Topic: Beyerdynamic MC930 v. Neumann 184

[pmonk66]

I currently run a V3 into a SD 702 (yeah, I know. I was eventually going to do a few shows with just the SD 702 but...)

So, I am in the market to replace my lost Neumann 184.

I budget a $1,000 and just seeking opinions on what I should get.

[stirinthesauce]

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,80148.15.html

[stevetoney]

If I was starting with a clean slate with $1k, I think I'd personally go for something that's gonna give me interchangeable capsules.  But thats because here in Pittsburgh, the variety of taping situations is pretty broad.  I tape in boomy rooms, pretty good sounding rooms, and outdoors...and I tape in all three situations quite a bit so having the variety is kinda important to me.  That would send me down the road of the 480/CK61 or 480/CK63 as a base setup.  I'd also be pretty happy with the MBHO 603 set thats currently listed on the YS.  If you could swing a little more, I'm absolutely partial to the Neumanns, but you're up around $1600 for a base setup there, so I guess that's too much.

One thing I can offer to you is that when I sold my Neumann 184's, I never was happy with my sound again until I got the 140's.  Don't know why I'm partial to the Neumann sound, but I am.  So, if you were really happy with the sound you were getting with the 184's, it might be a kinda boring thing to say, but you might best consider replacing with another set of 184's.

[ingsy]

my .02:

one of the following 3 choices:

T.H.E. Audio KR-2C cardiods - B Stock matched pair for just over 1K here: http://stores.ebay.com/THE-Audio-Factory-Store

Josephson C-42 MP
Some people say these are too bright, but I love the recordings I have heard.  900/pair @ mercenary audio

the mics I have for sale  Gefell m200
My asking price is $1300 but that includes shocks and cables.  Shoot me a PM if you are interested and maybe we can work something out.
http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,101381.0.html

[pmonk66]

If given the choice between new Beyerdynamic MC930 for $700 or used Neumann 184 for $920...

[stevetoney]

I'd go onto the archive tonight and select five to ten sound samples from each mic, while if possible trying to keep the preamps as close to the same as possible (like maybe only choose samples with the SD7xx or the R4 or one of the other popular preamps) then give yourself a day or two so that you have a chance to kinda forget which sound samples are associated with which mics so that it's a kinda blind test.  Then do a blind sound test and rate the sound samples on a scale of 1 to 10.  Buy whichever mics you rate higher.   If they rate the same, buy the Beyers because they're cheaper.

Asking others which of these two sets of mics to buy is kinda like asking for opinions about whether you should like chocolate ice cream or vanilla better.  I know I'm partial to the Neumanns, but that doesn't mean that the Beyers aren't great sounding mics.

[bhadella]

If given the choice between new Beyerdynamic MC930 for $700 or used Neumann 184 for $920...

Isn't life full of great choices?

Best Deal: At that price, the Beyers are a steal. 

I've never been thrilled by the 184s (on the other hand, 140's smoke  ). 
If I only needed card caps and didn't mind bodies, those MG are fantastic. $1300 an awesome value (especially as the $ continues to fall).

[JasonSobel]

yeah, you should buy ingsy's MG m200's.  $1300 is a crazy good price.  brand new, those mics would easily run more than $2000.  not to mention, the Gefells are so sweet.  and I mean super sweet.  and the V3 sounds fantastic behind them.  you just can't go wrong.  I would buy ingsy's m200's if I didn't already have a pair myself.

[pilgrims622]

Id go with the mc930s for the price pmonk. 

here are some of stirinthesauces recordings of TLG with these mics
http://www.archive.org/details/tlg2006-11-05..flac 
http://www.archive.org/details/tlg2007-03-02..flac  (hard venue to get great tape in)

Ive got another he did with them that sounds sweet, but it is not on archive

[ghellquist]

I've never been thrilled by the 184s (on the other hand, 140's smoke  ). 

Interesting. According to Neumann they sound exactly the same. The only sound difference, again according to them, is that newer 184 (something like made in the last 10 years or so) has slightly lower noise floor and slightly better resistance to radio frequency noise. I am not saying you are wrong, if you hear a difference there it is, only contemplating how difficult it can be.

Gunnar

[dactylus]

recent gefell convert here. I was impressed by the mv692's. multi-caps option is sweet!

"...I would buy ingsy's m200's if I didn't already have a pair myself..."


            


Ditto

[audBall]

If I had 1k to spend, and the gefells were selling for $1300, I'd go $300 in debt. 

But for the sake of actual discussion at hand, given the two prices above, I'd go for the Beyers.  Lack of capsule variety forces the taper to get creative with spacing/angles/etc...which certainly isn't a bad thing.  Happy hunting!

[pmonk66]

If I had 1k to spend, and the gefells were selling for $1300, I'd go $300 in debt. 

I've been thinking about it - maybe I will see how things look after April 15th but the price on the Beyers is hard to beat!

[bhadella]

I've never been thrilled by the 184s (on the other hand, 140's smoke  ). 

Interesting. According to Neumann they sound exactly the same. The only sound difference, again according to them, is that newer 184 (something like made in the last 10 years or so) has slightly lower noise floor and slightly better resistance to radio frequency noise. I am not saying you are wrong, if you hear a difference there it is, only contemplating how difficult it can be.

Gunnar

I agree that Neumann asserts that they are identical.  My ears (which are all I care about) dissagree.  I find the 184's to be gritty, grainy in the higher frequencies (cymbals/pick on strings of accoustic guitar are the most dramatic).   The deep lows tend to be sloppier too.  As always, YMMV.

[stevetoney]

I've never been thrilled by the 184s (on the other hand, 140's smoke  ). 

Interesting. According to Neumann they sound exactly the same. The only sound difference, again according to them, is that newer 184 (something like made in the last 10 years or so) has slightly lower noise floor and slightly better resistance to radio frequency noise. I am not saying you are wrong, if you hear a difference there it is, only contemplating how difficult it can be.

Gunnar

I agree that Neumann asserts that they are identical.  My ears (which are all I care about) dissagree.  I find the 184's to be gritty, grainy in the higher frequencies (cymbals/pick on strings of accoustic guitar are the most dramatic).   The deep lows tend to be sloppier too.  As always, YMMV.

...and the funny thing about this response is that I've always agreed that the 184s and 140's sound different, but I'm exactly opposite in that I like the sound of the 184s better even though I now own the 140's (I like the interchangeable capsule option).  To my ears, the highs and lows have better detail with the 184s...but that's me.  So as we've all agreed so many time before,  beauty truly is in the ear of the beholder.  For all the people that are recommending the Beyers, I personally _still_ like the 184s better.  For me the Beyers are nice and neutral across the entire frequrency range...which is a true strength, but for my ears that's just kinda boring.  I just like the personality of the Neumanns.  My point isn't to say that the Neumanns are better than Beyers, but the stress how much people need to come to their own conclusion of what they want in the sound of their microphones.

So, PMonk the bottom line is that it just doesn't matter what everyone else is telling you, you just need to trust your own ears, man.