Topic: Opinions on these mics: Giant Squid

[thierryhenry]

These mics are very dull sounding.  The high end will be there but you'll have to EQ the recordings and the result will be a tad on the harsh side.  There is also a mild hum from them, record your tv from your couch and see waht it sounds like, it doesn't sound like the tv.  I've ran these with a Sony MD and also with a JB3 and the results are the same.  I guess they're cool for making a few recordings while getting familiarized with the hobby but I definately wish I had bought some better equiptment to begin with because now I have a recording of a band I really wanted to capture and I'm just not fully satisfied with the results.  If you're just out to make some mid grade tapes then I guess they're a bargain, as good as those single point stereo mics in a worst case scenario, but you do get what you pay for.  Now if you are using these to record lectures or meetings than they'll be a great buy.  For professional bands on though, save your money.

My thoughts exactly.

[fandelive]

And how would you compare these Giant Squid omnis to the Sony ECM-719?

[Evil Taper]

Those are also very low on the quality scale.  Any single point stereo mics are going to make ok recordings at best.  You get what you pay for.

[Brian Skalinder]

Any single point stereo mics are going to make ok recordings at best.

Hogwash.  The AT822/825 performs quite well.  And some of the higher end single-point stereo mics sound fantastic (Studio Projects LSD2 and AKG C426B, for example).

You get what you pay for.

This, I generally agree with.

[Evil Taper]

I have yet to hear a really fantastic stealth recording done with single point stereos of any sort.  You have any show suggestions to open my ears?

[Brian Skalinder]

I have yet to hear a really fantastic stealth recording done with single point stereos of any sort. You have any show suggestions to open my ears?

I wasn't referring to stealth, specifically, and didn't realize you were, either.  I don't think I've ever heard a single-point stereo mic stealth recording of any kind.  Though I've heard some fantastic open single-point stereo recordings.

[fandelive]

I don't think I've ever heard a single-point stereo mic stealth recording of any kind.  Though I've heard some fantastic open single-point stereo recordings.

There is an amazing sample at the bottom of this page which has been recorded with a Sony ECM-717 single-point stereo mic:
http://infos.0db.net/micros/compare/autres.php3

main page of this website:
http://infos.0db.net/micros/compare/indexe.php3

[thierryhenry]

Eh...

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I have yet to hear a really fantastic stealth recording done with single point stereos of any sort. You have any show suggestions to open my ears?

I have a copy of a Mule show  (Bonnaroo I think, I don't have it with me) made using the AKG C33 that came from someone on this board.   That recording smokes.  You should find it.  It may be in the kick down section or I'll be happy to send you a copy.

I wouldn't get hung up on the term "single point".  When you get any recording made XY, that is effectively "single point" in the way that the AKG C33 is configured.  Maybe you don't dig the XY pattern?

[Evil Taper]

I thought this taper was looking for a stealth rig, not open taping.  I've heard good recordings done with ECMs before, but nothing that'll blow you away.  In my personal opinion single point stealth rigs don't perform anywhere near as good as moderate to higher end mics will.  If the ECM mics were so fantastic then they would be standard for tapers since they're so cheap.  The experienced ear isn't going to say, "wow, this is the most amazing show I've ever heard", but they can do ok.  In the same price range you can pick up a pair of CSBs or the Squids even.  If you're a taper who is extremely unexperienced and knows very little about recording technology of any kind than an ECM might be a good option, they're designed to be powered via the recorders pre, also known as the Mic In on minidisc recorders.  The situation I'm in now though is where you'll be if you buy a cheap mic setup, you'll want to upgrade.  I'd VERY STRONGLY recommend saving your money and investing in a DPA 4061 setup which can be put together for $500 or less if you go with ebay mics, or look into getting a pair of SP-CMC-8 or SP-CMC-4.  The sound professionals mics are going to be out of stock until April according to a different thread, but there is a pair of cmc-8s in the yard sale right now or will be soon.  So save your money and buy a respectable setup or else you'll have an extra set of shitty mics collecting dust very shortly.  The resale on low end mics is pathetic also so don't waste your funds. 

Now about single point full body mics, coolness.  Less gear to haul around is always a plus, but I'll be a wiener and score a copy of someones schoeps source instead of making my own.  I'm a stealther and don't really see the point of wasting all that money to tape bands that are recorded every night they perform, but that's just me.  So yeah, I'll bust out full body mics to tape local bands and what not for friends but that rig is currently on suspension until I get more money to waste.  Hope the chatter is informative to people at least.  Get out and tape.  Peace.

[thierryhenry]

Get out and tape!

Damn straight.