Topic: Difference between the SP LSD2 and Avantone CK-40?

[achalsey]

I've heard lots of good things about the LSD2 but not much about the CK-40.  Besides color, they look superficially pretty similar.  Is this just a case of similar chinese outer body type with differing internals? 

The SP C4 (of which I owned a pair briefly) don't seem that outwardly similar to the CK-1...

I guess a follow up that I should have started with...Are either Studio Projects or Avantone considered US companies?  Neither of their 'about us' pages on their websites are all that descriptive, but feel like they're mostly based in China.

[ScoobieKW]

Avantone is a US company selling Chinese made products.
They do quality control before sales, and offer support from their US office.

I've owned Busman modded CK-1 mics, and Avantone gave me new capsules for free when I had issues with an old pair.

[Gutbucket]

The SP C4 (of which I owned a pair briefly) don't seem that outwardly similar to the CK-1...

They aren't. Besides being stereo microphones, these use large diaphram condeser elements.  The CK-1 is a small diaphram condeser. 

I've not used either of these so I can't really comment on quality or sonics of them specifically.  I do have a Peluso stereo LDC which features a similar configuration.  For the type of recording we are doing, I really wish that any of these manufacturers would provide the option of a super or hypercardioid pattern for the capsules on this type of microphone.   As a dedicated coincident stereo microphone, we could really use the increased pattern differentiation to make up for the inability of spacing the capsules.  Barring that super/hyper pattern option, one can at least achieve something similar by using these microphones in M/S with a cardioid pattern Mid.