Topic: 3 Zigma Chi (ADK Custom Shop) SD mics

[bryonsos]

OK, Bryon + a tax return = more mics. I've been loving my A51-TLs so much that I started looking closely at the 3 Zigma Chi kits from the ADK Custom Shop. I did some looking around, and it appears that nobody on TS has kicked these particular tires, and rather than buy something that others have used, I decided to see if these might be useful for our hobby. This set was purchased through Zen Pro Audio, and is a custom kit put together for me by Larry and his team at ADK. If you haven't read up on these before, here's the link:

http://hybridmic.adkmic.com/

The short version about them, is that you can combine any combination of SD and LD capsules with their bodies. I elected to start out with the SDs + transformerless bodies (HA-TL-II). Due to a miscommunication and the fact that Larry is super cool, I also have the transformer coupled bodies (HA-FX) and an extra set of free field omnis to try out vs the diffuse field ones. He's going to let me play with everything for a month before I have to decide what I'm going to keep.

First of all, the craftsmanship, quality and feel of these is outstanding. Larry put my kit together in what is normally the 4x10 box, so that I'll "have space for the lollipops" when I get them. He's probably right, the lollipops do look sweet, but baby steps for now. He also indicated that omni (soon) and figure 8 (much further off) LD caps are on the horizon. For now, just the SDs for me.

The wooden box is very high quality, each item came in its own individual bag with silica, and like most ADK mounts, the shock mounts are tanks, solidly built, probably overkill, but sexy. The mics are uber sexy too, a nice length that should make most stereo patterns easy to accomplish on a standard stereo bar without risers etc. They feel solid, and the extra locking ring on the bodies is a nice feature. Everything just screams excellence IMHO, great attention to detail as expected from ADK.

Pictures 1&2, the wooden and storage box + contents.
Picture 3, the HA-TL-II and HA-FX bodies.
Pictures 4&5, the capsules - diffuse field omni, free field omni, hyper and card caps (top to bottom).

These babies will be in the field tomorrow, check back for some comps if you're interested.

[Jimna]

Lets hear them.

[Hypnocracy]

Transformers and TLess...

Bryonsos is one silver tongued microphone huffer...to talk them into that arrangement

The gods have smiled on me...I'll be there for the maiden voyage...we should run a whole ADK tree and stage setup for teh Pour House Big Something Saturday....A-51 TL omni on stage and what else...

[OOK]

Lets hear them.

Yeah.. what he said!

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

I have a chubby the size of a TL just looking at these...  Wassup, Sweet Potato?!?

Run the Omnis into your R44...  Perfect tool to comp the Bodies/Caps... 

I'm jealous!

Terry

[bryonsos]

I forgot to mention, all 4 cap sets came with matching charts. I also should say that Warren (owner) at Zen Pro played a big part in getting this set put together for me. I'd do business with him again in a heartbeat!

[kirk97132]

I know that this will seem like salt in the wound but for 2800 you could have got this:
• 4 stainless steel transformerless mic amp bodies
• 6 stainless steel small diaphragm mic capsules (pairs of cardioid, hypercardioid and free field omni)
• 8 stainless steel large diaphragm mic capsules (pairs of C-LOL-12, C-LOL-251, C-LOL-47 and C-LOL-67)
• 4 shockmounts
• 2 brass transformerless mic amp bodies
• 2 brass small diaphragm mic capsules (pair of diffuse field omni).
• Two wood cases


http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/msg/2979570149.html

[sdelsolray]

I know that this will seem like salt in the wound but for 2800 you could have got this:
• 4 stainless steel transformerless mic amp bodies
• 6 stainless steel small diaphragm mic capsules (pairs of cardioid, hypercardioid and free field omni)
• 8 stainless steel large diaphragm mic capsules (pairs of C-LOL-12, C-LOL-251, C-LOL-47 and C-LOL-67)
• 4 shockmounts
• 2 brass transformerless mic amp bodies
• 2 brass small diaphragm mic capsules (pair of diffuse field omni).
• Two wood cases


http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/msg/2979570149.html

That's my set I'm selling here in Portland.  They're great mics but I don't require that much diversity and the Gefell and Schopes mics I have are the ones I usually end up using for my limited application of home studio recording of solo fingerstyle acoustic and classical guitar.

[bryonsos]

Kirk, that is sweet, but I'm liking the relationship I'm building with Larry and Warren. They're taking very good care of me. Somebody is going to get some sweet mics at an insane price!

[kirk97132]

Kirk, that is sweet, but I'm liking the relationship I'm building with Larry and Warren. They're taking very good care of me. Somebody is going to get some sweet mics at an insane price!

They are just out of reach for me believe me I tried to talk the guy into some knida deal.....AH no worries, I've had many dealings with Larry and he is a great guy.  He has ALWAYS taken good care of me and any of my insane questions.

[bryonsos]

Here's the first comp as promised. This is the HA-FX cards vs a highly regarded cardioid, I did everything I could to make this as even of a comp as possible. Both sources are mic (DIN, DFC, @~9ft up, ~25ft from stage) > R44. One source is ~6in higher, and ~2in forward of the other source. This is as close as I could get them with the clamps etc that we had there.

http://www.mediafire.com/?5e7q7vvle5925

The samples are of the same song, so they can be loaded into your DAW together for switching back and forth. The gain on the R44 was set as evenly as possible, with both sources peaking at ~-12db, and the files are 24/48, no normalization etc. These are the raw masters flac'd in Audacity. I think both sources sound pretty darn good. If I came home with either of these tapes, I'd be very happy. I got to bring both home    I have some impressions that I'll share, but now I'm interested to hear what you think.

Up next, the omnis.

[acidjack]

I'm a bigger fan of the second source (Source2).  To me it has a tighter, more direct sound.... better low end, more clarity through the highs and mids. Oddly the second one sounds much more directional as well... there is less of that idiot talking in the left channel.  I feel like Source 1 is just a lot flatter; if I had made that recording I'd probably tweak it with some EQ. That also tells me Source 1 may actually be the more expensive mic.

I almost feel like source 2 just seems to be closer to the source.  I know you said they aren't placed exactly the same, but I'm surprised how much closer Source 2 feels to me.

[fleish]

I'm a bigger fan of the second source (Source2).  To me it has a tighter, more direct sound.... better low end, more clarity through the highs and mids.

^This

[newplanet7]

I'm a bigger fan of the second source (Source2).  To me it has a tighter, more direct sound.... better low end, more clarity through the highs and mids.

^This

x3

[bryonsos]

I'm a bigger fan of the second source (Source2).  To me it has a tighter, more direct sound.... better low end, more clarity through the highs and mids. Oddly the second one sounds much more directional as well... there is less of that idiot talking in the left channel.  I feel like Source 1 is just a lot flatter; if I had made that recording I'd probably tweak it with some EQ. That also tells me Source 1 may actually be the more expensive mic.

I almost feel like source 2 just seems to be closer to the source.  I know you said they aren't placed exactly the same, but I'm surprised how much closer Source 2 feels to me.

acidjack got it right. At the Pour House we can't use stands, so we hang down off of the balcony and aim the boom pole at the sweet spot. The sound guy has his measurement mic mounted there and he painted a dot on the floor so it's pretty easy to find. Source 2 ended up more perfectly on the sweet spot than #2. I've wondered about this before having run identical mics from this spot, and gotten nuanced results. I'm thinking that since the cabinets are hanging, we're more or less aiming for them with this setup. In this case, I'm thinking #1 was closer to the optimal height, and since they were a few inches closer to the stacks it combined to make them sound closer. This actually helps me for knowing how low to hang mics in the future, so thanks for catching that. For the guy talking, #1 was a few inches closer to head height. I'm surprised by all this but not shocked. I'm thinking #1 suffered from proximity to the balcony and suboptimal height. When I go downstairs to listen at the sweet spot, I've noticed a difference when I'm a foot or two from the spot, I just never imagined it was that profound.

There's at least 3 others who dl'd, I'll give them a bit before "unveiling" the sources. I'm also trying to figure out how to make a file that alternates between sources in audacity for another song with less crowd noise.

Cheers!