s

yep, me too.

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by hbphotoav

Teach me the Super Secret Double Whammy handshake... aside from theft and give-aways, I'm in the same place... Better to have it and not want it than to need it and have to rent it (or buy it again)...

You either end up with something in your hand that wasn't there to start with... or the opposite.

[SaraLs]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

You either end up with something in your hand that wasn't there to start with... or the opposite.

How does that Geico commercial go? "A bird in the hand..."

[Nobilmente]

Well Joel, Harry, Brackish - I make that the sign of four now, prepare to roll up your trouser leg and practise your funny handshake (hope I haven't offended anyone) ;-)

[joelpatterson]

It's amazing how little it takes to offend some people-- the idiots!

[doorknocker]

I must admit that I sold plenty of stuff over the years, mainly because I needed to finance other gear but also because I can't justify to myself owning gear that I never use.

Funnily enough, the one piece of gear I alsolutely regret selling is my Studer A727 CD player that I used in the studio (at least I've kept the one in my living room).

Also sold a '52 Les Paul Goldtop - a long time ago when these went for 2-3k - and HAVEN'T ever regretted it.

Anyway, as far as mics are concerned I sold some stuff that might make some people shake their head in disbelief but if I don't like it or can't find a use for it, then I sell it. I find it hard to get emotionally attached to a MICROPHONE.

Stuff I sold:

- Neumann KM54 : too bright and cold for my taste, maybe my excpectations were too high especially on acoustic guitar. Actually I prefer a AKG D19c for applications where the KM 54 is often used.

- Pair of KM 84s: Perfectly fine mics but there were always other choices I prefered like the Beyer M201 or AKG D19c on acoustic guitar, Beyer M160s on OHs, SM 57 on snare, etc

The Beyer M88-TG and a Sank-modded Beyer M260 were fine mics that I sold because I never really prefered them on anything.

What I definitely never would sell is my pair of Coles 4038s though!

[Nobilmente]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

It's amazing how little it takes to offend some people-- the idiots!

Too true Joel, whatever you do, don't say what you really mean, think or believe - ha, ha !!

Although idiot could almost be a term of endearment when you consider the things someone might be called! - but please, whatever you do, don't call me Shirley.

[John Willett]

I have never sold any mics except my first pair of Unisound electrets, which I bought in the 1970s. Oh,and a pair of Tandy (Radio Shack in the USA) PZMs (balanced and modified for 48V phantom) which went to my local Baptist church when I put on the new sound system.

I still have my pair of Beyer M67N which I bought in the mid 1970s; haven't used them in ages, but would still be happy to do so if needed.

I always bought the best mics I could afford and have never regretted it.

As I expanded some mics go down the list, but I would still be happy to use any of them.

I will collect my new pair of MKH 8020s after the Christmas break (they arrived too late for me to pick up before Christmas).

Posted via the Gearslutz iPhone app

[Nobilmente]

The first pair of microphones I bought were Calrec CM1050's, I still have them and use them very regularly, and I've added more 1050's along the way.

It's interesting how well you get to know a pair of mics when they are the only pair you have. I certainly got to know those at the beginning when I began recording back in the............'s

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Nobilmente

The first pair of microphones I bought were Calrec CM1050's, I still have them and use them very regularly, and I've added more 1050's along the way.

It's interesting how well you get to know a pair of mics when they are the only pair you have. I certainly got to know those at the beginning when I began recording back in the............'s

I have a pair of the Calrec 2050 - same as the 1050 but with detachable capsules.

Still have them in the kit.


Sent from my iPhone using Gearslutz

[matucha]

AKG c1000, it was my first real mic and it served me well with my soundblaster card and minidisc recorder during late 90ties. But then I had no use for it's "special tone".

Now I'm going to sell some gefell stuff that had pilled on me during the time. But just a little bit... starting with M8 and M55K capsules. Generally I keep the stuff I buy.

[Nobilmente]

Originally Posted by John Willett

I have a pair of the Calrec 2050 - same as the 1050 but with detachable capsules.

Still have them in the kit.


Sent from my iPhone using Gearslutz

I like them on lots of different things John, on percussion sometimes where they don't have the "tizz" that makes the instrument jump out at you in the balance when you bring the level up (if that's what is needed) it stays where it is at the back but with a certain amount of body to the sound - the timbre of the instrument.

I have had good results on male voice chorus too, and they treat some brass instruments kindly as well.