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Author Topic: What are your "holy grail" mics?  (Read 16591 times)

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Offline MakersMarc

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #15 on: August 04, 2018, 07:29:41 PM »
Ok I kind of want Microtech Gefells. They are sort of the Acura of mics not splashy but really neutral and just solid. I’ve never run Neumann’s either but have always been fond of KM 140 tapes.
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Offline DSatz

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #16 on: August 04, 2018, 07:50:58 PM »
Probably no surprise to anyone: I don't buy the concept of a "holy grail" microphone. The range and variety of recording situations that we encounter is so great that one type of microphone can't be the ideal choice for all of them. It's not so much a matter of "is the microphone great or not" but "does it have the characteristics that are most needed?"

I follow another recording forum where the people are into "vintage" AKG and Neumann microphones. One time a guy there was rhapsodizing about the original (tube) U 47, and asked the group--somewhat rhetorically, but in all seriousness--whether anyone could possibly not want that microphone if they could get one. I put my hand up, since its characteristics are truly worse than useless for the kinds of live, stereo recording that I mostly do. (The screechiest, fingernails-on-the-chalkboard-est, steel-violin-string-sounding-est orchestral recordings that I know of are the Mercury "Living Presence" LPs/CDs that were made with U 47s as the main microphones.)

It's not the microphone itself; it's the relationship between the microphone and the situation/application, plus the sonic concept of the engineer or producer.

If we always recorded the same kind of material in the same type of surroundings, the "holy grail" idea might have more of a practical basis. Like, if all you do is dialogue and effects for film, you might use just two or three different mikes (a lavalier, a shotgun and an MK 41). But even studio music recording goes by application categories (e.g. solo vocals; guitar or bass cabinets; drum overheads; room mikes)--and live remote recording is generally more "adaptive" than most studio work.

--best regards
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 01:10:35 AM by DSatz »
music > microphones > a recorder of some sort

Offline rippleish20

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #17 on: August 04, 2018, 07:58:47 PM »

I don't think there is the perfect microphone . There are a lot of variables when it comes to recording sound and different microphones will serve different needs. 
AKG C480B (ck61, ck63, ck8) /  Neumann KM100 (AK40, AK50) / AT853s  (cardiod, omni) / CA-14 (cardiod) / CA-11 (Omni) / Mixpre-10t / Mixpre-6 / Roland R-07 / Zoom F-3
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Offline obaaron

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #18 on: August 05, 2018, 10:28:33 AM »
Ok I kind of want Microtech Gefells. They are sort of the Acura of mics not splashy but really neutral and just solid. I’ve never run Neumann’s either but have always been fond of KM 140 tapes.


Cant go wrong with the Gefells love mine have been using them just about every show. The M21 hypers in.particular are unreal!
Mics:  Gefell M20,M21- sms2000/nbob | Schoeps MK4V;MK4- cmc1L/cmc6/nbob | AKG ck1,3,8,22;ck61,62,63,69- c460b/c480b/Naiant/nbob actives | Neumann KM140/150 | AT853, AT933 | CA-11 | DPA 4022 (on loan)
Pres: Naiant Littlebox | Tinybox | BMod Edirol UA-5 | Church ST-9200
Recorders:  Zoom F8 | Tascam DR-680 | Tascam DR-60D | Sony PCM-M10
Video: Canon VIXIA HF R42

**ISO** -   Schoeps mk22 matched pair | Neumann Ak43 pair

Offline kindms

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #19 on: August 05, 2018, 10:41:29 AM »
i think for most it means "out of my price range"

 ;D
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 08:00:46 AM by kindms »
AKG c426, AKG414 XLS/ST, AKG ck61, ck22, >nBob colettes >PFA > V3, SD MixPre >  TCM-Mod Tascam HDP2, Sony M10
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Offline noahbickart

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2018, 11:37:58 AM »
For me? Schoeps active cables and enough capsules to pick the right pair for the music and location.

Dsatz, if you ever want to sell some shoeps I’m sure the community here would be glad to keep them in use.
Recording:
Capsules: Schoeps mk41v (x2), mk22 (x2), mk3 (x2), mk21 & mk8
Cables: 2x nbob KCY, 1 pair nbob actives, GAKables 10' & 20' 6-channel snakes, Darktrain 2 & 4 channel KCY and mini xlr extensions:
Preamps:    Schoeps VMS 02iub, Naiant IPA, Sound Devices Mixpre6 I
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre6 I, Sony PCM m10

Home Playback: Mac Mini> Mytek Brooklyn+> McIntosh MC162> Eminent Tech LFT-16; Musical Fidelity xCan v2> Hifiman HE-4XX / Beyerdynamic DT880

Office Playback: iMac> Grace m903> AKG k701 / Hifiman HE-400

Offline Perry

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #21 on: August 06, 2018, 03:22:37 PM »
Neumann KM254's


not familiar with those but man I love the JGB shows with the km 54's!  have a really nice Cowboy Junkies as well done with those and the original grace 316 pre

https://archive.org/details/cj1994-04-14.km54.flac16
Sweet recording man, my favorite Junkies era too!
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Offline EmRR

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #22 on: August 06, 2018, 03:49:13 PM »
I mainly do studio recording work, but occasional location work and show taping when I'm not too burnt from the 'day job' aspect of my recording pursuits.

It's hard to say I wouldn't have original capsule KM54's or KM53's on the list if I could afford them and their liabilities. 

I need to hook up with johnw and check out his Schoeps, they're not a brand I've ever encountered around here. 

I'm currently enamored with the Sennheiser MKH mics I've added in the last year, and would really like to find a decent deal on an MKH 20 omni to (sorta) complete the quest.  I did add a Neumann KM 131 free field omni recently and am just starting to appreciate it's qualities. 
Mics: DPA 4060 w/MPS 6030 PSU/DAD6001/DAD4099, Neumann KM 131, Oktava MK 012, Sennheiser MKH 105, MKH 20, MKH 30, MKH 40, MKH 800 TWIN
Recorders: Zoom F8n, Sony MZ-R50

Offline tim in jersey

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #23 on: August 08, 2018, 03:44:43 AM »
I am a fisherman. I like to fish. We have baits we use to explore waters we've never explored before dialing in the proper bait.

AKG 498's. Yeah, shotguns. https://archive.org/details/rre2018-06-29.akgck98.flac24/rre2018-06-29s1t02.flac


 

Offline aaronji

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #24 on: August 10, 2018, 07:25:37 AM »
I love the high end and midrange of my AT4031s (yeah they're cheap, don't laugh), but I feel like they could use a bit of help in the low end.  Also, they're obviously not available in an "active" style setup.  My ideal mics would probably have the midrange and high end clarity of the AT4031s, a bit more oomph in the bass, and be in a small form factor like the Schoeps Colette caps (but without needing to rely on third party components to achieve that form factor).  Something like the form factor of the Line Audio CM3 would be perfect (no need for special adapter cables, just plug in a couple XLRs and run it).  Even smaller than that would be better, of course.

If something that fits this bill exists, I'd love to hear about it!

Maybe the DPA modulars with the compact bodies? Slightly smaller than the Line Audios, a range of great sounding caps, and you're good to go with regular XLRs...

Offline heathen

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #25 on: August 10, 2018, 08:21:57 AM »
I love the high end and midrange of my AT4031s (yeah they're cheap, don't laugh), but I feel like they could use a bit of help in the low end.  Also, they're obviously not available in an "active" style setup.  My ideal mics would probably have the midrange and high end clarity of the AT4031s, a bit more oomph in the bass, and be in a small form factor like the Schoeps Colette caps (but without needing to rely on third party components to achieve that form factor).  Something like the form factor of the Line Audio CM3 would be perfect (no need for special adapter cables, just plug in a couple XLRs and run it).  Even smaller than that would be better, of course.

If something that fits this bill exists, I'd love to hear about it!

Maybe the DPA modulars with the compact bodies? Slightly smaller than the Line Audios, a range of great sounding caps, and you're good to go with regular XLRs...

I'll have to listen to some DPA recordings.  Thanks for the heads up.  You're talking about the MMP-C bodies right?
Mics: AT4050ST | AT4031 | AT853 (C/SC) | Line Audio CM3 | Sennheiser e614 | Sennheiser MKE2 | DPA 4061 Pre: CA9200 Decks: Zoom F8 | Roland R-05

Offline jazzgtrl4

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #26 on: August 10, 2018, 03:57:58 PM »
Well that would be my sequential s/n Km84s in a Schoeps wooden box.  ;D ;D   Bought these from a guy who needed money for car repairs. 1k for the pair in great condition.

Offline rigpimp

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #27 on: August 10, 2018, 04:14:57 PM »
Well that would be my sequential s/n Km84s in a Schoeps wooden box.  ;D ;D   Bought these from a guy who needed money for car repairs. 1k for the pair in great condition.

$1000?!  Goodness, I just threw up in my mouth a little.  Right place, right time!
Mics: Schoeps MK 5 MP, Schoeps MK 8 MP, Schoeps MK 41 MP, KCY 250/5 > PFA
Pre/A>D/P48: Sonosax SX/M2, Sonosax SX/M2-LS, E.A.A. PSP-2, Baby Nbox, Neumann BS48i-2 (for sale)
Recorders: Sound Devices Mixpre-6ii, Sony PCM-A10
Playback: Jolida 1501 Hybrid > McIntosh MX 130 > Von Schweikert VR-4 JR, or Little Dot MK III > Sennheiser HD700
http://archive.org/bookmarks/kskreider
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Offline barrettphisher

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #28 on: August 10, 2018, 07:31:19 PM »
U89's all day
Mics: ADK A51 TL's C12s, at853's (card, hyper, sub, and omni caps), Michael Joly Premium Electronics Modded Oktava mk012s (Card, Hyper and Omni caps), Busman BSC1 Stereo Kit, and Oktava 319.
Pres: V3 opti/M-S Modded, BM2p+ UA5, church audio 9100, 3 wire BB
Recorders:  Busman Mod Tascam DR-680, ACM HD-P2, HD-P2, MT2 x2, D50, M10, JB3 x2, M1, D8

Offline DSatz

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Re: What are your "holy grail" mics?
« Reply #29 on: August 10, 2018, 09:22:36 PM »
rigpimp, please see the attached pages from Gotham Audio's 1976 price list. I hope this information will prove useful when planning your next trip in your friendly, neighborhood time machine.

Also attached is the primary page of the "Studer microphone" price list from the same year. (Schoeps used to have separate US distributors for their 12-Volt vs. 48-Volt microphones. Studer USA was their distributor for 48-Volt Schoeps microphones--labeled as "Studer" and called "SKM" instead of "CMC"--until Posthorn Recordings became the sole distributor for both voltages.)

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

 

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