LANGEVIN CR-3A vs U87
Len Moskowitz
New York City <mmic...@utxsvs.cc.utexas.edu> wrote:
> I'm considering buying a LANGEVIN CR-3A mic. Has anyone here used
>one, and if so, any impressions?
I've heard that Langevin may have been bought out by Manley Labs. You
might call them for info.
--
Len Moskowitz
Core Sound
mosk...@panix.com
David Josephson, Josephson Engineering
>New York City <mmic...@utxsvs.cc.utexas.edu> wrote:
>> I'm considering buying a LANGEVIN CR-3A mic. Has anyone here used
>>one, and if so, any impressions?
>I've heard that Langevin may have been bought out by Manley Labs. You
>might call them for info.
The CR-3A mic is made in Shanghai, China. Originally it was imported by
someone else, then David Manley bought the deal and sold them under the
VTL name. Now VTL and its mostly consumer hifi business belongs to
David's son, Luke, and David is back as Manley Labs and took the CR-3A
project with him. David has also licensed the Langevin name and product
line from its last owners, Mark IV (owners of Electro-Voice, et al) and
has since relabeled the CR-3A as a Langevin product to distinguish it
from the Manley gold mics which are entirely made here in the US (with
capsules made by me.) Some of the other Manley mics have the Chinese
capsules but David's vacuum tube electronics.
The CR-3A is no U87 but in some cases that's good. It is cardioid
only; the capsule and electronics design are similar to an old U87
without the rear diaphragm being electrically active. My impression
is that is sounds about as good as, but a little different from, a
U87 in cardioid, which I never liked, so take that into consideration
when judging my impression. I always used U87s in figure-8.
For the price it is a good deal, the only other mic to consider in
that price range is the Microtech Gefell UM70 series which do
work in figure-8 and omni as well as cardioid.
--
David Josephson / Josephson Engineering / San Jose CA / da...@josephson.com
David Josephson, Josephson Engineering
>Is this confusing enough for you? The CR-3A has some really weird
>electronics inside... looking at them, I immediately assumed that they
>were a Manley design, but they are indeed designed offshore by someone
>quite as weird as Manley is. It's a very nice sounding microphone on
>vocals, though I wouldn't care to use it for wide area miking. If you
>like the sound of large diaphragm condensers, this is a good way to get
>that sort of effect with a relatively small investment.
Scott, I still don't see what's weird about them. They were designed
by Accurate Sound in Menlo Park, who first did this CR-3A importing
deal, and they are pretty close to a U87 electronics.
>I thought it was a well-kept secret that you made the capsules for
>the gold mikes? Is this now public information? Will you make me
>some too?
No, it isn't public information. It's strictly limited to readers
of this newsgroup. And no, I won't make you any. If you want to
pay what Manley paid to start up on another capsule replica
I'll be glad to consider it, however...
Scott Dorsey
>In <32c2q5$c...@panix2.panix.com> mosk...@panix.com (Len Moskowitz) writes:
>>New York City <mmic...@utxsvs.cc.utexas.edu> wrote:
>
>>> I'm considering buying a LANGEVIN CR-3A mic. Has anyone here used
>>>one, and if so, any impressions?
>
>>I've heard that Langevin may have been bought out by Manley Labs. You
>>might call them for info.
>
>The CR-3A mic is made in Shanghai, China. Originally it was imported by
>someone else, then David Manley bought the deal and sold them under the
>VTL name. Now VTL and its mostly consumer hifi business belongs to
>David's son, Luke, and David is back as Manley Labs and took the CR-3A
>project with him. David has also licensed the Langevin name and product
>line from its last owners, Mark IV (owners of Electro-Voice, et al) and
>has since relabeled the CR-3A as a Langevin product to distinguish it
>from the Manley gold mics which are entirely made here in the US (with
>capsules made by me.) Some of the other Manley mics have the Chinese
>capsules but David's vacuum tube electronics.
Is this confusing enough for you? The CR-3A has some really weird
electronics inside... looking at them, I immediately assumed that they
were a Manley design, but they are indeed designed offshore by someone
quite as weird as Manley is. It's a very nice sounding microphone on
vocals, though I wouldn't care to use it for wide area miking. If you
like the sound of large diaphragm condensers, this is a good way to get
that sort of effect with a relatively small investment.
I thought it was a well-kept secret that you made the capsules for
the gold mikes? Is this now public information? Will you make me
some too?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
Bill Vermillion
>only; the capsule and electronics design are similar to an old U87
>without the rear diaphragm being electrically active. My impression
>is that is sounds about as good as, but a little different from, a
>U87 in cardioid, which I never liked, so take that into consideration
>when judging my impression. I always used U87s in figure-8.
And I thought I was the only person who disliked the sound of
the U87's. :-) Now the U47 is a different story. The second
favorite mike I've ever used - right behind the AKG C-24.
--
Bill Vermillion - bi...@bilver.oau.org | bill.ve...@oau.org