Author Topic: So, are Naiant mics any good? [Naiant X-X SAMPLES HERE] (Read 16349 times)

acidjack · « **on:** September 05, 2012, 09:16:27 AM »

Let me spare you the suspense, my answer is a resounding yes. I grabbed some $109 Naiant X-X's ~~MSH-10s~~ for an install at a festival I'm currently traveling to (looking forward to seeing you NC guys!). I tested the mics out last night in NYC to be sure they "worked". Ran them onstage in a NOLA split omni kwonbar about 1ft back from stage lip. See pic.

First sample: http://soundcloud.com/jonaslblank/deathblues2012-09-04glasslands

I fully grant that these were fairly optimum conditions, and many mics will perform well. But that said, I think these sound REALLY nice, especially for the price. The next few samples I post will have more other instruments in them to give a better sense of accuracy, but this is the first set I mixed down.

Opinions? BTW at $109, that makes these virtually THE least expensive mic offered for what we do... Just saying.

All of these are raw exports - no amplification, no EQ, nothing.

acidjack · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2012, 09:43:04 AM »

second sample: http://soundcloud.com/jonaslblank/loom2012-09-04glasslands-msh10

Oh, the gear chain was just: Naiant X-X>R-44 [OCM]

bryonsos · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:10:33 AM »

Wow, those samples sound great. Smooth across the entire range. Minor but pleasant hype on the highs. Great "attack" on the lows, especially the tom hits, with a nice rumble that follows. I won't be hanging up the Avensons as my go to omni, but I can't say they're ~3x (price difference) better than the Naiants based on this optimal sample. If I was in the market for a dedicated omni, I'd definitely consider these.

Massive Dynamic · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:54:14 AM »

When you posted your iso several days ago, I was tempted to send you my set of Naiant mics. My only complaint with my set (rated @122db) is that they overloaded when recording too close to the stage. The high SPLs you were expecting is why I didn't contact you about borrowing mine. Glad they worked out for you, and yes, they do sound very nice for the price.

chinariderstl · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2012, 12:26:56 PM »

Jesus, those sound good!

Thanks for sharing.

Chuck · « **Reply #5 on:** September 05, 2012, 09:45:56 PM »

When Jon says $22 for the MSH-1O's... I think he means $22/pair shipped!

I know I didn't pay much more than that for my pair.

They are really good sounding mics.

Chuck · « **Reply #6 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:17:33 PM »

Maybe it was the MSH-1A's that were twenty something $ per pair?
I know I had a pair that were very, very inexpensive. I wondered how you made any money selling them at the time.

twatts (pants are so over-rated...) · « **Reply #7 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:39:51 PM »

Jon,

I bought a pair of these from you years ago, but can't remember which ones they were... I don't think they are labelled either... Is there a way to tell which ones are which??? If I post a picture, could you identify it???

Thanks,

Terry

hoppedup · « **Reply #8 on:** September 05, 2012, 10:53:38 PM »

Quote from: Jon Stoppable on September 05, 2012, 10:47:33 PM

Yes.

I don't like labels

'Was it Kierkegaard or Dick Van Patten who said, "If you label me, you negate me."?'

Smokey · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2012, 06:24:42 AM »

I very recently ordered a pair of Naiant X-S to use while my other mics were in the shop- still waiting for them to arrive! With the U-T cable I can connect directly to the 6-pin mini XLR input on my Tinybox running 16v phantom. I'm also getting a U-P cable which will allow them to be used with plug-in power or a battery box. Jon advised I should power them with at least 5v so I'll be pushing the limits if I run them directly into the M10.

Since the Nevatons will be returned in time for my next outing, I'll be able to pair the X-S with my extra recorder and see what they can handle running PIP, without the risk of losing a show. I'll also be testing them with my Canon Vixia HF M50- hopefully the 3.5mm mic input is powered on that model. If not I'll probably be in the market for a small 9v battery box. Looking forward to trying these out!

acidjack · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:10:58 AM »

Quote from: Jon Stoppable on September 05, 2012, 12:26:26 PM

I don't think you have MSH-1Os, or if you do you paid too much for them! 1Os were $22 and discontinued in 2007.

I think you have X-Xs; those are $109 for the pair, so more like 1/5 the price of STO-2s. These are lapel mics though; I have a sort-of-comparable 6mm omni to the STO-2 in a stand-mounted mic with the U series, but not for much longer! I am simplifying the mic series to fewer products soon (see my Retail thread).

These days I push the X-O, which is a much lower noise 10mm omni with a mellower high end. Although I ran out of capsules for the moment The X-X is great if you're looking for a phantom-powered binaural setup though.

Jon, you are of course correct. Mine are the X-X. Post corrected. They are great!

acidjack · « **Reply #11 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:12:27 AM »

Couple more things to add:

The X-X basically are an XLR connector, a short cable, and then what appears to be a Neutrix RCA cable housing that holds the actual microphone. Pretty little thing and Jon includes windscreens.

The bands in these samples were recorded onstage, and Death Blues is, as you can guess from the name, very loud.

taperj · « **Reply #12 on:** September 06, 2012, 11:23:57 PM »

My first pair of mics was a pair of Naiant X-Q, always thought they sounded great, I still pull them out occasionally to run next to my Neumanns.

Here's a sample tape using a single X-Q (I'd start listening on song two, the sound guy took a minute to settle in and hit the mix):

http://archive.org/details/crnml2008-07-20.flac16

ArchivalAudio · « **Reply #13 on:** September 07, 2012, 03:03:20 AM »

I've got some of these:
2007:

MSH-2: first 10mm version, with first all-metal case.

have not used them in a while...
I'll need to get them running again!

--Ian

rjp · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2012, 10:35:01 PM »

Well, in answer to the question in this thread, I'd unequivocally say "YES!"

I haven't had a chance to record any music yet, but tonight I decided to try a rather difficult audio capture, namely, a train passing at about 70 MPH:

http://archive.org/details/metra-rock-island-20120921

I ran the X-X's into the Littlebox, input transformers engaged and pots turned to the minimum, and the LS-10 level control set to about 1.5/10. The mics were clipped to my baseball cap.

An earlier capture attempt (two trains stopping at the station) failed; the horns were loud enough to brickwall at higher gain settings.

LikeASong · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2012, 02:42:22 PM »

So, if you don't mind me bumping... It's been made really clear that Naiant mics ARE indeed very good specially for the price, but... Are they available for purchase (new or used) at all?

chinariderstl · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2012, 02:54:44 PM »

Should be able to get them online here.

http://www.naiant.com/naiant/microphones.html

I am assuming you can also email Jon (Stoppable) with questions, etc.

LikeASong · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2012, 03:51:39 PM »

hmmm didn't know the website, thanks

rjp · « **Reply #18 on:** November 14, 2012, 11:16:46 PM »

As a followup, I finally got a chance to run these at a classical choral concert with orchestra, and while I don't normally post concert recordings {1}, I'll say that I'm extremely happy with how the X-X set sounds.

They're a bit on the hot side - with the Littlebox's input transformers engaged, I can turn the preamp pots way down, and even then I have to turn down the level control on the LS-10. If I were recording a loud show, I'd definitely need to turn off the trafos.

The X-X > Littlebox > LS-10 line-in setup is definitely quieter than running my SP-TFB-2's directly into the LS-10. How much of that is the mics and how much is the preamp is hard to judge, but the X-X/Littlebox combo is a winner. While it isn't as

as SP-TFB-2 > LS-10, the better sound is worth the effort.

{1} A personal decision based on my sense of fairness to the artists, but that's off-topic.

JimmieC · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2012, 03:38:59 PM »

Getting interested in these Naiant X-X.

carpa · « **Reply #20 on:** December 13, 2012, 04:33:03 PM »

@jon stoppable

I'm a very satisfied owner of a littlebox+ XX microphones. I'd like to pose a question to Jon about the mics, which I've always used connecting them to littlebox. Giving a glance to Naiant website I came across the XX spec page and I've seen that these mics may come also terminated in a stereo minijack, thus being used directly plugging into a recorder's mic in ( plug in power needed,of course).
This seems a bit strange to me, as I thought phantom power was something totally different from plug-in- power.

I'd like to know if I could also run my XX's ( which are XLR terminated) this way directly into a recorder using an adapter cable ( two female xlr - minijack), or the XX you make with 3,5mm stereo jack are designed differently.

If this could be done, I wonder if it could prove useful running two line-matching transformers from shure ( which i own); I was explained they are made in order to unbalance signals.
thanks a lot
c

Gil · « **Reply #21 on:** February 05, 2013, 12:29:31 PM »

Has anyone had success running the x-x into a DR-2d with plugin power?

F.O.Bean · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2013, 12:47:39 PM »

Quote from: taperj on September 06, 2012, 11:23:57 PM

My first pair of mics was a pair of Naiant X-Q, always thought they sounded great, I still pull them out occasionally to run next to my Neumanns.

Here's a sample tape using a single X-Q (I'd start listening on song two, the sound guy took a minute to settle in and hit the mix):

http://archive.org/details/crnml2008-07-20.flac16

This sounds KILLER!!!!