Topic: Affordable SDCs - avantone ck-1s vs SP C4s vs MXL 604s vs SE 1a vs ???

[jnorman34]

hoy all - what is the consensus these days on the best affordable SDCs?  lots of choices around, and hard to choose.  i do studio work, and am looking to pick up some extra spot mics for acoustic instruments.  looking for smooth, unhyped (little or no high end lift) response.  switchable caps is a plus, but not a deal killer.  the busman mics look nice, but a little more than i want to spend right now.  seems the best inexpensive sdc's i have owned in the past were a pair of akg c391s, but i dont ever seem to see those up for sale much any more.

[Chuck]

The M-Audio Pulsars II are getting some raves, lately. Of course, this always happens with new, inexpensive microphones. The Studio Projects C-4's and Church Audio CA-11's (I have not heard enough CA-14 recordings, yet) are the best bang for the buck. There are a pair of AT 4041's (fixed cardioid) in the YS now. If I was looking to buy a pair of good (cheap) cardioid condensers, I'd definitely consider buying them.

[jnorman34]

hola - i wound up picking up a pair of akg c391b's for $249.  i forgot how good these mics are - what the hell are they doing selling for that kind of price??  they are very smooth with a nice big open sound, no high end hype - v nice. 

[caymanreview]

u got them on ebay the other night didnt you?

i was watching them for over a day. then in the middle of the night somehow he adds a buy it now for 250, and by the time i checked within hours, it was sold

great deal!

[jnorman34]

tee hee...
yeah, i contacted the seller and told him i would buy them right now if he would do a buyitnow thing, and he did, so i grabbed them.  they are already here, and very clean looking for $249.  i have had several sets of C391s over the years, and they are good solid mics, plus very flexible with all the caps and active cables, etc available.  this time, i plan to play around with getting some fig8 caps, and do some MS and blumlein.