#16
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Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... KevWind at Soundcloud KevWind at YouYube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...EZxkPKyieOTgRD System : Studio system Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 -Mid 2020 iMac 27" 3.8GHz 8-core i7 10th Gen ,, Ventura 13.2.1 Mobile MBP M1 Pro , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Sonoma 14.4 |
#17
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Whoa... my problem looks way worse when I write it down.
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Jim 2023 Iris ND-200 maple/adi 2017 Circle Strings 00 bastogne walnut/sinker redwood 2015 Circle Strings Parlor shedua/western red cedar 2009 Bamburg JSB Signature Baritone macassar ebony/carpathian spruce 2004 Taylor XXX-RS indian rosewood/sitka spruce 1988 Martin D-16 mahogany/sitka spruce along with some electrics, zouks, dulcimers, and banjos. YouTube |
#18
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Well, I’m just starting. You Top Hands need to give me time.
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Joe 1948 Martin D18 1999 Martin HD28 2015 Northwood R-80 MJ |
#19
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I have started to look around a little bit for a microphone of this type, though I must admit that I have no idea of the advantages of the vertical design vs. a more traditional "point-and-shoot" design like the iSK Pearl mentioned above. I currently have a set of button microphones with which I made one of those fix-on-your-spectacles (just in front of your ears) designs that were kind of popular among concert goers in the 90s. Extremely simple; the buttons are fixed with crimp tubing onto good quality coax cables of almost the same width, feeding into a tiny box that just hold a 9V battery and an RC filter. Gives a surprisingly precise stereo image even when I fix them with one of those "3rd hand" soldering aids but I have never tested its fidelity or SNR (stupid, back in the day I worked in a lab where I had access to the necessary equipment; I guess I was satisfied with the catalog specs for the buttons, now long lost). Anyway, the Marantz is on the high end of what I'd want to spend (and the only brand I recognise when browsing on amazon) and I do have a simple USB iMic sound interface that will accept a "standard" mic (3.5" jack) so I don't really need to pay for the USB function. But in that case I'd prefer a model that will take a battery instead of an external power supply.
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I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#20
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Wow, I just looked at the iSK Pearl specs, amazing low noise specs for such an inexpensive mic. I just bought a pair of sE7 matched mics, which I paid just under $200 for and the specs on noise are about the same. I don't know if the sound quality on the sE might be better over all, considering how much more I paid for them I hope so. But the price on those iSK mics is pocket change almost, don't see how how you can go too wrong at least trying them out.
As for other recommendations, I also got an MXL 770 and an AKG p420 large diaphragm mics. The quality difference between those two isn't very different to my ears, other's might hear more of a difference I'm sure. I think the MXL is a fantastic deal. I got the AKG because it has the different modes, figure-8 and omni, along with the regular cardiod. But side by side, I can't hear much difference in quality of sound between the MXL or AKG. I'm thinking it would take more $ to get significantly better sound quality. The AKG p220, cardiod only version, is about 2x the price of the MXL, so I'd get the MXL if the sound quality of the p220 is same as p420. That's my $0.2 worth if anyone is considering a large diaphragm mic. As for the sE7 mics, I've only tested them once, but initial impressions are very good. They seemed like they might be about as good as I could get in that price range (got them on sale, $20 off). I was considering the AKG P170 and Lewitt LCT 040 models (both of which seem highly regarded), but I couldn't find the P170 in a matched pair configuration, and the Lewitt 040 doesn't have any att/high pass features. I wanted to get something I can hopefully be satisfied with for awhile, don't think my wife will be too happy with much more of my GAS, so I settled on the sE7. Only thing I can say about them at this point is they don't come with a carry case, so I'll be looking for something to keep them in. Probably go down to the sporting goods store and pickup a cheap case for it, so no big deal there. |
#21
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I saw the MXL 770 too - apparently it's a favourite of rappers, for some reason (not sure what to think of that )
I also found the Eagletone CM60 (75€) which has a 1" aperture (apparently rare), a preamp with discrete (non-FET) elements and can be switched between cardioid and omni-directional: Quote:
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I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#22
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Also, you can readily upgrade the electronics in the MXL. The AT2020 for instance is one that isn't easy to upgrade the internals. Not that it isn't better maybe to just upgrade the whole mic if you want better sound, rather than spend money trying to make a cheap mic better. But apparently, a lot of people are into doing that, and I would wonder if the rappers are typical among them? That's just a guess, though, I have no knowledge whether they tend to play around with equipment like that, but I just suspect they might. Maybe it's because it would fit in with the whole scene of modifying cars with upgrades and tricked out parts. Maybe you can put a set of spinning hubcaps on an MXL?? |
#23
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You're probably right. Back in the day when I made the above mentioned "stealth" stereo mic (with the help of an electronics guy in my lab!) I had been looking at ordering a similar one made by a small company. That same electronics guy told me I'd be wasting my money, that we could make something essentially identical by just buying the components, because "everyone uses the same [button] mic elements anyway". You pay for having them matched, you pay for the nicely packaged electronics and for the housing, and the manufacturer takes a margin off all that. I already knew that argument from an uncle who worked for Philips in their German TV division: add a 10 cent component and that will increase the MSRP with at least 10 marks.
Indeed, I payed an incomparably lower price for the handful of components, in the end (the most expensive being the quality cables and the little plastic box, IIRC). So yeah, it's probably true that it'll be easy to replace an electronics circuit inside a nice packaging with a quality transducer element (the actual mic). Much of those electronics might even be superfluous (and thus get in the way) if you're connecting the mic to quality studio equiment(?)
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I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#24
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I was a bit shocked at how well it compared to many other mics. |
#25
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Apparently I had a psychocological need to spend some money , I ordered a T.Bone SC600 from Thomann which seems almost identical to the Eagletone I mentioned above (incl. the cardoid/omni switch) but has a much lower self/intrinsic noise level. Thanks to Thomann for putting up succinct and useful information helping me chose ... and being competitive in price with A**zon too!
I'm still debating whether I'll get just a USB-powered phantom voltage supply (Tonor, about 17€) or go wild and get an ART Tube MP (49€). Not that I think I'll ever be doing it, but the idea of having an omnidirectional-or-cardioc mic to combine with my existing "headspace" stereo mic kind of tickled the tinkerer in me
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I'm always not thinking many more things than I'm thinking. I therefore ain't more than I am. Pickle: Gretsch G9240 "Alligator" wood-body resonator wearing nylguts (China, 2018?) Toon: Eastman Cabaret JB (China, 2022) Stanley: The Loar LH-650 (China, 2017) |
#26
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#27
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The web is full of after-market upgrade kits and services for less expensive mics. The owner of the "Recording Hacks" website started producing his own line of mics that are based on the upgraded capsules and electronic components. I have one of his Roswell Mini K47 mics and think it's really quite good if you're looking for a LDC that's reasonably priced and doesn't have the hyped high end that's part of the majority of Chinese LDC offerings. |
#28
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For the price, I'd get a half dozen
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-Gordon 1978 Larrivee L-26 cutaway 1988 Larrivee L-28 cutaway 2006 Larrivee L03-R 2009 Larrivee LV03-R 2016 Irvin SJ cutaway 2020 Irvin SJ cutaway (build thread) K+K, Dazzo, Schatten/ToneDexter Notable Journey website Facebook page Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art. - Leonardo Da Vinci |
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Tags |
condenser, marantz, mic, microphones |
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