Topic: What is everyone using for stealth mics?

[oivindi]

I've recently tried Countryman B6 and Countryman B3.  These are *fantastic* sounding mics, pretty close to the Nevatons, and much better quality control.  Why do they sound good?  Someone @ Countryman.com told me they have a stainless steel diaphragm.  Maybe a coincidence, but Nevaton has stainless as well...

I'm a bit of a novice on this ... but is it at all possible to connect the Countryman mics to an Edirol R-09? No?

If yes, what would I need?

[Dede2002]

I've recently tried Countryman B6 and Countryman B3.  These are *fantastic* sounding mics, pretty close to the Nevatons, and much better quality control.  Why do they sound good?  Someone @ Countryman.com told me they have a stainless steel diaphragm.  Maybe a coincidence, but Nevaton has stainless as well...

I'm a bit of a novice on this ... but is it at all possible to connect the Countryman mics to an Edirol R-09? No?

If yes, what would I need?

I was so excited about those mics that I did not notice that they are 48V powered.
That's a no-no for me. Mini-plugs are the only way for me.

[tcf]

I've used two pairs of the Nevaton MCE 400 by now and one pair was dead on, my current pair is within a couple of db's from each other.  I personally like the cable that is permanently attached to the mics, it seems low profile enough and doesn't get tangled up too bad.  I use mine straight in with a microtracker/no battery box and and Fr2Le and they work great with both.  

Since there aren't a lot of users of these mics I am personally excited to hear other people's experiences, whether good or not so good.  

Richard, If you aren't happy with your mics, perhaps you could send them back to nevaton, and have new xlr adapters installed, then you could sell them in the yardsale.  It's too bad the caps weren't more matched, but I don't think that was the company's intention with these mics, although I'm not sure what the intended market was with using the full size xlr connector.  Either way the taping community lucked out when these things were discoverd, they sound great.

[sunjan]

I'm a bit of a novice on this ... but is it at all possible to connect the Countryman mics to an Edirol R-09? No?
If yes, what would I need?

The PS-2, just mentioned earlier in this thread. Or a UA-5, if you have a lot of balls for stealthing.

While on this topic, I have to throw in my vote for the AT853Rx (now superseded by U853R).
As pointed out by edtyre, many of the mics in this thread are omnis.
For cards - and especially if you want the flexibility of interchangeable caps - there are fewer choices...
That said, the price points of the Countryman mics looks good, if they really can compete with the DPAs.

Dede2002, how would you rate the MM-HLSO Micro compared to the others mentioned here?

[Dede2002]

I'm a bit of a novice on this ... but is it at all possible to connect the Countryman mics to an Edirol R-09? No?
If yes, what would I need?

The PS-2, just mentioned earlier in this thread. Or a UA-5, if you have a lot of balls for stealthing.

While on this topic, I have to throw in my vote for the AT853Rx (now superseded by U853R).
As pointed out by edtyre, many of the mics in this thread are omnis.
For cards - and especially if you want the flexibility of interchangeable caps - there are fewer choices...
That said, the price points of the Countryman mics looks good, if they really can compete with the DPAs.

Dede2002, how would you rate the MM-HLSO Micro compared to the others mentioned here?

Hello Sunja,

Hard to tell because I do not own the other models. Acording to Illconditioned ( who owns just about every omni mics there is ), they are the one of the best lavaliier omnis, period. Trully, they are awesome sounding mics. Plus, they are really tinny, way smaller than the DPAs. It's hard to believe how such small thing can sound so big. They make a perfect pair with my R-09HR. I posted two samples last week on the R-09HR thread.
Take care 

[oivindi]

Hard to tell because I do not own the other models. Acording to Illconditioned ( who owns just about every omni mics there is ), they are the one of the best lavaliier omnis, period. Trully, they are awesome sounding mics. Plus, they are really tinny, way smaller than the DPAs. It's hard to believe how such small thing can sound so big. They make a perfect pair with my R-09HR. I posted two samples last week on the R-09HR thread.
Take care 

Are they WAY smaller than the DPAs?! The DPA 4060s? Are you sure?

Also, do the MM-HLSO Micro compare with the 4060s in terms of noise (S/N ratio)? Self-noise? The specs don't seem to put them in the quiet category?

Have you tried recording quiet stuff with them?

[LZJoker]

PS-2 mini (with 1/8" miniplug output) is an easy portable 48V phantom power source.  And with a standard 9V battery, I was getting 5-6 hours powering neumann km184 mics.  It's well worth it if you want PP powered stealthy mics to use with the R-09/R-09HR.

When you are stealthing the KM184's does it matter if you can't directly point them at the stage, e.g you've got them standing up like your avatar, does it affect the recording much by not having the caps aimed at the sound source.

[Dede2002]

Hard to tell because I do not own the other models. Acording to Illconditioned ( who owns just about every omni mics there is ), they are the one of the best lavaliier omnis, period. Trully, they are awesome sounding mics. Plus, they are really tinny, way smaller than the DPAs. It's hard to believe how such small thing can sound so big. They make a perfect pair with my R-09HR. I posted two samples last week on the R-09HR thread.
Take care 

Are they WAY smaller than the DPAs?! The DPA 4060s? Are you sure?

Also, do the MM-HLSO Micro compare with the 4060s in terms of noise (S/N ratio)? Self-noise? The specs don't seem to put them in the quiet category?

Have you tried recording quiet stuff with them?

Yes, I'm sure. OK, maybe not waaaaay smaller, but smaller.

Check the pictures:

http://www.microphonemadness.com/products/mmhlsomsenmi.htm

Yes, not only tried, but I did recording quiet stuff with them with nice results.
Take care

[Arni99]

I had the HLSO for a while and now I'm using DPA 4061 since more than 1 year.
DPA 4061 sound a lot better to MY ears .
More detailed than the HLSO and DPA4061 do NOT distort at really high SPL.

[dactylus]

I had the HLSO for a while and now I'm using DPA 4061 since more than 1 year.
DPA 4061 sound a lot better to MY ears .
More detailed than the HLSO and DPA4061 do NOT distort at really high SPL.

I can't wait for the new dpa "instrument recording, mini-cards" to hit the street, maybe this Fall!!  Arni, have you seen the new, unreleased dpa mini-cards yet?

 

[Arni99]

I had the HLSO for a while and now I'm using DPA 4061 since more than 1 year.
DPA 4061 sound a lot better to MY ears .
More detailed than the HLSO and DPA4061 do NOT distort at really high SPL.

I can't wait for the new dpa "instrument recording, mini-cards" to hit the street, maybe this Fall!!  Arni, have you seen the new, unreleased dpa mini-cards yet?

 

No, I only read the rumors here at TS.com.
But I can ask my local DPA distributor in Vienna if something new is just around the corner .
 

[illconditioned]

I had the HLSO for a while and now I'm using DPA 4061 since more than 1 year.
DPA 4061 sound a lot better to MY ears .
More detailed than the HLSO and DPA4061 do NOT distort at really high SPL.

Yes, the DPA sound better then the Sennheiser MKE2.  However, the Sennheiser KE4 sound a bit nicer than the MKE2, to me a tossup between the KE4 and the DPA.  (The DPA have lots detail, but no warmth, the KE4 have warmth, but not as much detail, and there is some color.)  And, there are even better options, Countryman B3/B6, Sanken COS11 and Nevaton MKE400, all of which I like better than the DPA for various reasons.  Yes, I own (or have tried) all these mics.  No, I am not obsessive.  I have no more mics than necessary.

  Richard

[MarkE]

Another mic not mentioned here is the Sonic Studios DSM-6S. Ive had them for about 6 or 7 years now and think they are the smoothest sounding stealth mic around.. (IMHO). They handle loud volume excellent and are made well. They are omni, I'd love to hear a Sonic Studios Cardiod, but Ive had great success with them. And I love the omni's because I am a stack taper...
MarkE

[illconditioned]

Another mic not mentioned here is the Sonic Studios DSM-6S. Ive had them for about 6 or 7 years now and think they are the smoothest sounding stealth mic around.. (IMHO). They handle loud volume excellent and are made well. They are omni, I'd love to hear a Sonic Studios Cardiod, but Ive had great success with them. And I love the omni's because I am a stack taper...
MarkE

DPA and the others (Sanken, Countryman, Nevaton) are better IMO.

I think the Sonic Studios are great but can't compare to the high-end stuff.  They remind me a lot of the Panasonic WM61a.  Open, natural sound, but some artifacts (upper mids) and not quite as much detail.  That's my opinion, fwiw.

  Richard

[Dede2002]

I had the HLSO for a while and now I'm using DPA 4061 since more than 1 year.
DPA 4061 sound a lot better to MY ears .
More detailed than the HLSO and DPA4061 do NOT distort at really high SPL.

Yes, the DPA sound better then the Sennheiser MKE2.  However, the Sennheiser KE4 sound a bit nicer than the MKE2, to me a tossup between the KE4 and the DPA.  (The DPA have lots detail, but no warmth, the KE4 have warmth, but not as much detail, and there is some color.)  And, there are even better options, Countryman B3/B6, Sanken COS11 and Nevaton MKE400, all of which I like better than the DPA for various reasons.  Yes, I own (or have tried) all these mics.  No, I am not obsessive.  I have no more mics than necessary.

  Richard

Richard,

Thanks for all the great info.
Question: is there any chance for me to use the Countryman mics terminated with a mini-plug and 9V battery?
Which one is the best in your view, B3 or B6?
Thanks in advance