Help: cheap alternative at Neumann KM184

[Audiop]

Originally Posted by SK1

Be a good gearslut and post clips

Good I am, no new strings on the classic though!

Testing some microphones


/Peter

[matyas]

Oktava MC012 (the real Russian deal). I can't believe no one mentioned that. I also can't believe people are mentioning Gefell, Josephson, and Mercenary when the guy specifically said "cheap".

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by matyas

Oktava MC012 (the real Russian deal). I can't believe no one mentioned that. I also can't believe people are mentioning Gefell, Josephson, and Mercenary when the guy specifically said "cheap".

HE didn't. He asked if he should get a cheap mic now or save for a better one, and it seems more than one person is suggesting the latter.....wasn't very impressed with the Oktava on nylonstring myself.......

[Corran]

Originally Posted by matyas

Oktava MC012 (the real Russian deal). I can't believe no one mentioned that. I also can't believe people are mentioning Gefell, Josephson, and Mercenary when the guy specifically said "cheap".

Agreed, about to post the same thing. So... +1 on the Oktavas.

[Trulsux]

Sorry for hijacking, but I´ve got some Calrec CB20c`s with changeble capsules
up for grabs in the classifieds-great vintage mics with KM84 feel...........

best regards/
Truls

[YRLK]

Shure KSM-137 or Oktava MK-012. Those are the only two cheap sdc's I'd recommend. Anything else is going to sound not-so-good, imo. AT makes some nice ones too, but I'd rather have either of those.

Brad

[BenJah]

I own some c42s and they do soumd really lovely on acoustic guitar.

[leddy]

How do those Shure KSM 137 mics compare sound-wise to the Beyers and the Oktavas?

I have the MC930's as well as the Oktavas. I find the MC930's a little too clean on the top end and the Oktavas a little too smeared in the low end. They're both excellent and usable, I'm just looking for perfect I suppose...

Maybe that's just not possible without removing budget constraints...

[Corran]

Getting your Oktava's modded might clear up the smeariness.

[leddy]

Originally Posted by Corran

Getting your Oktava's modded might clear up the smeariness.

I've thought of that, but frankly I love the top end and don't want to see that change.

[Corran]

It shouldn't - as I understand, the mod is supposed to improve on the mic, not make it a different mic all together.

[jnorman]

+1 for the AT4051s - love them on all kinds of acoustic sources. if you can find used, the AKG C481s are very nice, flat, trnasparent mics - got mine for $900/pair, and they are very similar to my DPA 4011s in sound. but for the money it is very hard to beat the AT4051s. the beyers are also a great choice in that price range.

[jnorman]

also, if looking for more affordable, you might consider the new AT4022 omnis - you can get them new for $600/pair, and they are very good sounding. i have been using them as a close spaced pair on a pedal harp with excellent results. also did some flute and piano with them that turned out as good as anything i have done. there are clips posted in a previous thread of the AT4051s in ORTF vs a spaced pair of AT4022s if you wish to hear them - ORTF vs Spaced Pair?

btw, i have owned 3 pairs of km184s over the years, and pretty much never liked them on anything...passable on piano and steel stg acoustic guitar, but i always wound up using something else for final tracks. they always got creamed by C481s and AT4051s, and were nowhere near my 4011s or schoeps cmc64s.

[JEGG]

Originally Posted by leddy

How do those Shure KSM 137 mics compare sound-wise to the Beyers and the Oktavas?

I have the MC930's as well as the Oktavas. I find the MC930's a little too clean on the top end and the Oktavas a little too smeared in the low end. They're both excellent and usable, I'm just looking for perfect I suppose...

I have very limited experience with the KSM137, and my experience doesn't include any close mic'ing. I find the 137 to be almost telescopic in pattern-in other words, it can sound *really* close-as in a a shotgun without the artifacts or the rear tail. Others have not seemed to mention this, so my perceptions may be off-they have more experience with it than I.

Oddly enough, when others have used it for close mic'ing, it hasn't sounded telescopic.

Tonally, it is very neutral, and you can definitely hear the thinner diaphragm working-it's very fast. It favors the body and not the room. It's bottom end is different than either the Oktava or 930.

It's diaphragm is a little larger than the MC012 or 930.

Have you tried a little subtractive EQ on problem areas with your Oktava's? And-some smeariness may be caused by the ultra extended low end of the Oktavas causing various sorts of distortion (intermodulation) with your program material. There's a lot of subsonic stuff going on there-I've seem preamp led's pegged in a room with no overt sound going on! Once heard with headphones, it was obvious-subsonics! Just a thought....

[leddy]

Originally Posted by JEGG

Have you tried a little subtractive EQ on problem areas with your Oktava's? And-some smeariness may be caused by the ultra extended low end of the Oktavas causing various sorts of distortion (intermodulation) with your program material. There's a lot of subsonic stuff going on there-I've seem preamp led's pegged in a room with no overt sound going on! Once heard with headphones, it was obvious-subsonics! Just a thought....

Thanks for the input. I do generally cut somewhere around 200 or so on the Oktavas depending on what I recorded. I will have to go back and listen to the subsonic info and see if it's something I overlooked.

[Jim vanBergen]

Originally Posted by jnorman

btw, i have owned 3 pairs of km184s over the years, and pretty much never liked them on anything...passable on piano and steel stg acoustic guitar, but i always wound up using something else for final tracks. they always got creamed by C481s and AT4051s, and were nowhere near my 4011s or schoeps cmc64s.

One of the reasons this board is so great is the varying opinions and likes/dislikes of each of us. I have the exact opposite reaction with the AT mics, I've tried hard to make them sound good and try a KM184 or KM185, or a KMi84 or KMi85 in stead and LOVE the way it fits in the mix immediately. And the Neumann is never supposed to sound as flat as a DPA or Schoeps, which I also love- but are totally different mics, IMO.

To each his or her own, and keep on rockin'!

Cheers!
JvB