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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 10:23:33 AM

Title: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 10:23:33 AM
I am looking for a replacement for my CA-11 mics.
I would like to get away from the Church Audio line for the same reasons as many others on TS.

I am searching for a card mic with FLAT response that is capable of accurately capturing LOUD shows.
As a fan of classic hard rock, I primarily capture bands such as Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, and Van Halen.

I am considering the Core Sound Stealthy Cardioid mics.
However, I have read feedback regarding Core Sound's customer service "issues" on the forum.
I am not looking to have another customer service experience similar to what I've experienced with Church Audio.

My mic budget is around $300.
I am planning to unload ALL of my Church gear once I get going with the new mic, so I should be able to recover the money spent on my new gear pretty quickly.

I am open to all options. I do not prefer one brand over another.

Any feedback would be appreciated!

Thank you!

Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: lsd2525 on May 11, 2018, 10:28:24 AM
AT853.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: heathen on May 11, 2018, 11:00:45 AM
I am planning to unload ALL of my Church gear once I get going with the new mic, so I should be able to recover the money spent on my new gear pretty quickly.

I don't know what Church gear you have, but if you've got one of his small battery boxes or preamps, you might consider holding on to those.  You can use them with several other small mics (like the AT853s mentioned above) that rely on plug in power.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 11:07:17 AM
Thanks for the advice. I have an Ugly 2 preamp and the 9200.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: heathen on May 11, 2018, 11:26:35 AM
Yeah I'd definitely keep those if I was you...unless you need to get rid of them to fund something else, of course  :shrug:
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 11:32:37 AM
I'll hang onto both preamps. Unlike the Church mics, they seem built to last.  ;D
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 11:47:35 AM
Could a mod please move this thread to the Microphones & Setup sub-forum?

Thank you!
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: beatkilla on May 11, 2018, 12:27:06 PM
AT853,AT933,AT943

These all sound great and with a 4.7k mod can handle anything.

CSC sound awful do not buy those .

Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 01:00:15 PM
How about these?

https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-CMC-4U

From what I've read, the low sensitivity option is a must for capturing rock shows.
Feedback would be appreciated. I'd like to make my selection by the end of next week.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: nulldogmas on May 11, 2018, 01:02:11 PM
How about these?

https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-CMC-4U

From what I've read, the low sensitivity option is a must for capturing rock shows.
Feedback would be appreciated. I'd like to make my selection by the end of next week.

That's the exact same mic as the AT853s, I am almost certain.

Also, seconded that the Core Sound low-cost cardioids are crap. I like their binaurals, though.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: beatkilla on May 11, 2018, 01:02:52 PM
How about these?

https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-CMC-4U

From what I've read, the low sensitivity option is a must for capturing rock shows.
Feedback would be appreciated. I'd like to make my selection by the end of next week.

The SP-CMC 4 are actually AT853 
The SP-CMC-8 are actually AT943

You can find these in the yard sale as well.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: opsopcopolis on May 11, 2018, 04:36:45 PM
AT853 would be my rec. That being said, I prefer the sound of the CA11s and mine have lasted me like 4 years at this point
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: nulldogmas on May 11, 2018, 04:50:34 PM
The AT853 is almost identical to CA-14 cards in my tests. Maybe just the slightest bit brighter on the top and bottom ends, but only if you squint your ears.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: robeti on May 11, 2018, 06:00:16 PM
1) Chopped Nakamichi cm-300's with cp1 caps. Beautiful sounding cardioid mic. Hard to beat in this price range. Not so small but super easy to stealth in a hat. My no.1 option. Vintage, but they pop up in the yardsale from time to time. 

2) at-853 / SP-CMC 4 (great built quality, interchangeable caps) Small, versatile, great mic. Probably the most comfortable option. I love mine and no matter how often I switch mics, these will always stay.

3) ca-14 cards. Made some of my best sounding recordings with these. Inexpensive. If you take care of them, they will last a long time.
    I never had any problems with the Church Audio mics I used (3 years). They are a bit fragile in terms of built quality but for their price they're absolutely amazing.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 06:00:49 PM
The AT853 is almost identical to CA-14 cards in my tests. Maybe just the slightest bit brighter on the top and bottom ends, but only if you squint your ears.

Thank you for the info. I have a fully functional CA-14 card that I have kept as a backup, since I use my CA-11's as my main mic.
Would there be any point in owning a AT853 card if I have the CA-14?


Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: robeti on May 11, 2018, 06:07:50 PM
The AT853 is almost identical to CA-14 cards in my tests. Maybe just the slightest bit brighter on the top and bottom ends, but only if you squint your ears.

Thank you for the info. I have a fully functional CA-14 card that I have kept as a backup, since I use my CA-11's as my main mic.
Would there be any point in owning a AT853 card if I have the CA-14?

In terms of sound quality: not really.

In terms of versatility and build-quality: definitely.

The SP-CMC 4's are very well constructed mics that allow you to switch caps.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 06:12:09 PM
The AT853 is almost identical to CA-14 cards in my tests. Maybe just the slightest bit brighter on the top and bottom ends, but only if you squint your ears.

Thank you for the info. I have a fully functional CA-14 card that I have kept as a backup, since I use my CA-11's as my main mic.
Would there be any point in owning a AT853 card if I have the CA-14?

In terms of sound quality: not really.

In terms of versatility and build-quality: definitely.

The SP-CMC 4's are very well constructed mics that allow you to switch caps.

I found the CA-14s to be too dark.
I was looking for something bright and clear like the CA-11s...
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: robeti on May 11, 2018, 06:13:31 PM
I'd say keep the ca-14's as a backup and buy a set of SP-CMC 4's as your main rig.

I always preferred the sound of the ca-14 cards over the ca-11 cards.
(I like the ca-11 omnis better than the ca-14 omnis though.) 

edit: just found out about your post of finding the ca-14's too dark.
Well, that's easy to fix in post with a bith of EQ-ing.

(I always found the ca-11 too bright)
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: rockphantom on May 11, 2018, 06:20:37 PM
I'd say keep the ca-14's as a backup and buy a set of SP-CMC 4's as your main rig.

I always preferred the sound of the ca-14 cards over the ca-11 cards.
(I like the ca-11 omnis better than the ca-14 omnis though.) 

edit: just found out about your post of finding the ca-14's too dark.
Well, that's easy to fix in post with a bith of EQ-ing.

(I always found the ca-11 too bright)

Ideally, I would like a mic that sounds like the CA-11. A flat sounding mic that is hat mountable, small, built to last, and has strong customer support behind it.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: robeti on May 11, 2018, 06:28:59 PM
FWIW I recently bought some Church-Audio gear and I was really happy with the service. Items arrived on time and communication was perfect.

If you're happy with your ca-11's and are looking for something else only bc of the service and build-quality I'd say: buy another set of ca-11's as a backup and you're good to go for years and years to come.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: nulldogmas on May 12, 2018, 08:15:42 AM
The AT853s are maybe marginally brighter than the CA-14 cards, but not significantly so. I don't have experience with the CA-11s to know how they compare to those.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: Papaphunk on September 25, 2018, 02:23:24 PM
How about these?

https://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-CMC-4U

From what I've read, the low sensitivity option is a must for capturing rock shows.
Feedback would be appreciated. I'd like to make my selection by the end of next week.

The SP-CMC 4 are actually AT853 
The SP-CMC-8 are actually AT943

You can find these in the yard sale as well.

Interesting thread, was poking around looking into other options to my current CA-11 Omni's and CA-14 Cards. These have dropped to $200 in the SP ad.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: nulldogmas on September 25, 2018, 03:57:57 PM

The SP-CMC 4 are actually AT853 
The SP-CMC-8 are actually AT943

You can find these in the yard sale as well.

Interesting thread, was poking around looking into other options to my current CA-11 Omni's and CA-14 Cards. These have dropped to $200 in the SP ad.

$244 with the low-sens option, which you'll want. Still well worth the price, though — very similar to the CA-14 cards in sound profile, but more sturdy.
Title: Re: Suggestions Needed for CA-11 Card Replacement
Post by: robeti on September 25, 2018, 04:46:20 PM

The SP-CMC 4 are actually AT853 
The SP-CMC-8 are actually AT943

You can find these in the yard sale as well.

Interesting thread, was poking around looking into other options to my current CA-11 Omni's and CA-14 Cards. These have dropped to $200 in the SP ad.

$244 with the low-sens option, which you'll want. Still well worth the price, though — very similar to the CA-14 cards in sound profile, but more sturdy.

More sturdy indeed. Plus interchangeable caps. I know they are not that popular here, but I love my at-853 hyper cardioid caps. They saved me more than once when I taped in a muddy sounding room.
Also, the sub cardioid caps are amazing. But being able to get them is another story of course.