Become a Site Supporter and Never see Ads again!
« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Down

Author Topic: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades  (Read 8672 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Kyle

  • Made it back alive!
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Gender: Male
  • Still loves his mic pre's
Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« on: January 25, 2005, 03:06:21 PM »
I have been thinking about picking up a pair of AKG 391s for general micing use. I use Schoeps in the field but my job invloves micing people at board meetings, pianos and guitars for chior concerts (I work at a performing arts school) and the like. We have low end dynamic mics and I wanted to improve the sound at our events. My school has offered me a 'rental' fee if I bring my own gear to use at events. so the green light is on. So, I figured that a pair of 391s (they seem to be inexpensive used) might be a good starting point. I called audio upgrades to see what they could do with these and they said that these mics are absolute crap and I would be better off buying cheap Chinese mics. I didn't think they were THAT bad,  obviously not top shelf, but crap? Discuss please!  ;D
Logged
Schoeps CMC6/MK4  //  Nakamichi CM-300/CP-1/CP-2
E.A.A. PSP-2   // Grace Design Lunatec V2
Sonic AD2K+ 
Tascam HD-P2 (Oade BCM)  //  Sony TC-D5 PROII
 
Duncan - 12/84 > 8/8/05 - Miss you everyday

Offline pfife

  • Emperor of Ticketucky
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 12354
  • I love/hate tickets.
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2005, 03:12:13 PM »
Did they suggest something else?  Were they trying to get you to buy something more expensive?  I'm always leary of salespersons calling something crap, personally.
Logged
Tickets are dead to me.  Except the ones I have, don't have, and lost.  Not to mention the ones you have, don't have, and lost.   And the ones that other dude has, doesn't have, and lost.  Let me know if you need some tickets, I'm happy to oblige. 

Tickets >>>>>>>> Oxygen

Offline Kyle

  • Made it back alive!
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Gender: Male
  • Still loves his mic pre's
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2005, 03:28:08 PM »
He did recommend a mic, I should have written it down. it was MCA....

i don't remember ???

Logged
Schoeps CMC6/MK4  //  Nakamichi CM-300/CP-1/CP-2
E.A.A. PSP-2   // Grace Design Lunatec V2
Sonic AD2K+ 
Tascam HD-P2 (Oade BCM)  //  Sony TC-D5 PROII
 
Duncan - 12/84 > 8/8/05 - Miss you everyday

Offline Tim

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 32913
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2005, 03:56:37 PM »
I've never heard that opinion of the bluelines before. They served me well for a few years when I was just starting... like you said, certainly they are not top shelf but hardly crap.
Logged
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia

Offline d5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2005, 04:04:21 PM »
I assume that the microphone that your refering to is the MCA SP1. I had read some things about this microphones on rec.audio.pro, specifically that Jim Williams from Audio Upgrades was impressed by them and had developed an upgrade for it. The mic sells for around $40 and I saw someplace that the upgrade was $125, although it's not posted on his web site. This makes the price for an upgraded pair of these around $400 total, including shipping.

I posted a thread (last week?) asking if anyone had tried them;

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=33914.0

I have a pair of Jim Williams mod 460's and am very impressed by his work. If what he says about the MCA's is true, then they should be a really good deal.
Logged
JW mod AKG 460/ck61's > Sound Devices 702

Offline Kyle

  • Made it back alive!
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Gender: Male
  • Still loves his mic pre's
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2005, 04:07:35 PM »
Yea, I kinda agree. What I am trying to do is rebulid my mic toolbox but at this point $$ are limited. I figured I would start small and work my way back up (the idea is to have some sort of location recording/sound reinforcement company eventually). I always figured the more (read different) mics you have, the greater your flexibility. I saw some great 451s go on ebay recently but as I said before $$ are the limiting factor right now. I think I need a few mours hours on the job! ;D
Logged
Schoeps CMC6/MK4  //  Nakamichi CM-300/CP-1/CP-2
E.A.A. PSP-2   // Grace Design Lunatec V2
Sonic AD2K+ 
Tascam HD-P2 (Oade BCM)  //  Sony TC-D5 PROII
 
Duncan - 12/84 > 8/8/05 - Miss you everyday

Offline Kyle

  • Made it back alive!
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Gender: Male
  • Still loves his mic pre's
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2005, 04:09:24 PM »
Quote from: d5 on January 25, 2005, 04:04:21 PM
I assume that the microphone that your refering to is the MCA SP1. I had read some things about this microphones on rec.audio.pro, specifically that Jim Williams from Audio Upgrades was impressed by them and had developed an upgrade for it. The mic sells for around $40 and I saw someplace that the upgrade was $125, although it's not posted on his web site. This makes the price for an upgraded pair of these around $400 total, including shipping.

I posted a thread (last week?) asking if anyone had tried them;

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=33914.0

I have a pair of Jim Williams mod 460's and am very impressed by his work. If what he says about the MCA's is true, then they should be a really good deal.

Nice! Thanks for the heads up!  ;D
Logged
Schoeps CMC6/MK4  //  Nakamichi CM-300/CP-1/CP-2
E.A.A. PSP-2   // Grace Design Lunatec V2
Sonic AD2K+ 
Tascam HD-P2 (Oade BCM)  //  Sony TC-D5 PROII
 
Duncan - 12/84 > 8/8/05 - Miss you everyday

Offline d5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2005, 04:26:37 PM »
Posts on the previous thread indicated that the diaphram used in the MCA SP1's are the same as the MXL 1006, a 25mm diaphram. But from what I read on rec.audio.pro, the capsule is the same as the one used in the MXL 603, a 20mm diaphram mic. This raised a question as to whether the SP1's should actually be considered a true Large Diaphram mic, but I'm sure JW at Audio Upgrades could let you know for sure.

I would be very interested in hear how a set of the SP1's sound.
Logged
JW mod AKG 460/ck61's > Sound Devices 702

Offline kgreener

  • Trade Count: (4)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1448
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2005, 04:38:28 PM »
Quote from: d5 on January 25, 2005, 04:04:21 PM
I assume that the microphone that your refering to is the MCA SP1. I had read some things about this microphones on rec.audio.pro, specifically that Jim Williams from Audio Upgrades was impressed by them and had developed an upgrade for it. The mic sells for around $40 and I saw someplace that the upgrade was $125, although it's not posted on his web site. This makes the price for an upgraded pair of these around $400 total, including shipping.

I posted a thread (last week?) asking if anyone had tried them;

http://www.taperssection.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=33914.0

I have a pair of Jim Williams mod 460's and am very impressed by his work. If what he says about the MCA's is true, then they should be a really good deal.

d5, funny you brought this up, i've been following the SP1 rec.audio.pro threads too.  i went and did some googling, and found a guy at mirrorsound.com who uses these...i sent him an email and this was his response:

"they sound tremendous. They beat out my 414 and E-300 for overall balance and high-end smoothness...need I say more.  If you try them you won't be sorry.

Ken
http://www.mirrorsound.com/Links.htm "
Logged

Offline Kyle

  • Made it back alive!
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2169
  • Gender: Male
  • Still loves his mic pre's
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2005, 04:48:47 PM »
just spoke with JW and he raved about the MCA SP1. The mod is indeed $125 and he assured me that one would be more than pleased with the results. He did say to avoid the SP2 mic. However, after what he said about the modded 460s (mirroring d5's comment) I may just hold out and wait for a pair t pop up. The agony of choice ;)
Logged
Schoeps CMC6/MK4  //  Nakamichi CM-300/CP-1/CP-2
E.A.A. PSP-2   // Grace Design Lunatec V2
Sonic AD2K+ 
Tascam HD-P2 (Oade BCM)  //  Sony TC-D5 PROII
 
Duncan - 12/84 > 8/8/05 - Miss you everyday

Offline nickgregory

  • Admitted Jeter Homer
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 22376
  • Gender: Male
    • Hurricanes Insider
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2005, 04:50:44 PM »
everyone has an opinion...mine, no mic, and I mean none of them in the $400 or less range touch the 39x series...
Logged

Offline d5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2005, 05:17:09 PM »
Quote from: nickgregory on January 25, 2005, 04:50:44 PM
everyone has an opinion...mine, no mic, and I mean none of them in the $400 or less range touch the 39x series...

Yeah... thats what common sense tells me also and if it had been anyone other than Jim Williams, then I would probably have to agree without even listening to the results, but based solely on the good things I've heard he says about them, I would really love to hear how a pair actually do sound.

One definite advantage of the 39x's is ability to change capsules.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2005, 06:24:07 PM by d5 »
Logged
JW mod AKG 460/ck61's > Sound Devices 702

Offline d5

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Regular
  • **
  • Posts: 185
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2005, 05:20:54 PM »
Quote from: kgreener on January 25, 2005, 04:38:28 PM
d5, funny you brought this up, i've been following the SP1 rec.audio.pro threads too.  i went and did some googling, and found a guy at mirrorsound.com who uses these...i sent him an email and this was his response:

"they sound tremendous. They beat out my 414 and E-300 for overall balance and high-end smoothness...need I say more.  If you try them you won't be sorry.

Ken
http://www.mirrorsound.com/Links.htm "


Yes, that's where I found the $125 price of the upgrade!
Logged
JW mod AKG 460/ck61's > Sound Devices 702

Offline m.mouse

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Taperssection Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 17
  • I'm a llama!
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #13 on: January 25, 2005, 10:51:44 PM »
Quote from: d5 on January 25, 2005, 05:17:09 PM
Quote from: nickgregory on January 25, 2005, 04:50:44 PM
everyone has an opinion...mine, no mic, and I mean none of them in the $400 or less range touch the 39x series...

Yeah... thats what common sense tells me also and if it had been anyone other than Jim Williams, then I would probably have to agree without even listening to the results, but based solely on the good things I've heard he says about them, I would really love to hear how a pair actually do sound.

One definite advantage of the 39x's is ability to change capsules.

And they are rugged as well. 

That didn't use to be the case with the asian capsules used in a slew of those cheaper condencer mics.
Things might have changed. Don't know.
Logged
CK91 ->sbm-1 ->M1
DIYomni -> M1

Offline Tim

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 32913
  • Gender: Male
Re: Interesting talk with Audio Upgrades
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2005, 11:15:35 PM »
Quote from: nickgregory on January 25, 2005, 04:50:44 PM
everyone has an opinion...mine, no mic, and I mean none of them in the $400 or less range touch the 39x series...

Nick bought my 391's from me a few years back!
Logged
I’ve had a few weird experiences and a few close brushes with total weirdness of one sort or another, but nothing that’s really freaked me out or made me feel too awful about it. - Jerry Garcia
Pages: [1] 2 3  All   Go Up
« previous next »
 

RSS | Mobile
Page created in 0.077 seconds with 39 queries.
© 2002-2024 Taperssection.com
Powered by SMF