Would love your opinion... stereo pair SDC comparison

[Kris]

I am trying out a new SDC pair.

I have attached four 16/44.1 stereo .wav files. 2 are acoustic guitar and 2 are overheads on a drum kit.

I would love to get your opinion on the sound quality of each, if you have a preference, etc...

If you can, separate your ears from the performance and focus on the quality of the mics.

Convince me to keep the new ones... or to send 'em back.

The mics in question are Neumann KM184s and Josephson c42s... same positions and pre-amps... (different performances though)...

[Gilliland]

I don't think there is a clear winner here. There are certainly differences, but nothing that would rule out either pair. Positioning them will make bigger differences than anything inherent in the mics. And, of course, so will the room in which they are used.

[mltamisin]

I'm at work listening to these crappy mini desktop speakers. The second drum clip seemed to have a clearer and brighter sound and was less cloudy. I assume that was the Josephsons. Could be bad in a small bright room. As for acoustic guitars...tough call. I think you nailed the correct mic for the application. The brightness of the Josephsons may help a strumming track stick out while the KM184's sound fuller on single string stuff. That's assuming the Josephson's were indeed the brighter mics. I like the variety. Both are killer mics. Your purchase was well justified.

[shangoe]

i cant coment the OH but the guitars: i like A2 more...

[Kris]

That's my issue... I like both for different reasons.

One set seems a bit more full bodied and realistic.
The top on both is pretty similar.

I think I've made my decision.

I was hoping to sell my current SDCs and keep the new ones (looking for a noticeable 'improvement'), but the new ones are going back.

If I had a few spare bones, I'd keep both though.

I'll wait for a few more comments and then spill the beans on which is which.

I wonder if the Gefell M300 would make a 'noticeable' improvement for me... worth the extra dough?

[Chucho]

I much prefer A2 to A1 but OH's too close to decide - although different.

[lowswing]

I like oh2 (fatter than oh4) and A2 (from the same reason , bigger sound than A1)

[Kris]

A1 - Josephson c42s
A2 - Neumann KM184s
OH2 - Neumann KM184s
OH4 - Josephsons c42s



The KM184s are sticking around for a while...

Thanks for the comments!

[dpianomn]

OH2 sounds much bigger than OH4 imo.

[snappydad]

Thanks for the comparison clips Kris.
I've been messing with a C42 on acoustic stuff for the last month or so, and it sounds far less metallic and zingy to my ears than the A1 clip coming through my crappy monitors. I know there are countless possible/probable reasons for this. That said, A2 had a fuller body and woodier texture that I liked on that instrument.
I did however prefer OH4. The cymbals have more depth and liveness to them, and the snare seems more defined than in OH2, in spite of sounding "smaller" overall. OH2 has a flabby snare with no real edges to place it in the spread, and though it sounds twice as big, especially since the toms are more rocking in general, I like the detail of OH4 a bit more here.
Again, thanks for the side by side on these two. I have been curious! chafe

[hrn]

My thougts:

OH2: It has a richer and cleaner sound than OH4, not only because of the extra things happening in the lower freqs.

OH4: This do not sound like brass colored cymbals, don't like it

A1: No

A2: As mentioned above for the OH's


Hans