Topic: Large vs. Small Diaphragm Condensers

[hexyjones]

Besides the obvious size difference...is there any reason to avoid these cheaper large diaphragm condenser mics?

Like MXL, Samson, ADK, CAD...etc...

?

[Tim]

the sound is different because of the size of the diaphragms.

LD's are slower (physics is a bitch), so they don't have that bite or edge of the SD's. This isn't bad, I love(d) my u89s.. being slower they are less detailed but more "musical".. warmer and more gentle sounding. They throw a monstrous soundstage too which is nice

I've never run the ADK's but I have many, many tapes made with them.. they're very nice mics, especially for that price point!

Just be aware that LD's have a totally different sound to them than the SD's...

[John R]

get both, i did.  will be running the tl's for the first time at magfest.  looking forward to hearing the difference.

jr

[Tim]

get both, i did.  will be running the tl's for the first time at magfest.  looking forward to hearing the difference.

jr

I really would like to end up in the same position at some point. Congrats John, I didn't realize you had pulled the trigger

[John R]

get both, i did.  will be running the tl's for the first time at magfest.  looking forward to hearing the difference.

jr

I really would like to end up in the same position at some point. Congrats John, I didn't realize you had pulled the trigger

yeah, been thinking about ld's for a long while now, just didn't/don't have the juice for another pair of neumanns.  i know jeff and lee's tl's have been babied and the tl's get great reviews around here, so i figured it was a great way to jump into the pool.  i'm stoked.

jr

[Tim]

way to go John...

hopefully I'll buy back my u89s someday

[John R]

thanks you guys.

jr

[BC]

FWIW:
small diaphraghm typically have smoother off-axis response

[Tim]

FWIW:
small diaphraghm typically have smoother off-axis response

great point Ben, can't believe I missed that one...

[Tim]

I always thought the u89s were fairly forgiving off-axis too... you need to be a bit more accurate than with SD's but it's not *that* bad.

[John R]

mike, can you post or send me some pics of the tl's in action?  just looking to see how they're supported via vert bar or akg fkat bar

jr

[Tim]

I have a lot of Moke's pics saved on my HD if you need them John... uber geek

[John R]

i see that you're using the vert bar to hold up the blumlien, but what is the blumlien device?

[Nick's Picks]

whomever said that LDs are less detailed forgot to mention that this is only from a distance perhaps(?).
Up close, on an instrument or stage lip, they are very detailed....AND throw a big fat soundstage. 

[eric.B]

hmm..  i like to think of the differnces in terms of..

1. soundstage
2. off axis colour
3. attack and decay characteristics  (speed)

LD's have a slower attack and decay which may hurt detail from distances, however sometimes that is a good thing..   I personally prefer the LD sound.. much "larger" and spread out, as opposed to SD's which sound a bit tinny and "smaller" to my ears..  not that SD's are bad.. they are verrrry good..  its just preference..