Large diaphram condeser mics

[John Deans]

I considering purchasing some large diaphragm condenser mics, primarily for
PA use but will find some recording work, main use will be for grand piano
drum overhead especially when I just use overheads kick snare and hat mics.
My first choice would be AKG C414's but they are rather expensive so I am
looking at some of the cheaper mics around like rode NT1, SE 2200A At4033
ect
anyone have any experience of these or similar mics with ref to sound
quality and ruggedness
Thanks
John

[John Deans]

I forgot to add I already have some 451's with CK1 heads and s300b's with
ck91 heads
John
"John Deans" <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote in message
news:0QMWg.20374$pa....@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

[Phil Allison]

"John Deans"

** The Rode large diaphragm mics are well proven & good value.

The similar Behringer ( Chinese made C1 and C3 ) mics should not be
gnored - in spite of their astonishingly low prices.

....... Phil

[Phildo]

"John Deans" <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote in message
news:0QMWg.20374$pa....@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

Behringer B2 pro. Have been using a couple for about 3 years now. Great
mics.

Phildo

[hank alrich]

John Deans <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote:

Do keep in mind that LDC's rarely have linear off-axis response, and
that the cheaper ones are often much worse in this regard than better
ones. LDC's can work well in some SR situations, but sometimes they
don't work worth a damn.

--
ha

[Bob Howes]

"John Deans" <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote in message
news:0QMWg.20374$pa....@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

>I considering purchasing some large diaphragm condenser mics, primarily for
> PA use but will find some recording work, main use will be for grand piano
> drum overhead especially when I just use overheads kick snare and hat
> mics.
> My first choice would be AKG C414's but they are rather expensive so I am
> looking at some of the cheaper mics around like rode NT1, SE 2200A At4033

I've used both the NT1 and SE2200A quite a bit and both are decent,
workmanlike mics. Personally, I have a slight preference for the sound of
the SE2200 which seems to me to have a bit more warmth and clarity than the
Rode.

However, I have to say that my use of these mics has been mainly for
recording. Although they come out occasionally for live sound use, for the
list of things you want I much prefer small diaphram condensors. I find the
451s or Bluelines you mention in your second post a better choice for the
things you mention, especially for live work. If you want to consider some
inexpensive SDCs, SE electronics have their SE1/SE2/SE3 range which gives
the AKGs a run for their money at a lower price.

Bob

[psalter]

The AT line has a high end "crispiness" that you may or may not
like. Might not hear it in a P.A..
The Shure KSM series LDC's (27,32,44) are very smooth sounding
mics.
A mastering engineer once told me the $100.00 Behringer B1 was a
beautiful mic for the money. There may be a new generation of this one
by now.
No experience with the Rode line.

[Geoff]

LDCs for PA work ? That's a novell appoach !

RoODE NT1a is good value and sounds excellent for that pricerange. AT4033
always was a rather shrill thing.

Still can't see where you'd use them in a PA scenario though...

geoff

[TimPerry]

consider pairs of rode NT-5 (SDC) for these applications. they have a lot
going for them with size, weight, shape, sound quality, pattern, appearance,
ruggedness, and price.

[Ty Ford]

On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:07:46 -0400, Geoff wrote
(in article <w-qdnXU1ask-kbHY...@giganews.com>):

The 4033a is not the same as the 4033.
The NT2-a is not the same as the NT2.

Regards,

Ty Ford

-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com

[psalter]

<<Still can't see where you'd use them in a PA scenario though...>>
> geoff

I did not read until the end so I'm sorry if I'm repeating here; but
LDC's have been appearing on stages for years now. The Stones were
using 4033's on guitar amps, Little Feat were using KSM-32's on amps
and overheads. They've been hidden away in grand piano's and
Bluegrassers have been going back to a one or two mic approach using
LDC's in their floor monitors and or in ear monitors. They're
everywhere mon...

[Eeyore]

John Deans wrote:

I *once* put a Neumann U87 on snare as a test . It sounded truly fantastic but
I couldn't live with the worry !

Graham

[Aaron@Smith]

Id use the Behringer B1 as its not bad mic at all and in a live setting you
wont worry to much about it.
I've used a NT1 in a live setting to record a very loud band and the result
was amazing, especially the drums. the mic was behind the PA so the vocal
suffered but for just one mic in a room its not bad let me know if you want
me to send an MP3
I couldn't imagine that any other mic would do any better in this
environment. infact I would expect a U87 to come up worse as its a warmer
mic more of darker sound. Really you want one with different patterns to be
honest. again look at the behringer line if you are on a budget
Aaron

"John Deans" <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote in message
news:0QMWg.20374$pa....@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

[Ty Ford]

On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:08:08 -0400, Aaron@Smith wrote
(in article <BMmdnf13pcTRF7HY...@bt.com>):

> Id use the Behringer B1 as its not bad mic at all and in a live setting you
> wont worry to much about it.
> I've used a NT1 in a live setting to record a very loud band and the result
> was amazing, especially the drums. the mic was behind the PA so the vocal
> suffered but for just one mic in a room its not bad let me know if you want
> me to send an MP3
> I couldn't imagine that any other mic would do any better in this
> environment. infact I would expect a U87 to come up worse as its a warmer
> mic more of darker sound. Really you want one with different patterns to be
> honest. again look at the behringer line if you are on a budget
> Aaron

Funny what will pass for live but not the studio. I played a benefit six
months ago and they had a C1000 for acoustic guitar mic. In that context, it
did not suck.

Studio and Live really are two different universes.

[Geoff]

The ones I've seen 'live' have usually been in reasonably controlled
acoustic environments.

geoff.

[Tony]

"John Deans" <***john.deans1@****ntlworld.com***> wrote in message
news:0QMWg.20374$pa....@newsfe2-gui.ntli.net...

The Beyerdynamic Opus 53 (although not an LDC) is a fine contender,
'specially for piano, o/heads, percussion, snare bum..., pretty much
anything.

Cheap too :)

[hank alrich]

Geoff wrote:

Amen.

--
ha

[Stu]

Geoff wrote:

>John Deans wrote:
>
>
>>I considering purchasing some large diaphragm condenser mics,
>>primarily for PA use but will find some recording work, main use will
>>be for grand piano drum overhead especially when I just use overheads
>>kick snare and hat mics. My first choice would be AKG C414's but they
>>are rather expensive so I am looking at some of the cheaper mics
>>around like rode NT1, SE 2200A At4033 ect
>>anyone have any experience of these or similar mics with ref to sound
>>quality and ruggedness
>>
>>

I have a pair of Mann Audio M21s which have given great results on
everything I've tried them on, including overheads and piano.
http://www.mannelectronics.com/products/m21.html

Cheers,

Stu.

[Geoff]

Wire-wound resistors ? 'Hard-to-get' English vacuum tubes (ie 'valves') -
hell, if they are made somewhere you just go out and buy them ! Look
remarkably like Groove Tubes mics, and all the others .

Are these mics for real? Or are they a real esoteric hand-made in (somewhere
other than China) device.

Just curious - I really don't know.

geoff

[Kurt Albershardt]

Stu wrote:
>
> I have a pair of Mann Audio M21s which have given great results on
> everything I've tried them on, including overheads and piano.
> http://www.mannelectronics.com/products/m21.html

"Questions such as uniform frequency response between samples"
WTF?

[hank alrich]

Kurt Albershardt wrote:

I think they mean that mic-to-mic they are consistent, but at first read
it sounds like we need to start worrying about the frequency response of
the spaces between our samples of audio. <g>

Looks like a whole bunch of other Chinese U87 pseudo mimics.

--
ha

[Stu]

Geoff wrote:

Their marketing dept. is no different from anyone else's. I've had
them since the start of the year and their performance has been really
good. They seem pretty rugged, though I really baby my mics. Not sure
where they are made - I'll see if I can dig up the manual. A nice
natural sounding mic, regardless (I've never used groove tubes mics so I
don't know how they compare).

Cheers,

Stu.

[Tim Padrick]

"Tony" <135...@gronk.com> wrote in message
news:5tiXg.45787$rP1....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

I've been quite pleased with the AT4050s I've borrowed on several occasions
(usually for chorus work). Great with up-close solo vocalists too - sounded
much better than VX-10 and KMS105.

[Mark & Mary Ann Weiss]

>
>
> ** The Rode large diaphragm mics are well proven & good value.
>
> The similar Behringer ( Chinese made C1 and C3 ) mics should not be
> gnored - in spite of their astonishingly low prices.
>
>
>
>
> ....... Phil

I'll second that, about the B-1s. Excellent all-around mics for the money.

Take care,

Mark & Mary Ann Weiss

VIDEO PRODUCTION • FILM SCANNING • DVD MASTERING • AUDIO RESTORATION
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Business sites at:
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-

[Mark & Mary Ann Weiss]

> Do keep in mind that LDC's rarely have linear off-axis response, and
> that the cheaper ones are often much worse in this regard than better
> ones. LDC's can work well in some SR situations, but sometimes they
> don't work worth a damn.
>
> --
> ha

Actually, comparing the Behringer B-1 to a Neuman designed for a similar
application, the B-1 had a more uniform off-axis response than the Neuman
TLM-103.

I too have noticed that when I speak 'off the mic' the sound doesn't change
timbre the way it does with a few other mics.

--