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Below are comparisons of five microphones made during an outdoor concert (from the same position). The playing is what it is. Your feedback on the mics is invited.

- THIS IS AN OUTDOOR CONCERT. YOU WILL HEAR WIND GUSTS.

- THIS IS AN OUTDOOR CONCERT. YOU WILL HEAR CROWD NOISE.

Links to FLAC files:

http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/1.flac
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/2.flac
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/3.flac
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/4.flac
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/5.flac

Links to wav files:

http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/1.wav
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/2.wav
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/3.wav
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/4.wav
http://www.miclisteningroom.org/test/5.wav

Anybody?

5 is much more pleasing to my ears
3 is pretty decent, but well below 5
4 is shrill and lacks bass, but it sounds better to me than
1 and 2 are shrill and bass distorted

interested in the brands and models

I couldn't hear any distortion, just some wind noise, and I agree that 3 sounded nice it was my favorite, but they are hard to compare. I am interested to see of you have eliminated the wind noise problem, because sometimes at a show it's really bad and one windscreen wont do but you don't want to totally muffle it. I was thinking of bringing some foam to put outside of the mics blocking the wind if needed. Ever double up on screens or use a wind blocker on a seperate stand??

Thanks for taking time to make a cool post. Give me some time and I'll guess each mic.

are all of these mics the same polar pattern? you say same location, does that mean same stand, same vertical placement, etc?
was the same phantom/pre/ad used for all mics?

Quote from: nic on July 30, 2009, 11:23:56 AM
are all of these mics the same polar pattern? you say same location, does that mean same stand, same vertical placement, etc?
was the same phantom/pre/ad used for all mics?

I'll pass on the polar pattern question for now, but yes, same stand, horizontal and vertical placement, etc. Re wind noise: the wind was a bit unexpected and I didn't use windscreens so as not to affect the timbre of the mics for this test.

The mics will be revealed after chrisnubar guesses them all  ;)

Anyone else?

ok, i am going to look dumb:
1. nakamichi 100's
2. nakamichi 700's
3. sounds like a larger diaphragm maybe omni too I'm guessing Neumann
4. Shure SM57
5. Shoeps ORTF

Thanks!

Quote from: chrisnubar on July 30, 2009, 08:27:10 PM
ok, i am going to look dumb:
1. nakamichi 100's
2. nakamichi 700's
3. sounds like a larger diaphragm maybe omni too I'm guessing Neumann
4. Shure SM57
5. Shoeps ORTF

We could have some fun with this before I reveal the mics  ;D

Wrong on all counts! I am shocked that you think #5 is a Schoeps, just shocked! Wait until you find out what it really is! I am also quite surprised that you think #3 might be a Neumann.

One of them is a very well-known mic that's been around for years and years and is still quite popular today.

One of them is a popular mic with the Guitar Center crowd.

One of them is an unlikely choice.

It is a mixture of condensers and dynamics, omnis and cards. If anyone can guess which are the condensers and dynamics and which are the omnis and cards, you're doing pretty well.

I had high hopes for #3 but it makes the tympani sound thunderous. This is an issue I have brought up with the conductor as the tymp sound that way in real life, but the conductor doesn't seem inclined to deal with it. Her call.

Enough suspense!

#1 - Shure KSM109

#2 - MXL990 with capacitor modification

#3 - Sennheiser MD421

#4 - Shure SM63

#5 - Shure SM63 through Voxengo CurveEQ with curve approximating SM63 published frequency response curve.

Thanks to those  who voted.