CM3 - really THAT good?

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by king2070lplaya

A recording done with a trio of cm3. spaced pair up top and one at the foot of the stage. DAV preamps.

Wunderschön!

If I wouldn't already be cured of spending 10 times more for a stereo pair, this recording would surely cure me.

Eagerly awaiting how his omni mics will sound.

And I just noticed he upgraded the CM3 specs once again.

RESPECT!

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by The Listener

Eagerly awaiting how his omni mics will sound.

Um, what?? When do these become available?? I know a guy who lives in my head who probably wants a pair. or three.

[The Listener]

Originally Posted by king2070lplaya

Um, what?? When do these become available?? I know a guy who lives in my head who probably wants a pair. or three.

At the moment it's just my wish.

[willi1203]

A recording done with a trio of cm3. spaced pair up top and one at the foot of the stage. DAV preamps.


Hi sounds good !!

Could you upload the dry session ?

thx

PS : I 'm thinking of re- buying a pair !

[Douglas Whates]

How's this for a mic-stand?

[Douglas Whates]

Originally Posted by The Listener

And I just noticed he upgraded the CM3 specs once again.

Does that mean my pair are now vintage? The more desirable 24v version?

[king2070lplaya]

There is no artificial verb on that track, it's all room sound :-)

[polytope]

Where can one buy the cm3 in North America?

[boojum]

Originally Posted by polytope

Where can one buy the cm3 in North America?

I do not think you can. I got mine through a very good outfit in Belgium. Service and price excellent. The fellow I dealt with speaks better English than I do. The CM3's are nice. No, I cannot remember the name but he monitors this thread and will, hopefully, chime in.

[didier.brest]

It is likely http://www.nohypeaudio.com/. I bought mine here also. But currently I cannot access this site.

[jpgerard]

Hi folks, sorry about the website being down, I keep getting hacked all the time now, it's a real pain. I temporarily transfered it to my studio's website: www.nohypestudio.be you can order from there. Please note that the CM3 is still out of stock and will be for another 10 days or so. You can Email me at nohypeaudio@gmail.com thanks!

Update, our website is back online!

[jpgerard]

Please note, the new CM3 sounds identical to the old one. It just has improved specs (headroom and Phantom power V range) but you could pair an older CM3 with a newer one without problem.

[The Listener]

Now that we all contributed to the hype, and managed to really get it going, how can we kill it?

[Empiria]

I bought six of these little babies from JP Gerard. It was a smooth deal. My recommendation! (I feel like I am leaving feedback for ebay)

[polytope]

Originally Posted by The Listener

Now that we all contributed to the hype, and managed to really get it going, how can we kill it?

I guess if someone makes a better mic and sells it at a lower price, that will probably kill the hype on the the CM3.

[jpgerard]

Thanks Tomasz! In fact I've noticed a rating system for online stores, I need to check it out... but frankly I've always believed that word of mouth is the best possible advertising.

Re: CM3 hype, if it was "hyped", it would mean it is not perceived as what it actually is. In fact the CM3 is just what everybody claims it to be: a great hand made pencil mic at a very affordable price. It has a relatively unusual polar pattern and offers a very linear response which is, in my experience, unheard of in this price range. So... it really is a unique little mic and sure, you could fine another, cheaper mic that would be a best choice in a given application but it wouldn't take anything away from the CM3... oh, and it's not made in China like most budget mics today. Please note: I stock and sell the CM3 and yes, I do enjoy discussing its good and bad points in online forums. It doesn't mean I don't use other mics but truth is, in the studio, the CM3 has become my go to pencil mic.

[Douglas Whates]

Originally Posted by jpgerard

...oh, and it's not made in China like most budget mics today...

I thought I read something about the capsule being made in China, no?

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by Douglas Whates

I thought I read something about the capsule being made in China, no?

Japan, not China

[jpgerard]

The "raw" capsule comes from Japan, Roger then QC's them and then works on each capsule, finally hand trimming to precise specs. The stand mount / holder comes from China but that's it. Electronics are hand made in Sweden and the body is cut and engraved there too.

[Douglas Whates]

Originally Posted by jpgerard

The "raw" capsule comes from Japan, Roger then QC's them and then works on each capsule, finally hand trimming to precise specs. The stand mount / holder comes from China but that's it. Electronics are hand made in Sweden and the body is cut and engraved there too.

Mmm, that's also nice to know.

[The Listener]

I know where this aversion towards Chinese mic things is coming from, but still... the Chinese knew what "precision engineering" is when we in Europe were still beating wild boars with clubs.

[jpgerard]

I agree but things have changed a lot since! For one, the Cultural Revolution led my Mao did a lot of damage, the extent of which few people realise still today. But the main problem right now is that most Chinese producers work on price alone, they have no interest in R&D or just overall quality or even reputation. Get me a large order now and we'll talk! Sad really.

[Douglas Whates]

Originally Posted by The Listener

I know where this aversion towards Chinese mic things is coming from, but still... the Chinese knew what "precision engineering" is when we in Europe were still beating wild boars with clubs.

Sorry if you read anti-Chinese sentiments into my post... that wasn't the intent. I'm just somehow pleased to hear that this is less of production-line mic than I thought.

[aracu]

Originally Posted by jpgerard

It has a relatively unusual polar pattern and offers a very linear response which is, in my experience, unheard of in this price range.

The cm3 is an antidote to harsh sounding mics.

[The Listener]

I already posted a few comparisons from an overly reverberant space between Line Audio CM3 and DPA4011A, the recordings with 4006A were so reverby that I won't post them, but I got a sense for their behavior and sonic character in live rooms none the less. The samples are here: Ultimate stereo pair

Current exchange of information with one forum member led me to remember the few hasty studio tests between CM3 and DPA4006A we did, close micing my friend singer songwriter. Unfortunately I got a short notice to return the mics the same day, so we didn't have much time in the studio and he had old strings on the guitar, was tired, etc. I didn't want to post the recordings in the first place, but listening back to them I think they are none the less a good illustration how amazingly close the Line Audio CM3 are to one of the best SDCs on the planet - DPA4006A, omni vs. wide cardioid on top of that... in close micing applications at least. (ca.60cm from the performer)

There are many worse things that can happen to a young indie rocker trying to record his acoustic guitars than this pair of SDCs... I would like to let them all kids know - here is a pair of SDCs for 250USD - sell your Oktavas, Rodes, Studio projects, Se Electronics, etc. - this thing just simply WORKS as a stereo pair should. And once the claims they could make would be true - they do perform in the same league as the mics 10x the cost.

So:

Acoustic guitar strumming: Line Audio CM3 vs. DPA 4006A

Acoustic guitar fingered: Line Audio CM3 vs. DPA 4006A

Singer songwriter playing and singing at the same time - blind test:

MIC 1 vs. MIC 2

[judah]

Just got a pair of CM3 from NoHypeAudio. Need at least two more (pairs I mean). Really good mics.

[OAE]

I´d say mic 1 is Dpa

In this close miking test Cm3 holds up very well and I could say in the same league with Dpa. In the blind test I maybe like it even better (if i´m right). Cm3 is definitely a very good mic for the price. The only thing I miss in it is the better clarity and faster response of the great high-end mics as DPAs, schoeps etc. As many times said price is quite different. Thanks for the comparison!

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by OAE

I´d say mic 1 is Dpa

In this close miking test Cm3 holds up very well and I could say in the same league with Dpa. In the blind test I maybe like it even better (if i´m right). Cm3 is definitely a very good mic for the price. The only thing I miss in it is the better clarity and faster response of the great high-end mics as DPAs, schoeps etc. As many times said price is quite different. Thanks for the comparison!

I agree, the response isn't as snappy as more expensive models. Still one hell of a sound, though, and serves as a terrific spot mic

[Audiop]

If you look at the mic you feel is "snappier" and "faster" I bet they have a HF lift.

IMO CM3 is not good for the money, it's a very good mic no matter the cost and as I have mentioned earlier, I use them alongside with MKH8000, Earthworks QTC1 and QTC50, Royer SF12 and others costing ten times a CM3.

In some occasions a CM3 pair have given better results than all of the other mentioned mic's.


/Peter

[king2070lplaya]

Originally Posted by Audiop

If you look at the mic you feel is "snappier" and "faster" I bet they have a HF lift.

IMO CM3 is not good for the money, it's a very good mic no matter the cost and as I have mentioned earlier, I use them alongside with MKH8000, Earthworks QTC1 and QTC50, Royer SF12 and others costing ten times a CM3.

In some occasions a CM3 pair have given better results than all of the other mentioned mic's.


/Peter

By snappy I am referring to the transient response. Compare a schoeps mk2 to a cm3, you'll see what I mean.

Again, I love the cm3. No harm intended. No egos meant to be bruised.