Gear / Technical Help > Microphones & Setup

Schoeps mk22 & mk41 comparison

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checht:
In Dec. I recorded Branford Marsalis Quartet 2 nights at the Triple Door, a small supper club in Seattle.

I know the venue, so had the ideal seat for the 2 nights. Used caps in the hat technique, > active cables > IPA > a10.

Setlist had a couple repeats, making comparison easier, so I thought it'd be fun to learn what other folks think. I have a favorite, but it's quite subjective.

Here's a folder with Keith Jarret's Spiral Dance recorded with both capsules:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/muig7y02gz7tos3dar4ip/AJDxE6ZGv9ZwnSxH7hwB3LE?rlkey=vatljzuxmd367185y9egomo1f&dl=0

What are your impressions? Preference?

Cheers

Thelonius:
I’m travelling so only have (decent) Bluetooth headphones but my initial impressions are that the mk22 sounds smoother and more natural. I also perceive more of a sense of space between the instruments. I prefer the mk22 of these two recordings for sure. That said, I could easily see how in a more challenging location, or with a chattier crowd, the mk41 could be the better tool.

Frankly both recordings sound excellent and it sounds like an amazing show.

Thanks for sharing!

Billy Mumphrey:
Right off the bat I like the MK41's, I'm trying to listen to what the players are doing and the more focused, upfront sound is great for that. One day I will have MK41's.

But don't forget about the 22's so easily. I cranked up my monitors and sat further back in my listening room, and you can feel and hear the room so much more. Probably a more accurate representation of what it was like to be there. Very cool.

illconditioned:
Thanks.  Excellent sound.  Very nice comparison.I agree with the OP, 41 sound very focussed and upfront.I wonder if 22 might  be good up close or even on stage.

VibrationOfLife:
I think it really comes down to location.  I can't afford both (saving for 1 set actually), but while a couple year's ago I was thinking the 22's would be my choice as an investment, I have come to realize that the 41's are where I will sink my money in my next purchase given where, and what, I usually record.

Here is a link to both (close), from the same mic bar I presume, in an amazing acoustic environment (the best in Colorado I would argue), I would say having been there, 80-100 ft away given the seat.    Not my recording at all, but helpful.  Especially when you are spending multiple thousands of dollars.  That's nuts.

https://archive.org/details/mkb2025-01-24.mk22

https://archive.org/details/mkb2025-01-24.mk4

I tape at this venue often when I can afford the ticket, have never seen another taper, but I am really psyched that they got this.  Realize mk4, not 41, so you are going from wide card to "super".  The mk4 rests in the middle with it's own sound.

I'll be taping there in a week or so, DFC with a very nice seat I scored clamped to chair rail for John Craigie (super quiet show, everyone sitting, hear a pin drop).  I know this room, my equipment, and I know I can pull a good one with what I have, which is not $2,800 to spend on even one set of mics, yet alone caps and preamps. Between the 2, that's 6 grand of mics, not including cables and recorder, battery, ticket, etc.

I would really love to have a beer with this taper.  I would love to see the orientation of the mics (DinA, solved).  I like the mk4 sound much better for musical clarity, but the 22's capture the room way better.  Of course, a matrix would be ideal, but who has $6k to throw around?  Well, I guess if you go to Beaver Creek, that is just your dinner bill.

In comparison, here is a recording from 3 rows more forward in the same room, different show, and full of people standing chomping and clapping.  The clarity of the Scheops is light years away from this $400 setup.  https://archive.org/details/isd2025-01-09.take5

I know the FOH peeps and usually can pull a board, but I've got a new strategy for my next outing.  It's all about learning and putting the miles in with what you know, what you can afford, and where you usually record.  The benefit of the Shoepes is that you can cheat a bit if you just show up with a bunch of prior setup knowledge and an ability to read a room with really good chit.  So, for me, I think that I can get away with the 41's more often than not and fill in with my CM4's given the situation I'm in and my budget.  Or so I will see once I save and plop down the moola on this silly habit of ours.

Let's get real, we are talking about things that fit in our hands that are worth more than my car, in an age where ticket prices are through the roof and we have to deal with so much "extra" bs to even do the band a favor.

To leave on a positive note, I figured out how to edit down a very small clip of audio and make it my phone's ringtone.  Progress!  That only took maybe 8 steps.  Pull up raw file, edit it, mix it, compress it, e-mail it, open email on phone, download it, find the folder on the phone, select it, loop it.  OK, maybe 10 actual steps.

To give you some context about why I am typing this so much is that I struggled with this for a long time, and after listening to many many recordings, watching what others' are using in places I've been to, and taking a very humble assessment of what I actually record, the 41's are the right fit for me I think.

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