Topic: Poll: Schoeps setups... bodies versus no bodies

[SmokinJoe]

I prefer the sound of Schoeps caps on Schoeps bodies.  I don't think I care about "which bodies", i.e. I don't think I can tell the difference between CMC3/4/5/6.  In theory the use of active cables (KC5, KCY, etc) versus caps-screwed-directly-onto-bodies should make a huge difference too.  But I haven't been able to form an opinion on that one.

I realize listening to random sources on the archive is hardly scientific, but if I listen to 20 of Source A, and 20 of Source B and I hear a consistent difference, then it's probably real. That's the basis of my opinion.

I think the use of bodies has the traditional "fatness" which I like, and some of the other setups are less so.  I'll stop there before call anyone's baby ugly.

<donning flame proof suit>

[newplanet7]

Can't you try this out and throw down a comp that everyone likes to find fault with?

Use bodies on set one and your kc5 in set two.
Or one mic with kc5 and one with straight cap~> body in a stacked fasion for the whole show.
I mean it's not like you don't have another rig to run so you can get a normal recording while doing the comp.  SEA-LUTT!!!!!!!!!

[acidjack]

I'm voting for caps on bodies.  I have never done a comp, but the pulls I tend to like best seem to be caps-on-bodies.

Then there's such things as bodies totally out of the chain vs. KC5>bodies...

The diff b/w KC5>Bodies and Cap>bodies should be zero, I would think, but I think differences are much more likely in bodies in the chain vs. not.  Of course, to achieve that requires some kind of special pre or other custom gear in each case, which makes it harder to do a comp.

Though my littlebox actually does take both full-size XLR with P48 and KCY, so one could....

[newplanet7]

Hmmm I am interested now.
AJ, you feel there should be no difference in Cap~>Body vs. Cap~> KC5~> Body
and joe, you feel there should be?
Can you guys explain your opinions on this.

Ever since I have been apart of TS I have always ASSumed that there would be no difference also because the body is still in the chain.
Thanks fellas.

[acidjack]

Hmmm I am interested now.
AJ, you feel there should be no difference in Cap~>Body vs. Cap~> KC5~> Body
and joe, you feel there should be?
Can you guys explain your opinions on this.

Ever since I have been apart of TS I have always ASSumed that there would be no difference also because the body is still in the chain.
Thanks fellas.

I know less than zero about engineering man, so I may be way off base. But I assume if you asked Schoeps, they would say, "all a KC5 does is pass the same signal from the cap through the cable to the body as is already supposed to pass from the cap to the body".  And of course that is what their design is intended to do.

The other stuff people do - KCY, NBox, NBox cables, CMR etc. - all by definition require something different... so they should have more effect on the sound.  A lot of the solutions are specific to one preamp (like the NBox) but I guess now you could test it using MKx>CMC6>pre vs. MKx>NBox cables>PFA>same pre.  Of course, the PFA is changing the voltage some, so again, it will sound different...

[newplanet7]

I guess that was my assumption too. Active vs. remote.
Active I would think would change the sound and remote not so much. The kc5 id just a remote set-up correct? Or is their active electronics on the connectors/cable?

[StuStu]

I recall being told you give up a little bit of quality when not running MKx>CMC directly, but I can't imagine going back to full bodies. Running MKx>KC5 and KCY with Schoeps/NOLA/Kwon bars is so convenient.

[page]

I /. poll options.

that is all.

[StuStu]

I guess that was my assumption too. Active vs. remote.
Active I would think would change the sound and remote not so much. The kc5 id just a remote set-up correct? Or is their active electronics on the connectors/cable?

The KC5 links the MKx to the CMCx or M222 body. The KCY and NBox actives replace the need for a body when run into a Schoeps VMS pre, Naint KCY pre with a KCY and NBox actives for an NBox.


Edit: KCY>Lemosax too.

[NOLAfishwater]

I am probably going to sell my bodies now that I got Caps>Hacked KC5's>PFA's They are super easy to use, take up less room in my bag and if someone drops and amp or steps on them onstage its not such a tough pill to swallow as cmc6. been pretty happy so far.

[page]

The diff b/w KC5>Bodies and Cap>bodies should be zero, I would think,


but I think differences are much more likely in bodies in the chain vs. not.

The later I agree with. The former.... paging Mr. Satz.

[newplanet7]

I guess that was my assumption too. Active vs. remote.
Active I would think would change the sound and remote not so much. The kc5 id just a remote set-up correct? Or is their active electronics on the connectors/cable?

The KC5 links the MKx to the CMCx or M222 body. The KCY and NBox actives replace the need for a body when run into a Schoeps VMS pre, Naint KCY pre with a KCY and NBox actives for an NBox.


Edit: KCY>Lemosax too.

I get how it hooks up as I have run mk21/kc5/cmc6 a bunch.
I was just saying the sound differences would be more due to actives(active electronics in the cable connectors or cable)
VS.
A remote set up which is beyer ck930~> Cable~> Body.

So my question is whether the kc5 is actually active or remote, because that's where most of the sound difference would be IMO.

[johnw]

kc5 is an active cable.

[StuStu]

It's also worth mentioning that the KCY is unbalanced.

[H₂O]

The KC5 and KCY are active and unbalanced

You are adding an FET to the chain when using the KCx cables so this can potentially change the sound.

Bernhard gave me a hard time using KC5's with my M222's since it adds a FET to the signal chain and slightly defeats the purpose of a Tube Mic.

So I think there is two directions in this thread:
1. Pure Schoeps Capsule to Schoeps Body - No Active cables
2. Schoeps capsules with no Schoeps body in the chain (i.e. KCY > PFA, nbox, etc)