Topic: So How Does It Sound?

[RebelRebel]

Yeah, I have a pair. (ka40) I thought you were talking about them, and that you were stating that THEY had electronics. Obviously I was wrong, so nevermind!

I dont think the KA40 and ka50s contain any electronics, Jeff. They are 180 bucks or so. they are simply baffles.

you may be thinking of the KFM 360 which is a complete mic system.

The pictures I've seen of the KA40 and KA50 on the Posthorn website show them not to be Jecklin-disk type stereo baffles at all:

"Acoustically modifies the sound of Schoeps omni transducers
Two sizes, which slip over the capsule and front end of the microphone body
 
These ball-shaped accessories slip over the head of the pressure (omni) transducers, as shown in the photograph. The KA 40 has a diameter of 40 mm, the KA 50 of 50 mm. They alter the sonic character of the microphone acoustically, as is evident by comparing the graphs of the CMC 62 (CMC 6 with MK 2) with and without the KAs. With the 40 mm sphere, the normally ruler-flat on-axis frequency response curve of the MK 2 is emphasized slightly (max. +2 dB) in the region between 1 kHz and 9 kHz. This effect is stronger still with the 50 mm sphere (max. +3 dB). This is not due to any change in directionality, as is sometimes supposed, but rather to the elevated response plateau which is achieved without sacrificing bass response.

Some engineers prefer to achieve this effect by using KAs instead of an equalizer."

So, not at all like the KFM360, which is the one I meant, and runs just under $15,000 at Posthorn.


 
 

 

[WiFiJeff]

Actually, you can get the KFM360 bare-bones for $5550, and its larger cousin the KFM6 for $6699, the $15,000 also gets you some extra figure 8 caps and a surround sound processor from Posthorn.  Maybe it's a bargain.

Jeff

[Gutbucket]

The 'basic' Shoeps sphere I was thinking of is the KFM6 - just a sphere with two flush omni caps, for a Shoeps price of course. 

The  KFM360 thing is wild.  It's basically the same sphere just a little smaller (supossedly for a wider recording angle) but is an entirely differnt animal since its actually 4-channels, two omini's flush mounted in the sphere and two fig-8's just above them and a fancy digital matrix & eq box.  Each omni/fig-8 pair is treated like a sideways M/S array and eq adjusts for low end fig-8 roll off etc.  You end up with a 4 or 5 channels surround output with whatever polar pattern/eq/rolloff you want for each channel.  All configuable in post if you record the 4 feeds before matrixing.  Losts of electonics and a whole nother ball of wax. $15k wheew!

Wonder if I could do the poor man's version with a R-4, an omni & fig-8 straped to either side of my head and some DAW matrixing!?

[WiFiJeff]

Wonder if I could do the poor man's version with a R-4, an omni & fig-8 straped to either side of my head and some DAW matrixing!?

Actually, Leonard Lombardo (Sonic studios) makes something vaguely like this, which you can combine with the LiteGuy or wear on your head for the ultimate in Geek Chic:

http://www.sonicstudios.com/index.htm#surround

for $3500 to $8500 bucks.  I guess you could even stealth it (good luck).

Jeff

[Gutbucket]

I guess you could even stealth it (good luck).

Maybe if you wear the 'full fro' wig over the whole kit.  Could would serve a giant windscreen to boot!

I've seen that thing on the Sonic Studios site.  I just wonder how much separation you would get with the surround (back) mics being so close to the main pair.  Lenonard's version seems more akin to that tear-drop shaped Holophone thing: http://www.holophone.com/home.html  Which I think uses the mini DPA's FWIW.

[WiFiJeff]

 that tear-drop shaped Holophone thing: http://www.holophone.com/home.html  Which I think uses the mini DPA's FWIW.

Wild.  They have a NYC dealer (Dale Pro Audio) which is just down the street from me, I'll have to give it a look.  Love that mini HP4, should be perfect to make realistic audios to entertain my collection of shrunken heads.

Jeff

[RebelRebel]

soundfield mics are supposed to be nifty too.

I wont deal with Sonic Studios on principle alone. The guy from there takes every opportunity to try to pimp his product and bash other companies in the process. YMMV. I dont like his business model.

[Gutbucket]

soundfield mics are supposed to be nifty too.

Soundfield mics seem like the closest relatives to the KFM360 pattern selection and surround-wise, just coincident instead of near-coincident-baffled and the ability to record ambisonics.  I'd love to hear a true ambisonic playback system sometime.