Topic: Core Sound or Schoeps?

[pdastoor]

Which one hands down offers a better quality recording? Is 4060/4061 and 4020/4021 pretty much the best one out there? I am talking in terms of quality as they cost seems quite high but they say you get your money's worth. Any opinions? I'm quite happy with my CA but really wondering if $1000 upgrade is really worth it? Which is the best Core Sound mic?

[yousef]

I think you mean "DPA or Schoeps" there.

[yousef]

The answer being "DPA", of course.

 

[yates7592]

The answer being "DPA", of course.

 

[aaronji]

In my opinion, neither "hands down offers a better quality recording" (although the 4006/4011/4015, or the compacts, are the ones to compare; the 4060/1 aren't in the same league as those or the Schoeps).  Both companies make outstanding mics and it really comes down to which subtle flavor you prefer.  I would be happy with either!


 

[0vu]

Slightly confused here.

Why does Schoeps come into the title of the thread? All the mics referred to in the OP are DPA models.

[stevetoney]

Both DPA and Schoeps are high quality recording instruments and, if your only criteria is the sound, then you want to listen yourself and decide which sound signature you prefer, because they're a little different.  But you will can make very good recordings will both (and of course it's also possible to make lousy recordings with both).

If factors beyond sound enter into your evaluation criteria, the Schoeps line of products, while expensive, is pretty much unmatched in terms of the breadth of the product line. 

[DSatz]

I'm not very familiar with DPA's line, so I went to their Web site to look up the microphones you mentioned. I couldn't find any information on a model 4020 or 4021; are those discontinued models, perhaps?

At any rate the 4060 and 4061 appear to be subminiature omni microphones designed for close-miking and for use with pocket transmitters ("wireless mike" systems). They're not studio microphones in the usual sense; they're rather special-purpose items. Are you sure these are really the models you're interested in? Capsules that small have noise levels higher than you might expect. (Sensitivity is proportional to capacitance, which in turn is proportional to active surface area.) The noise values given by DPA as "typical" for these models are 23 and 26 dB A-weighted (and presumably rms); they also say that the actual values for any given microphone may be about 2 dB worse than these "typical" values. By comparison, the Schoeps CMC 62 S has an A-weighted noise specification of 12 dB, i.e. some 11 to 14 dB quieter, not even counting the 2 dB that DPA allow for individual sample variations.

And with the Schoeps mike, you've got the option of using almost two dozen other types of capsules on the same body, whereas this series of DPA's microphones isn't modular--if you want a pair of cardioids or some other pattern, you set aside what you have and buy a whole new microphone.

So I frankly think that the only strong reason to prefer the DPA in this particular comparison would be if you absolutely needed your microphones to be that small, and could ignore the much higher noise levels that come with that choice.

But if you need your microphones to be that small, why would you be considering Schoeps as an alternative? Frankly, I'm puzzled.

--best regards

[blg]

I thought about this question a few times before i upgraded. Say that ca14s cost $200 and mk41s cost $2000. Are you asking if mk41s will yield 10 times better recordings?  The answer is no. Are you asking if all things being equal, will the schoeps yield better results?  The answer is definitely yes, at least in my experience. 

Whether of not it's worth it for you to move up to schoeps, dpa 402x, neumann, etc, is totally up to you.  I don't think there is some kind of magic answer that is the same for everyone.

[Gutbucket]

The DPA 4060 miniature omni runs about $400, so that's a significant factor compared to the cost of the Schoeps and non-miniature DPA lines.  It is commonly used for close-mic'ing acoustic instruments and DPA even offers a system with multiple summing boxes arranged in a chain designed specifically for individually mic'ing an entire section of an orchestra for those inclined to do that sort of thing.  I have no interest in anything like that, but I do use two to four them for classical recording and their self-noise level is low enough to be effectively below that of any hall I've been in.  I've not found the same true for the 4061, but besides having a few dB higher self-noise, the 4061 is also significantly less sensitive than the 4060.  The 4061 is fine for amplified music however. Both of those are small enough and light enough to do a 2meter A-B spacing using a single stand.

The current non-miniature DPA line is modular and moving towards similarity with Schoeps in the ability to swap capsules, it's only a few years old and doesn't have anything close to the wide variety of the Schopes line.  The hardwired, compact 4020/4021 was discontinued.

[ero3030]

down load as many sources as u can.  lissen to as many recordings as possible.  and be honest with your self on what u like to hear first,  then what u can afford.  most of the time its worth the wait to buy what u really want like instead of settling for something just to buy something.  everybody has done it.  but on this board is see people jump in head first, spending a couple k no prob and not have a clue how things work,  or out grow what they thought was a good deal or close to what they really wanted.  most of the time if u do buy a higher end microphone  the resale vaue will be on your side if u want to upgrade or or get sick of using them.  deff lessen to as much as u can.  one source will pop from another for u.  try not to let the "brand" name sway u.  your taste is your taste.  if u buy the same thing as everyone else,  dont bother.  just wait till they record a show and u can down load it.    i always siad to myself, " if im going toa show to record and i personally dont think im walking out the door at the end of the nite with the best recording outta everybody that was there,  then i need to stop, change gear or just keep lessening to other peoples recordings.  no reason to spend time and money to record then lissen to a diff source than yours.   thats my way of thinking.  reason for my 1999 big upgrade.  and worth every penny,  and made total sence to do.   ed   

[mysticeyes]

I've owned CA14's and DPA 4061's and 4090's and, though the Church Audio mics did a good job, I preferred the sound of the DPA's. Let's not forget that the people who disdain mini omni mics such as these (i.e., gearslutz types ) tend to record classical music and, in that context, their higher self-noise may disqualify them. However, I usually tape in small clubs with noisy audiences, and my mics are always on or in front of the stage and only a few feet from guitar amps and drum kits. In that environment, the issue of self-noise becomes irrelevant, and the tiny size of the mics is a great advantage. Also, if you buy used gear, 4060/4061's can be much closer in price to the CA's than to the higher-end stuff like 4021's, 4006's, etc. I spent several months looking on ebay and ended up paying $500 for a complete SMK4061 kit with the mics, mounts, screens, XLR adapters, etc.

[acidjack]

This is just trolling, right?

[perks]

If you want to impress the crowd over at DIME I'd say get the Core Sounds mics.

[microburst]

Core sound HEB's...obviously for the win 

[tgakidis]

I like vanilla better then chocolate 

[ArchivalAudio]

If you want to impress the crowd over at DIME I'd say get the Core Sounds mics.

+T

[adrianf74]

FWIW, I had a discussion with the OP about this as I know him.  I think he's been pretty sorted out on the subject.