Topic: Budget ~$1500. What Mics?

[F.O.Bean]

Second example I know I'll get hate mail about, but what the hell...is a Grace V3.  Rarely hear a source on LMA that has a V3 in the chain that I really like.  But so many people love that preamp and frankly, I love its form factor, feature sets, the company, etc.  I love everything about it but the sound.  I've convinced myself for some reason THREE separate times to buy a V3 even though I know I don't like the sound, only to turn around and sell it within a short time after I bought it. 

I couldnt agree more with you buddy I have even run a v3 a couple of different times as well. I first started using my 1st V3 in like summer of 2003, with my old 480s. I LOVED that combo, at least til I upgraded my playback system, and then once I did that, I was not really happy with the V3s overall sound. Hell, I even bought a MODDED Sony SBM1 ADC to run 480>V3>Analog Out>Sony SBM1, and found that I liked the v3s preamps, but didnt care for the v3s ADC AT ALL Running the Mod SBM1 def helped tho. And once I got my 722 in early 2006, I ran 480>V3>722 and sold the v3 pretty quick because it was a waste running the v3 just for its preamps. So I sold the V3 and bought a Sax and V2 and ran 480>V2/Sax>722 and eventually sold both preamps because I preferred the 722s preamps Back then, I was basically a guinea pig and was one of the first ones to run 480>V3, so there werent ANY samples on the LMA for that combo. I wish there was because I wouldve just sold the V3 alot sooner and probably just bought a used V2. I'm JUST like tonedeaf tho, I love EVERY aspect of the V3, well, except for it SOUND I take that back, I LIKE the V3s preamps for the most part, but never cared for its ADC

So in a nutshell, Im very glad that the LMA exists at all, especially since its a GREAT way to test the waters on which sound you prefer. Just the other day I got on the LMA to search for Schoeps>Aerco MP2 sound, since someone posted that Aerco MP2 for sale. Well, not knocking anyone, but I really didnt care for that particular Schoeps>Aerco MP2 sound at all, so I figured Id just stick with my Schoeps>LB[OT] sound, since thats what I prefer. Im VERY HAPPY that the LMA is around, because I mightve sold one of my LBs and bought that Aerco, and then been NOT HAPPY with the Aerco in the end. So IMO, the LMA saved me close to $600 just the other day

And since finding USED MG caps will be next to impossible, Id go the Schoeps route, but thats MY opinion because those are my FAV mics out there, so take that with a grain of salt Ive never been a Neumann fan, so I wouldnt got that route either. Id go with Schoeps or DPA, just like H20 suggested!

BTW, which mics do YOU prefer You've been at this long enough now So which mics do YOU prefer?

[ts]

Sennheiser MKH8040 (used)

I've never seen these come up used. What would they likely cost? Same with the Milabs. I have no feel on used pricing.

[bluelawn]

Sennheiser MKH8040 (used)

I've never seen these come up used. What would they likely cost? Same with the Milabs. I have no feel on used pricing.

I've never seen Milabs up for sale used either, but when I bought mine new a few years ago it was below the price mark you have set. I know they have gone up, but new milabs may not kill the budget as much as you think-
contact Dirk @ Big Purple Dog for a quote-

Dirk Cota
 Big Purple Dog Productions, LLC
 PO Box 8185
 Hermitage, TN  37076
(615) 417-9963
http://www.bigpurpledog.com
dirk@bigpurpledog.com

[ts]

Sennheiser MKH8040 (used)

I've never seen these come up used. What would they likely cost? Same with the Milabs. I have no feel on used pricing.

I've never seen Milabs up for sale used either, but when I bought mine new a few years ago it was below the price mark you have set. I know they have gone up, but new milabs may not kill the budget as much as you think-
contact Dirk @ Big Purple Dog for a quote-

Dirk Cota
 Big Purple Dog Productions, LLC
 PO Box 8185
 Hermitage, TN  37076
(615) 417-9963
http://www.bigpurpledog.com
dirk@bigpurpledog.com

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check prices and hopefully add to the list.

[ts]

Better bang for buck buying used.  Otherwise give him a list and tell him to spend about an hour a day over 4 or 5 days listening to samples on the archive and then let him tell you what he wants.  Make sure he doesn't decide based on one or two listening sessions only bc his taste might change  a little from one day to next.

QT. I listed some as new because they fell into his budget. I never see the CK930's used and the 2011C's are still to new to find in the used market. The 184's do pop up used for what, $1000? The 140's with actives are probably pushing the budget.

As far as the LMA for listening, my approach has always been to weed out situations that don't apply to me. I rarely go FOB so I try to pick OTS recordings with the mics I'm reviewing and then match them to a pre and bands I'm familiar with. Not always easy.

The 2011c's are very close to budget. The MMC pre is small enough to use the supplied clips with some of our mounting solutions, but it's the funky cap that has us on the fence. Yes, we do have other cap options but that puts us way over budget.

[stevetoney]

Listening to archive isn't absolute by any means, but I think it's less of a crap shoot than basing off of someone elses tastes or not listening at all to get a general idea if the sound is something you'd be satisfied with.

I'll go for that.

To be fair, he asked what would you choose.   

In that case, I'd choose to not buy mics and use the money to pay part of my club dues so I could keep golfing.  I love this hobby to death but it's more expensive than my last hobby, which I got out of because it was too expensive.   

[raymonda]

You might want to consider a pair of akg 414. You'll have nice sounding mics and 9 patterns to boot. On the used market you would be able to put a bit of scratch back in your pocket.

[ts]

You might want to consider a pair of akg 414. You'll have nice sounding mics and 9 patterns to boot. On the used market you would be able to put a bit of scratch back in your pocket.

Oops, forgot to ad. He's looking for small sized SD's. Preferably active types. I fixed the OP.

[F.O.Bean]

What about Busman BSC2s They are WELL BELOW the $1,500 price range, and sound awesome, at least IMO. I ran BSC2>LB[OT] almost ALL of 2012, and I was always happy with those recordings, even when compared to my Schoeps>Sax I was running at the time He can spend the extra $700 he'll have and buy a kickass preamp. I bet the BSC2 would sound KILLER with a used V2

[pohaku]

Sennheiser MKH8040 (used)

I've never seen these come up used. What would they likely cost? Same with the Milabs. I have no feel on used pricing.

True, and I understand that some of the early MKH8040s had issues which were fixed in later production, so you may need to take notice of the manufacture date and whether it has been serviced.  Alternatively, the predecessor mic, the MKH40 (and its hyper and omni versions) does come up used from time to time, and is a really great mic as well.  But either the MKH40 or MKH8040 would be pushing the budget, unless you got lucky.  They usually go for between $800 and 900 each used, although a single just went on ebay for $532 - a real bargain.  I opted to just go for the MKH40 and was fortunate enough to snag a used pair of e-bay.

[page]

In that case, I'd choose to not buy mics and use the money to pay part of my club dues so I could keep golfing.  I love this hobby to death but it's more expensive than my last hobby, which I got out of because it was too expensive.   

I only don't catch flack from my better half because she has a money sink as well.

Although I did catch a couple of strange looks from her this summer after I started schlepping all of this junk out and about...

I never see the CK930's used

the beyers are likely about $800 for a used pair, maybe less (I can't remember what I moved mine for, sorry), but you're right they don't come up often. Small supply, but also small demand.

What about Busman BSC2s They are WELL BELOW the $1,500 price range

how are they sonically different from the first line? I remember hearing a bunch of tapes of bsc1s and was never impressed with the sound regardless of what preamp was used.

They are great starter mics, and if this person is not sure whether they want to get back into taping, then maybe that's an option. I think mterry was trying to move his set a while ago. If the person is accustomed to sound from better mics and has done this before and has cash to burn, I'm not sure I'd suggest them though, at least not without a different sound than the first line.

[markrsmith]

What about Busman BSC2s They are WELL BELOW the $1,500 price range, and sound awesome, at least IMO. I ran BSC2>LB[OT] almost ALL of 2012, and I was always happy with those recordings, even when compared to my Schoeps>Sax I was running at the time He can spend the extra $700 he'll have and buy a kickass preamp. I bet the BSC2 would sound KILLER with a used V2

This!

[F.O.Bean]

What about Busman BSC2s They are WELL BELOW the $1,500 price range, and sound awesome, at least IMO. I ran BSC2>LB[OT] almost ALL of 2012, and I was always happy with those recordings, even when compared to my Schoeps>Sax I was running at the time He can spend the extra $700 he'll have and buy a kickass preamp. I bet the BSC2 would sound KILLER with a used V2

This!

GREAT minds think alike

[Nick's Picks]

my $.02

Have him put his money into his playback system.
listen to more LMA samples.  Try to look at the rooms being recorded.  Inside, outside, bars, clubs, hockey rinks..etc.

Then when it comes time to buy recording gear, start CHEAP and work up.
Starting with the best of the best..which are not designed for our use in the first place...is the start of an expensive ride.  buy everything used if possible.  Value retention is best.

That said, I've pulled the heat with the shittiest cheap mics.  And I've pulled junk with $5k soundfields.   I've also had good/bad results with everything in between in every location under the sun that a taper might find themselves in.

In terms of consistently pleasing results....
- my schoeps mk4/8 vst64 setup running Mid-Side was real nice nearly all the time.
- SP LSD2 seldom, if ever failed to produce great recordings from anywhere.
- AKG jwMOD 461s > Apogee MMP > MR1 was by far one of my best sounding rigs ever.
- I've owned 3 different sets of Neumann km140s.   I like their flavor.  And seeing how I came back to them that often...tells me something (why didn't I listen?)
- M-Audio Pulsar II mics have never ceased to amaze me in terms of smooth ass sounding mics for cheap money (running into expensive preamps, cheap preams, no preamps or straight into my various SBD's I've owned)
- I'm currently enjoying my Superlux s502 ORTF stereo mic.  Something on the "warm side" in a preamp would be very nice sounding w/them, I bet.   Hell, I've run them directly into a crappy old MicroTrak ...using it's on-board phantom (mics>deck) and had excellent results.   Go figure.

Also, I think how much whiskey you drink while recording makes a difference. 

[cashandkerouac]

Sennheiser MKH8040 (used)

I've never seen these come up used. What would they likely cost? Same with the Milabs. I have no feel on used pricing.

i haven't seen a pair of the MKH8040ST mics come up for sale used, but i would guess that $1,500-$1,600 is a good estimate if you can find them.  new they are about $2,199.