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Author Topic: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?  (Read 4454 times)

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Offline vibralux

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AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« on: May 18, 2009, 06:58:56 AM »
Hi guys

I will be recording some fx, noises,music and dialogue with my new MArantz PMD 661 (supermod)– I already decided on Church mic's for stealth but I need one more mic „for everything”. Now I know there is no such a thing as I am a experienced studio engineer, but I know there is always a good mic for „many things” like my trusty KSM 44. So I am looking for a most flexible, preferably handheld mic. On Oade Brothers site they mention the AKG C535 EB as a good bet – is that what I need? Or do You guys have any other secret weapon in this range? I dont want to spend more than 300$

Would appreciate any help on this one
Cheers
Marty

Offline SmokinJoe

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Re: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2009, 07:26:39 AM »
They might be good... I've never heard of anyone using them.

I think maybe you are asking the wrong audience.  Most of us on this forum are into concert taping from a relative distance (even stage lip is a distance compared to a handheld vocal mic), although there are some studio and production engineers here who might be familiar.
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Offline DSatz

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Re: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2009, 08:06:44 AM »
I've used the C 535 EB several times as a handheld microphone for vocalists, and think that it's quite good for the price. Clear, sweet, trouble-free, and the switches let you set the output level and bass contour that you want. The next step up for hand-held miking would be the Neumann KMS 105, but that's about twice the price limit that you mentioned.

On a practical level I'm not sure that one microphone should be expected to excel at both hand-held use and more distant miking. If you know in advance that you'll always need a popscreen, you can design the capsule and its popscreen together for optimal results, but then that alters the directional pattern somewhat. For a condenser microphone, if you know in advance that it will always be used within a few feet or inches of the sound source, you can increase its membrane tension and reduce the problems with proximity effect and popping on consonants, etc.--but then that reduces the low-frequency response for general-purpose recording. And so on--the compromises that you can make for close-miking of vocals are very useful for that single purpose, but they mostly detract from other uses of the mike, especially if you're inclined toward two-microphone stereo "purism."

--Just one odd thing I should mention is that I bought my C 535s on eBay from two sellers who both claimed that the microphones were in "used but excellent" condition; in fact both mikes needed to have their capsules replaced. That wasn't horribly expensive, but it caused a delay before I could use the mikes. I don't know whether that says anything about the capsules being fragile or not.

--best regards
music > microphones > a recorder of some sort

Offline vibralux

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Re: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2009, 08:29:48 AM »
Hi

Thanks for the suggestion – I also have already few handelds  – like the standard Shure SM 57 and 58 and a Beta 87A - I was thinking about the difference between the last one and the AKG – are those similar? Sorry for asking those kind of question – I know I should justr try them both, but unfortunately I live in Poland and I dont have and opportunity to try both – tommorow I will finally put my hands on the PMD 661 which finally arrived and I will try it with the Shure Beta 87a but Doug Oade told me already that  it would probably work not as good as a AKG C535 EB. You experiences with those two mic?

Marty





Offline raymonda

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Re: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2009, 10:57:05 PM »
I use the 535's, 87A's and KM105 regularly and as a vocal mic the 105 is the better one. It also works well on fiddles.

The 535's works on a number of things well and is the best all around mic. The 87A is better than most dynamics for vocals but not as an all round mic. So, the best value would be the 535's. Recently I bought 2 more off e-bay for $225.00 for the pair and they both were in great condition. However, that was a steal and they usually go for 175 to 225 used.


Offline vibralux

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Re: AKG c535 EB - best all around mic?
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2009, 06:08:11 AM »
Thanks for the tip - I already ordered the AKG so I am glad to read what You just wrote ;-)

Greetings
M

 

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