Help: cheap alternative at Neumann KM184

[a1236040]

Hello,
I would like to buy a good mike for to record my nylon-flamenco-spanish guitar
Well, I have a decent valve preamp (avalon 737) and converter (UA2192) and I would produce a sweet ambient music. I have read about Neumann KM184 is good for acoustic guitar but my budget is little less... And I have nylon strings, not steel like acoustic gtr...

I have think to:

- Audiotechnica AE5100
- Audiotechnica AT4040
- Audiotechnica AT4034

- AKG C451

- M-Audio Pulsar II

Any suggestions ?

Or it's better to wait for to have the money for KM184 or better ?

[xhavepatiencex]

I recently used my at4040 on a nylon stringed guitar, and through it turned out really great, though i have not used any of the other mics you mentioned!

[Audiop]

Check out Line Audio CM3. They are so good and so cheap so I say buy one or two and use them for a while and then compare them to other mics. This way you might save yourself a lot of pesetas.

I need to put new strings on my nylon then maybe I can record something for you. CM3 compares well to Sennheisers and Earthworks costing ten times more.


/Peter

[Matt Whritenour]

shure SM81s

[lowfreq33]

Or the Shure KSM137.

[the_man361]

i used the m audio pulsar II recently, and was impressed actually. i didnt expect it to be any good.

[Omicron_9]

+1 on the Shure KSM137. Very good, regardless of (low) price.

[Tube World]

Rode NT55; what makes this mic special is you can use omni or card. capsules with it. The omni gives more of a live sound...open and detailed. When you have two NT55's put them in card. and record an acoustic guitar in stereo and it's amazing.

[bigbone]

What is your budget ?????... Josephson C42 is a great mic as a alternative to a neumann
KM84....

[a1236040]

Thank you guys, I prefer one good mike intead of two cheap
My budget is for one KM184 (with a little bit of sacrifice ) or for more cheap mike, but good mike

[Audiop]

I will try to record my classic guitar in a couple of days when I have put on new strings. Then I'll record with Sennheiser MKH8040, AT4033 and CM3.


/Peter

[kedbear]

Beyer MC930 for sure. Nicer top end, and generally, then the KM184. Close to a KM84. Just read up on it and you'll see what i mean. Superb mic for the money.

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by kedbear

Beyer MC930 for sure. Nicer top end, and generally, then the KM184. Close to a KM84. Just read up on it and you'll see what i mean. Superb mic for the money.

I agree, great mics for oh and acoustics.........
MC930 is slightly better than the 137's

[melonmachine]

Milab pencil mics are really good, many people rate them above the KM84. Hard to find though.

Also apparantly great and hard to find are Calrec pencils.

For something a bit different you might look at an Earthworks. I just got a TC30. They're omni and super flat response, so great for acoustic.

[roadsweeper]

Maybe have a look at some ribbons. Classical guitars can sound absolutely beautiful with ribbons if the guitar itself sounds nice along with the room. Haven't ever used the Cascade Fathead ribbons (hard to get in UK) but they have got some very good reviews and are dirt cheap (about $175 each). Ribbons really work when you want a very natural tone and can take eq very nicely.

[laperlestudio]

I don't know if anybody mentionned the rode nt-5, they are cheapest copy of the km184, but I've compare the too, and they are very nice for the price.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by a1236040

Hello,
I would like to buy a good mike for to record my nylon-flamenco-spanish guitar
Well, I have a decent valve preamp (avalon 737) and converter (UA2192) and I would produce a sweet ambient music. I have read about Neumann KM184 is good for acoustic guitar but my budget is little less... And I have nylon strings, not steel like acoustic gtr...

I have think to:

- Audiotechnica AE5100
- Audiotechnica AT4040
- Audiotechnica AT4034

- AKG C451

- M-Audio Pulsar II

Any suggestions ?

Or it's better to wait for to have the money for KM184 or better ?

The AT4051 would be closer than those other AT's you mentioned. And possibly as good or better than the Neumann.

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by dylansmale

the mercenary audio km69 is supposed to replicate that sound.

those look cool but at 900 bucks
you can buy a used vintage km84
for not much more

So what's the point?

[Empty Planet]

Consider a Gefell MV692 with the M70 capsule. An amazing microphone, depth and vibe, great on acoustic guitar.


Cheers.

[FatBassPlayer]

I love the AKG 451 that I have. I feel the mids are very clear and defined, the top can be a bright on a few sources, but its a great work horse mic for me. I read on here that Bruce Swedien used it for multiple applications.

I mic up my nylon guitar with it all the time, love the tone it captures.

[edwardsean]

I have to agree with the nod to the Beyer MC930. Of the mics I have ready access to: the NT5 is decent but can be thin and sterile. The Josephson C42 is nice but doesn't have the velvety texture of the KM184. The KM184 has this nice thick mid. The MC930 has a different magic--more open, less in the mid, more in the lows and highs. The downside of the KM184 is it can be overly bright. The MC 930 is not bright, but brilliant (i.e. the freq. lift is higher up; not in the "punch" range but in the "air" range). Of the mics just mentioned, you could make a good case for either the KM184 or MC930 but if budget comes into play, there's no need to anguish yourself further.

[SK1]

Originally Posted by allencollins

those look cool but at 900 bucks
you can buy a used vintage km84
for not much more

So what's the point?

Do you really think you could buy 2 separate km84s and they would be as closely matched as something new?? Vintage km84s are way over priced!!

[SK1]

Originally Posted by Audiop

I will try to record my classic guitar in a couple of days when I have put on new strings. Then I'll record with Sennheiser MKH8040, AT4033 and CM3.


/Peter

Be a good gearslut and post clips

[a1236040]

Thank you guys, it seems to be very good the Beyer MC 930

MC 930 or AT 4040 ?

[Jimbo]

I think you'll find that the mc930 will be more useful than the at4040.

I've owned an at4040. It was OK. I still own a pair of mc930s, and can't imagine not having them.

thumbsup

[Sounds Great]

The 4051a is much higher end than a 4040, and still not that expensive.

[Kronos147]

Originally Posted by FatBassPlayer

I love the AKG 451 that I have. I feel the mids are very clear and defined, the top can be a bright on a few sources, but its a great work horse mic for me.

In my early days here at this studio one of my members of my "main" pairs of SDC's, my KM-184 was not working. I sent it to Neumann for repair. A friend loaned my some 451's for an important session and I used them on overheads. I liked them a little more than the KM-184s. I felt they had more presence, but that is all I remember about them from back then. They were also probably the 451E's.

Originally Posted by edwardsean

I have to agree with the nod to the Beyer MC930... The MC930 has a different magic--more open, less in the mid, more in the lows and highs. The downside of the KM184 is it can be overly bright. The MC 930 is not bright, but brilliant (i.e. the freq. lift is higher up; not in the "punch" range but in the "air" range). Of the mics just mentioned, you could make a good case for either the KM184 or MC930 but if budget comes into play, there's no need to anguish yourself further.

I also decided to buy the MC930's because of the price point. I thought they could be some "backup" SDC's in case I was using all my others. I put them to the test on overheads and piano and found them to sound quite nice. I am very impressed. I like them better than the 184's, though I have not A/B'ed them.

I have never heard the AT's.

[allencollins]

The closest thing to a KM184 would be a broken mic
but the closest thing to a KM84 that is cheap is the ksm137/141

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by SK1

Do you really think you could buy 2 separate km84s and they would be as closely matched as something new?? Vintage km84s are way over priced!!

he didn't say matched. And there are two in the classified for 900 ea
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/3657092-post1.html

[Karloff70]

Originally Posted by Empty Planet

Consider a Gefell MV692 with the M70 capsule. An amazing microphone, depth and vibe, great on acoustic guitar.


Cheers.

+1 Indeed!

I'd say for nylon even consider an MV692 with the M94 (nickel/+5dB@8kHz) capsule. Bright, but in a cuddly, vibey way, much unlike the razorblade KM184. Perfect for nylon. To me a 184 is like a hollow sound with bass like you get from a ported speaker and highs that hurt. Cold. The Gefell is much nicer.