Topic: Most "transparent" omni mic (for binaural): DPA406x? others?

[poorlyconditioned]

OK, I've decided to do some serious binaural recording.  Put in earplugs and get up real close.  Not a "stack" tape, but something that mixes stage and PA sound.

I've tried the Sennheiser MKE2, and actually, I found my original WM61a's seemed more "transparent".
That is, I could close my eyes (and maybe take my drug of choice  ) and believe I was in the room.
The MKE2 were undistorted and balanced, but sounded like I was listening through a piece of plastic or something.  Well, that might be right, because they have an extra diaphragm to keep the sweat out.

OK, what is going to sound transparent?  Some people say the DPA406x sound "colored" whatever that means.  Any opinions?  Any heady binaural samples out there I can hear?

Thanks in advance,
  Richard

[stirinthesauce]

Well, they are a little big for being head worn, but the Avenso sto-2 is a dead flat, very transparent, unhyped omni. 
Not too expensive either, at around 499-599 for a matched pair.

Earthworks QTC-1 are also a "tell it like it is" omni mic, more expensive though.

[shaggy]

I certainly would not define 406Xs as being 'colored'.  I think the problem with the 406X is the bass response being a little thick, only b/c most stack and near stage lip recordings have alot of LF info in them.

This is my best binaural recording and someone (thank gawd) is still seeding it:

Racheal Yamagata 6-28-2004 http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=5704

It is pretty frickin' amazing.  Very, very representative of the ideal 406X sound.  I was quite close and apparently is the sweetest spot in the room.  Probably one of the best early Yamagata recordings out there.

Yes, the WM61 capsule is pretty impressive.  I am still liking the CSB stuff I did years ago; I am still this sweet recording right now (I have super fast UL speeds, should take less than an hour to get it):

John Cale 4-27-2001 http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=139552

[poorlyconditioned]

I certainly would not define 406Xs as being 'colored'.  I think the problem with the 406X is the bass response being a little thick, only b/c most stack and near stage lip recordings have alot of LF info in them.

This is my best binaural recording and someone (thank gawd) is still seeding it:

Racheal Yamagata 6-28-2004 http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=5704

It is pretty frickin' amazing.  Very, very representative of the ideal 406X sound.  I was quite close and apparently is the sweetest spot in the room.  Probably one of the best early Yamagata recordings out there.
+
Yes, the WM61 capsule is pretty impressive.  I am still liking the CSB stuff I did years ago; I am still this sweet recording right now (I have super fast UL speeds, should take less than an hour to get it):

John Cale 4-27-2001 http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=139552

Thanks for the help.  So, would you say that 406X more or less "transparent" than the CSBs?
Also, I can't get any action on the 406X recording.  Is there any way you could take a snippet and Email it to me?  Even MP3 would be fine.  (My Email is : mannr@uwaterloo.ca)

+Thanks,
  Richard

[headroom]

The Audio technica 3032 its very good + rejects more backgroundsound.
Has more HF energy the naked 4061 is a bit rolling off there.

[John Willett]

You could also try the Sennheiser MKE Platinum...



The frequency response is different from the MKE 2 and the cable is *very* tough and only 1mm in diameter, so it's virtually invisible. 

[guysonic]

My company 'Sonic Studios' has been solely specializing in HRTF headworn/baffled omni mic systems for over 22 years.  Most agree DSM(tm) 'dimensional stereo-surround microphones' are the some of the most transparent 'color-free' mics for this purpose.

Ambient sounds recordings at www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm
Music session/live performance at: www.sonicstudios.com/mp3_2slp.htm

NOTE: There are several types of HRTF recording methods, and 'in-ear' Binaural is just one type, while DSM is another method, differences explained at www.sonicstudios.com/multitrk.htm

[divamum]

Does anybody have comp recordings of the DPA and SS mics running side-by-side? I am JUST about to take the plunge on this  and, while I think I need to go with the DPAs because of their diminutive size, I'd still love to hear the SS mics in direct comparison - I"ve been VERY impressed by the clips on his site, but for a n00b like me it's hard to judge that against completely different clips/acoustics etc!

PM if you don't want to post here.

[Javier Cinakowski]

Wow, those MKE platinum look freaking amazing.  The frequency responce looks perfect.  If they sound better than the MKE2 I would be blown away.  Sure the WM61's sound very transparent, but not as musical and warm as the MKE2...  I love the MKE2 sound...

[divamum]

Wow, those MKE platinum look freaking amazing.  The frequency responce looks perfect.  If they sound better than the MKE2 I would be blown away.  Sure the WM61's sound very transparent, but not as musical and warm as the MKE2...  I love the MKE2 sound...

Agreed - would love to hear clips of those, too!

[wbrisette]

Wow, those MKE platinum look freaking amazing.  The frequency responce looks perfect. 

The MKE platinum as well as the MKE gold are used quite a bit for lav mics on actors. The same for the Countryman B6 (smaller than the MKE line or any other line for that matter), Sanken COS-11b and DPA 406x. All of these are top notch mics. The Sanken mic is favored by a lot of the sound mixers I know. Unfortunately it doesn't play well with some lines of wireless transmitters (but Sanken knows this and claims they will fix it in the future).

For binarual recordings, I wouldn't hesitate in using a pair of any of these, but the entry price will be a bit steep. The DPA & Sennheiser mics are around $320-330 each, the Sanken mic just under that at around $290 or so (although I have seen a few of these cheaper). So when all is said and done, you're in the $600-700 market. If you're doing this for your own pleasure then that's probably more than you want to pay.

There are cheaper options (core sound, Sound professional, sonic studios), which might work as well depending on the price/performance curve you're willing to accept.

Good luck with the search. Keep us posted. (oh, and on the QTC-1 recommendation, ignore it, that is unless you can provide power and don't have to try to hide the mics, and you can rig something up to hold full-size mics in the right position).

Wayne

[poorlyconditioned]

OK, thanks for the comments, here and via PM.

Keep 'em coming...

  Richard

[stirinthesauce]

Good luck with the search. Keep us posted. (oh, and on the QTC-1 recommendation, ignore it, that is unless you can provide power and don't have to try to hide the mics, and you can rig something up to hold full-size mics in the right position).

Wayne

yeah, re-reading the topic, I now see the binaural reference.  My apologies for suggesting mics that are not compatible for that technique.

[Will_S]

How do you like your AT853 omnis in this application?

[poorlyconditioned]

How do you like your AT853 omnis in this application?

I have not tried the AT853O.  But I have tried card and subcard.  I like them quite a bit, but they are not quite there in terms of "transparency".  It is one thing to have great sound (like the MKE2), but quite another to have the impression "holy sh*t I'm in the room".  I'm going for the later...

After a while (and some intoxicating substances help open up a whole new clarity of listening for me   ) you get the "feeling" of the mics.  My feelings (so far) are as follows:
- WM61a.  Pretty transparent, but a bit "tinny" or maybe resonant, at upper mid frequencies
- MKE2. Very balanced in frequency, but a bit muffled.  Sounds like listening though a plastic bag or something
- AT853.  Moderately transparent, but seems a bit 'dark' on the high end, maybe a *slight* resonance on mids.  Hard to describe
- AT944.  TBD.  I'm wondering if this is different than the AT853
- CK91. Perfectly balanced, but not as clear/transparent as it could be
- AT822. Less balanced than the CK91, but seems more transparent

So it goes.  It seems every capsule has it's own "flavour" if you could call it that...

  Richard