Topic: Let's talk medium/high end stealth cardioid mics...

[bmr]

From what I've been able to gather, and from the rigs I've seen from some recent shows I've collected, the two predominant mics used were Schoeps CCM4/Vs and the DPA 4021/2s..

In many months time, I guess I could afford the DPAs, but certainly not the Schoeps. I heard an incrediible source from AKGs, but from what I've been able to tell, they do not make mics suitable for steath projects (clubs/small halls). If I'm incorrect in this assumption, please let me know.

Is there a quality, popular option in the $500 range along the lines of the CCMs or DPAs? After doing some poking around on sonicsense.com it seems like there's the coresounds (and like items from soundprofessionals.com) in the $250 range, then a jump up to ~$1000 for the DPAs, with the CCMs coming in around $2600 for a pair.

Also, I mentioned this in another thread, but....

If I were to go with something like the DPAs, could I conceivably run them into a pre, then into a JB3 and do this all stealthily? Or is that too much equipment to deal with when I have to stand amongst a crowd?

[leegeddy]

>>In many months time, I guess I could afford the DPAs, but certainly not the Schoeps

i don't know where you got the price for the DPA 4021/22, but they are around +/-$3k per pair new.

marc

[caymanreview]

just a touch over 3K i believe like 16 or 1650 each

im thinking the prices he said when referring to the dpa's might have been the 4060 series mics

[johnw]

If I were you, I'd look into the Audix 1290c>MP2>JB3 option. If you were willing to sacrifice some low end to cut the length of the mics from 90mm down to 45mm, you could try the Audix 1245s. The 4021s are 31mm long. I believe plucks tried out the 1245s, so you might ask for a copy of the recording from him. You could get a pair of either 1245s or 1290s for around $550. The combo I suggested is very stealthable (more so if you went M1 instead of JB3) and could be run inside a had or on a stand. The MP2 would give you phantom power in a small size and can be found for <$500. The audix mics are definitely supposed to be colored though, so keep that in mind.

Edit: Another option might be some of the hanging mics from AKG or Audix like the Adx-40

[Nick Graham]

After doing some poking around on sonicsense.com it seems like there's the coresounds (and like items from soundprofessionals.com) in the $250 range, then a jump up to ~$1000 for the DPAs, with the CCMs coming in around $2600 for a pair.

As other have pointed out the DPA 402x line is well over 3k a pair, but the mics you may have been looking at were DPA 4060 or 4061s. They are indeed right at around $1000 new, and are true stealth mics, the same size as the Core Sound and SP mics. The 4022s are "capsule" size mics, where as the 4060s are about the size of pencil erasers...

Hope that helps...

[bmr]

After doing some poking around on sonicsense.com it seems like there's the coresounds (and like items from soundprofessionals.com) in the $250 range, then a jump up to ~$1000 for the DPAs, with the CCMs coming in around $2600 for a pair.

As other have pointed out the DPA 402x line is well over 3k a pair, but the mics you may have been looking at were DPA 4060 or 4061s. They are indeed right at around $1000 new, and are true stealth mics, the same size as the Core Sound and SP mics. The 4022s are "capsule" size mics, where as the 4060s are about the size of pencil erasers...

Hope that helps...

Heh, that's what I get for browsing late at night on little sleep.

I know there's a lot of variables, but overall, are the Schoeps CCM or MK4s with actives recommended over the DPA 406X? I've certainly seen more mentions of the Schoeps, but I don't know if that's because of price or popularity or what.

I guess my next question is, can you run AKGs with active cables? Or do they not have that kind of setup like the Schoeps?

[caymanreview]

the only way to get true actives would be to contact JKlabs about building you a custom preamp w/ actives for the akg's

[caymanreview]

for akg's i mean

[johnw]

for akg's i mean

Yes but the bluelines and 460s do have extension cable options to seperate the capsule from the body 

[bmr]

for akg's i mean

Yes but the bluelines and 460s do have extension cable options to seperate the capsule from the body 

Aren't the bluelines kinda the kid sister of the ULS? Or have I just said something that'll get me slapped?

[johnw]

I wouldn't rule out the 300 series unless you've tried it already. The 460/480 series doesn't have nearly the capsule options available and the ck9x caps are probably the best design of any mic for easy changing and durability. They definitely sound different and the 300s are cheaper, but I wouldn't disregard them based on price. Neither mic+cable+cap is going to fall into a $500 budget btw. If you really want to have stealthy cardioid mics, the only thing I know of in that range is the audix. The DPA 406x is omni only. But then, if you are stealthing without a stand, you may want omnis anyway.

[Nick Graham]

Aren't the bluelines kinda the kid sister of the ULS? Or have I just said something that'll get me slapped?

Not really the "kid sister", but they are the lower end version of the 460/480 series. Excellent mics though nonetheless.

As for high end stealthier mics, you can't rule out the Neumann AKxx series. They're a bit cheaper than Schoeps and DPA...but even used will still run you anywhere from $1500 to $2000.

[John Kelly]

If I were you, I'd look into the Audix 1290c>MP2>JB3 option. If you were willing to sacrifice some low end to cut the length of the mics from 90mm down to 45mm, you could try the Audix 1245s. The 4021s are 31mm long. I believe plucks tried out the 1245s, so you might ask for a copy of the recording from him. You could get a pair of either 1245s or 1290s for around $550. The combo I suggested is very stealthable (more so if you went M1 instead of JB3) and could be run inside a had or on a stand. The MP2 would give you phantom power in a small size and can be found for <$500. The audix mics are definitely supposed to be colored though, so keep that in mind.

Edit: Another option might be some of the hanging mics from AKG or Audix like the Adx-40

What he said, minus the 1245 option.  The 1290s already cut out some bass, I wouldn't want any more taken away.  And I wouldn't call them colored at all.  I'd say they sound VERY similar to akg 480s, which I consider to be pretty transparent.

But yeah, you can't go wrong with the Audix Micros.

[pfife]

I'd place in a vote for Audio Technica 853's.  I am continuously surprised with these mics...

Got mine new for $315 from fullcompass.com, and Spyder recently found new caps for them for $28

(http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=27722.from1097788812#new)

[pfife]

Anyone have any stories stelathing the 1290's? They are small but still a little bigger/longer than other stealth options.

Somewhere in the rig pics there's some pics of someone who set up a DIN config in a kangol hat... looks pretty awesome. 

I just saw these in person for the first time on Wednesday- they are definately stealthable.  IMO, you could easily clip those to glasses, hat, etc and still be incognito.