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  #61  
Old 02-07-2013, 09:25 AM
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KevWind KevWind is offline
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Originally Posted by Scott Whigham View Post
I think I did a poor job in my post of explaining what was in my head. It's hard for me to put this into words, for some reason. Maybe this:

So my point really was more along the lines of making sure that $3700 is well below your crazy meter threshold for mic purchases, otherwise when the next "thing" comes along that you have to try, you are going to be able to buy the new new thing and still stay below your crazy threshold. If, though, $4000 was your crazy threshold, then you might be tempted later on to flip your mics and buy something else just because "gear lust" had you in its claws.

Dang. I don't think that's any better actually lol. Anyway, I've said enough in this thread so I'm going to hush now

[1] And it's entirely logical that your crazy meter is "reset" for the various application of mics - for example, you might have $5000 for "acoustic guitar mics" but $4000 for "vocal mics".
I have said enough also but I"ll close with this, it is the internet and communication is difficult.

I think we are predominately on the same page. Also I know that you are an advocate of "good used" but if you and anyone else might be looking to purchase any new mid to high end gear and if you deal mail order , I whole heartedly suggest this brick and mortar store which ship anywhere, Wind Over the Earth in Boulder, Colorado http://www.windovertheearth.com/Pgear.html they will most likely beat any deal. Seriously ( I have no connection other than being a very satisfied customer)
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  #62  
Old 02-07-2013, 10:19 AM
ombudsman ombudsman is offline
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Originally Posted by KevWind View Post
Scott , perhaps I was unclear in my post, I was not suggesting that someone might not, or would not eventually add to a mic collection because of a single purchase of a pair of Schoeps.

I was suggesting that once mic's of that caliber are obtained they are likely to held life long, there is less likely hood of being dissatisfied and going through a continuing process of selling and trying something else.
I think this is something that should be true a lot more often than it turns out to be true.

If you're talking about a person that has some experience using these things and can appreciate what these mics are good at, sure, it can work out that way. That's part of my logic in recommending that people work their way up by starting with a few good but not extravagant mics. Tastes vary (in totally legitimate ways) and it's better to figure them out before you make what you want to be the "lifetime" purchase, or else it may not be.

But for the person that has not yet developed the ear for the details or doesn't have much to compare to, they can end up moving through lots of gear because they don't know what's good, or maybe (like a lot of people) they are buying things because they enjoy shopping and imagining owning these things and how they think it makes them seem to other people. What they already have is close to irrelevant because the need is for the process and experience of fantasizing and acquiring, not the having.

(I hope it's understood that we're taking this into the hypothetical, for anyone reading this to consider, I'm not psychoanalyzing the OP.)

As far as Schoeps mics are concerned, the great thing about them is that they have an honest, maybe just slightly euphonic yet non-spikey sound with all of the pro attributes like modularity with a good variety of capsules, low noise, reliability, and consistency. Most beginners don't appreciate those things at first; if anything, beginners tend to think that brighter and louder is better and they will often pick the brighter mic in a side by side test, which is why most of the cheap condensers with built in fixed EQ circuits (which sell in much greater numbers) are so bright.

It would not surprise me at all for such a person to buy a pair of Schoeps, and then hang out with a friend and try their Oktava or MXL mic just for the hell of it, thinking they would impress with their new sweet gear, and end up preferring the other sound which they could have obtained for 1/20 the price. I don't hear it that way, but it's not like they are objectively wrong. The expensive, natural sounding mics are specialized tools that appeal to relatively few people for reasons above and beyond their price tags.
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  #63  
Old 02-07-2013, 11:35 AM
SpiritShooter SpiritShooter is offline
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Originally Posted by KevWind View Post
In my situation the good news and the bad news is , as Fran said above "It ain't the gear "
Ha, the money I save on a less expensive mic might be well spent on self improvement, god know I need it.
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  #64  
Old 02-12-2013, 09:20 PM
SpiritShooter SpiritShooter is offline
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Default Quite a day...

In my search and quest for a set of microphones, I asked a number of questions here. I received what I consider to be excellent recommendations and opinions.

As a result, I have visited a number of stores, listened to probably 6 or 8 pair of mics and I am starting to develop a discerning ear for what I can only describe as my opinion of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Which brings me to an interesting point.

I was reading another internet site recently where someone had asked for an opinion on XYZ microphones ( I would rather not mention the brand or model). A number of folks came out with recommendations against buying these mics due to them being too noisy and too bright and not neutral. Yet, another responder who owned several pair amongst others, gave a highly favorable review. Anyway, I had not heard these particular mics and as such didn't give it much thought.

Anyway, yesterday I was invited to one of the local university recording studios by a friend of a friend. The engineer was in the process of setting up for a string quartet. I noticed that he had selected the exact mics that the folks on the other board had proclaimed as noisy, bright and not neutral.

I politely asked the engineer about the mics he selected. He told me that they are amazingly neutral or flat, they had the ability to capture the delicate tones of the string instruments in a way that he loved. I asked about noise, he looked at me and chuckled. He asked me where I heard that. I felt kind of embarrassed but told him. He looked at me, chuckled and called me into the control room where he proceeded to play a recording of a solo female student violinist made the previous day with those exact mics. He had me listen to the soft, elegant and subtle tones, the openness and presence of the atmosphere and asked me what I thought.

I laughed and told him that he should gift them to me as they sounded horrific. He looked up and realized that I was joking. He them went on to tell me that there are many experts on the internet, many who are quite experienced and well versed trying to genuinely help folks. And then there are those that have never used a particular item, heard or read something that they think they heard, even though they never used the product but felt compelled to give an opinion. For no other reason than they could.

He suggested that I listen to every mic I could, and purchase the best sounding mics that I felt would do the job that I needed done. That mics are tools and as such I should pick the proper tool based upon my ears and not some internet opinion.

So in re-reading discussions here, I am pleased to see that so many of the experienced regulars offering help to those of us that are less experienced provide valuable insight based upon their experience. Basically echoing what this recording engineer told me.

So I just want to thank everyone here that takes the time to respond and offer help when I am sure they would rather be playing and recoding.

I am close to decision, and my choice is not what I initially expected. Imagine that!

Thanks
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  #65  
Old 02-14-2013, 06:24 AM
Repair Dude Repair Dude is offline
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Originally Posted by SpiritShooter View Post
In my search and quest for a set of microphones, I asked a number of questions here. I received what I consider to be excellent recommendations and opinions.

As a result, I have visited a number of stores, listened to probably 6 or 8 pair of mics and I am starting to develop a discerning ear for what I can only describe as my opinion of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Which brings me to an interesting point.

I was reading another internet site recently where someone had asked for an opinion on XYZ microphones ( I would rather not mention the brand or model). A number of folks came out with recommendations against buying these mics due to them being too noisy and too bright and not neutral. Yet, another responder who owned several pair amongst others, gave a highly favorable review. Anyway, I had not heard these particular mics and as such didn't give it much thought.

Anyway, yesterday I was invited to one of the local university recording studios by a friend of a friend. The engineer was in the process of setting up for a string quartet. I noticed that he had selected the exact mics that the folks on the other board had proclaimed as noisy, bright and not neutral.

I politely asked the engineer about the mics he selected. He told me that they are amazingly neutral or flat, they had the ability to capture the delicate tones of the string instruments in a way that he loved. I asked about noise, he looked at me and chuckled. He asked me where I heard that. I felt kind of embarrassed but told him. He looked at me, chuckled and called me into the control room where he proceeded to play a recording of a solo female student violinist made the previous day with those exact mics. He had me listen to the soft, elegant and subtle tones, the openness and presence of the atmosphere and asked me what I thought.

I laughed and told him that he should gift them to me as they sounded horrific. He looked up and realized that I was joking. He them went on to tell me that there are many experts on the internet, many who are quite experienced and well versed trying to genuinely help folks. And then there are those that have never used a particular item, heard or read something that they think they heard, even though they never used the product but felt compelled to give an opinion. For no other reason than they could.

He suggested that I listen to every mic I could, and purchase the best sounding mics that I felt would do the job that I needed done. That mics are tools and as such I should pick the proper tool based upon my ears and not some internet opinion.

So in re-reading discussions here, I am pleased to see that so many of the experienced regulars offering help to those of us that are less experienced provide valuable insight based upon their experience. Basically echoing what this recording engineer told me.

So I just want to thank everyone here that takes the time to respond and offer help when I am sure they would rather be playing and recoding.

I am close to decision, and my choice is not what I initially expected. Imagine that!

Thanks
I spent the whole day Listening , to Samples of the AKG C214's today .
I am about to get a used one in my collection .
The stereo set doesn't look bad
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  #66  
Old 02-14-2013, 11:45 AM
P_K P_K is offline
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Originally Posted by SpiritShooter View Post
I am close to decision, and my choice is not what I initially expected. Imagine that!
such a nice adventure! we are looking forward to know which ones you decided to buy!
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  #67  
Old 02-14-2013, 12:51 PM
SpiritShooter SpiritShooter is offline
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Originally Posted by P_K View Post
such a nice adventure! we are looking forward to know which ones you decided to buy!
I am wondering what happens if I like more than one and can't make a decision. Then what? Do I mortgage the ranch?
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  #68  
Old 02-14-2013, 03:22 PM
P_K P_K is offline
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Originally Posted by SpiritShooter View Post
I am wondering what happens if I like more than one and can't make a decision. Then what? Do I mortgage the ranch?
that's where the fun is! don't care, it happens to everyone... good luck!
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CA/Peavey GX HG (one of the very first done!), CA/pre-Peavey Cargo Raw
Blackbird Super OM
Wes Lambe 8-strings
Avalon dread
...and some old fender, basses, violins, harps...
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  #69  
Old 02-18-2013, 08:46 PM
SpiritShooter SpiritShooter is offline
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Default UPDATE as Promised.

I promised to give everyone an update, so here it is.

My home studio is progressing nicely. I have 8 GIK 244 (2'x4') base traps on order, I will install them once they get here. Hopefully this week as they were shipped by FedEx today.

I auditioned a half dozen microphones. I borrowed, ordered, visited or stole the Earthworks QTC40, Rode NT5, Shure KSM141, Schoeps CTC6 MK4 & MK41, and the AKG C451B.

In a nutshell, I wan't overly thrilled with the AKG C451, the Shure was nice, the NT5 to my ears - not so much. But, in the end, I decided on the Schoeps CTC6 MK4, they show every imperfection in my technique, tempo, fretting and lack of talent.

In all honesty, The Schoeps are very sweet sounding, but I also loved the Earthworks QTC40's. When I tested the QTC mics, I was taken with the detail, the lack of color, and the overall honesty. I heard absolutely no noise from the mics as some folks around the web claim. However, in the end, the lovely musical character of the Schoeps, and the Earthworks being too wide for my environment won me over.

I purchased the Apogee Symphony I/O 2x6, an A Designs Pacifica Pre and a pair of Focal CTS 50 Monitors and ISO Stands.

I have been trying to decide on what software to use. I downloaded Adobe Audition (30 day trial), Reaper, and Logic Pro. I wanted to try Protools as it seems to be a nice program but I didn't want to buy a $50 dongle for a "free 30 day trial". Audition seems a bit convoluted (my uneducated first opinion), Reaper seems ok, but by default, I will be using Logic Pro. I started watching training videos and its seems like it is full featured.

I already had a pair of really nice closed Ultrasone headphones so that was a slam dunk.

Anyway, the journey begins....
Thanks all

Mike
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Last edited by SpiritShooter; 02-26-2013 at 09:50 PM.
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  #70  
Old 02-19-2013, 11:36 AM
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Will look forward to hearing some tracks some time.

I don't think there's anything particularly difficult in recording an acoustic guitar. Just try lots of experiments with different mic positions and listen carefully to the results. With a nice instrument, and mics like the Schoeps, you've got a great opportunity to record some high quality music
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