Taperssection.com

Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: thunderbolt on June 16, 2011, 12:14:31 PM

Title: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: thunderbolt on June 16, 2011, 12:14:31 PM

I'm interested in this mic (over the AT 4050ST) because of its ability to do Blumlein (has rotating capsules, omni, card, or fig. 8).  It's been out for a few years. 

I've seen a few comments here and there (e.g. Gear Slutz) from folks who rave about it.  Does anyone here own or have experience with this mic?  Despite its price ($600) and lineage (Chinese clone), it looks to be a potential giant killer.  I'd be recording classical and largely acoustic instruments with it.

TIA.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: SmokinJoe on June 17, 2011, 01:17:06 PM

I haven't owned or tried one.  It looks pretty similar to the LSD2 or a Busman mic (can't remember the model name).  There are a lot of LSD2 and a few Busman tapes on the archive, so those are a bit more of a known entity.  I'd be tempted to go with the known entity rather than venture into the unknown, but that's just my conservative approach.

I liked the way my LSD2 sounded.  It's just that I used to get confused on my orientation and accidentally point the damn thing towards the bar rather than towards the stage, usually when I hung it upside down, running mid/side, and was drinking a lot.  I think that last item was the real problem, but it was easier to blame the mic.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: thunderbolt on June 18, 2011, 10:51:17 AM

Interesting.  I read a review that said that although the Avantone and LSD2 looked nearly identical, the components were different and they had different frequency response curves.  Thanks for sharing your experience.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: notlance on June 18, 2011, 11:37:39 AM

Yes, I know you asked about the CK40, but if you are in the market for a mic like that, I urge you to consider the Busman version:

http://www.busmanaudio.com/bscs_l.html (http://www.busmanaudio.com/bscs_l.html)

At least it would be worthwhile to talk to Chris Johnson at Busman about the CK40/LSD2/BSCS-L type mics since he obviously has experience with them.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: thunderbolt on June 19, 2011, 11:50:40 AM

Thanks!

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: dogmusic on July 05, 2011, 08:27:27 AM

Quote from: thunderbolt on June 16, 2011, 12:14:31 PM

I'm interested in this mic (over the AT 4050ST) because of its ability to do Blumlein (has rotating capsules, omni, card, or fig. 8).  It's been out for a few years. 

I've seen a few comments here and there (e.g. Gear Slutz) from folks who rave about it.  Does anyone here own or have experience with this mic?  Despite its price ($600) and lineage (Chinese clone), it looks to be a potential giant killer.  I'd be recording classical and largely acoustic instruments with it.

TIA.

Aside from its ability to do Blumlein, any opinions about the CK-40's quality vs the AT4050ST? The refurbished AT's are around the same price now as the CK-40.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: bryonsos on July 12, 2011, 04:00:25 PM

I don't have a CK-40, I went with a pair of CK-1s recently based upon the Team Avantone thread:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=83637.0

I'm sure you can find CK-40 reviews and samples there.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: dogmusic on July 13, 2011, 08:37:40 AM

Quote from: bryonsos on July 12, 2011, 04:00:25 PM

I don't have a CK-40, I went with a pair of CK-1s recently based upon the Team Avantone thread:

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=83637.0

I'm sure you can find CK-40 reviews and samples there.

Thanks, I already did a search on the whole forum and didn't turn up much info. I checked again just now and didn't turn up anything more.

But the CK-1 seems to be well-loved!

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: jbell on July 13, 2011, 09:05:53 AM

Blindman on this board has one listed in his signature line!!! You might want to drop him a pm I don't think he is very active on the board

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: bryonsos on July 13, 2011, 09:47:53 AM

Found this from Blindman. Not sure if the links work (I'm at work):

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=94719.msg1261534#msg1261534

After I posted yesterday, I searched LMA, and I was surprised that nobody has uploaded anything with them!

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: dogmusic on July 13, 2011, 11:29:26 AM

Quote from: bryonsos on July 13, 2011, 09:47:53 AM

Found this from Blindman. Not sure if the links work (I'm at work):

http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=94719.msg1261534#msg1261534

After I posted yesterday, I searched LMA, and I was surprised that nobody has uploaded anything with them!

Thanks for that, but the links don't work. And they apparently didn't work at the time they were posted either.

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: bryonsos on July 13, 2011, 11:50:01 AM

Sorry for the dead links! I guess you'll have to "suffer" and try the Busman BSCS-1  :D

http://www.busmanaudio.com/bscs_l.html

The good news is they're on sale!

Title: Re: Avantone CK40 opinions/experience?
Post by: dogmusic on July 13, 2011, 01:42:56 PM

Quote from: bryonsos on July 13, 2011, 11:50:01 AM

Sorry for the dead links! I guess you'll have to "suffer" and try the Busman BSCS-1  :D

http://www.busmanaudio.com/bscs_l.html

The good news is they're on sale!

So they are! Thanks for the heads up.