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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: Duncan on February 16, 2015, 02:12:19 PM
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Hi Experts
I've got the chance to buy a pair of Schoeps for a good price, What should I be wary of, are there things I can check to minimise the risk
Thanks
Duncan
Also how do you pronounce Schopes :-)
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Check this thread out: http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=100660.msg1340911#msg1340911 (http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=100660.msg1340911#msg1340911). Might help with your second question (audio from the man himself, if the link still works)...
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pronounced "Shehps"; the E is pronounced like the word "wet"
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You don't specify the specific gear, but here are a couple of thoughts to start...
- Assuming capsules are included in the purchase, you can email Germany to determine whether the capsules have been back for any reason. That may or may not influence your evaluation of the value of the capsules.
- If the gear is vintage, meaning it isn't in the current catalog, Schoeps may or may not still service the equipment if it needs repair. However, in general they service what they sell.
- In general, a pair of capsules that are sold with matching certificates when they are new cannot be assumed to still be matched if they are used.
- Nextel grey finish seems to be more popular and have a higher demand, though I personally prefer the nickel finish since IMHO it's less prone to degrade and show age over time.
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They are CCM5s described as hardly uses
My main worry is that they are not real Schoeps (I haven't even heard of forgeries) or they are damaged in some way that I can't see
Cheers
Duncan
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can you try before you buy? I'd want to assure a) that levels from capsule to capsule are relatively matched, b) that the pattern selection works as advertised and consistently between capsules, and c) that neither mic makes excessive/different noises when cables are being handled.
A "quick and dirty" way to accomplish would be to set up both mics so they are close-recording a speaker in a room -- each close to the other and both pointed @ the speaker. then record something being played from the speaker. Then, while recording (and monitoring the recording live with headphones), switch up the capsule settings on each mic and fiddle with the wires a bit -- assuming the mics sound identical and switch between patterns cleanly, this should, at least help confirm that the mics are balanced and not obviously messed up . . ..
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can you try before you buy? I'd want to assure a) that levels from capsule to capsule are relatively matched, b) that the pattern selection works as advertised and consistently between capsules, and c) that neither mic makes excessive/different noises when cables are being handled.
A "quick and dirty" way to accomplish would be to set up both mics so they are close-recording a speaker in a room -- each close to the other and both pointed @ the speaker. then record something being played from the speaker. Then, while recording (and monitoring the recording live with headphones), switch up the capsule settings on each mic and fiddle with the wires a bit -- assuming the mics sound identical and switch between patterns cleanly, this should, at least help confirm that the mics are balanced and not obviously messed up . . ..
Yes I'm defiantly going to insist on trying them before I hand over any cash and your suggested test sound good
Thanks
Duncan
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I can't imagine there's a way for someone to forge a CCM5. The capsules are switchable, so get your hands on them and do the suggested test and that should convince you. Good luck!
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I have probably bought more Schoeps gear of all vintages then any one else on this site. (Not counting DSatz :))
For CCM's just have the seller provide pictures and serial numbers. Send the serial numbers to Schoeps to get any repair history, original delivery dates, and to see if they have been flagged as stolen, etc
Chances are you should be ok.
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Thanks I'll do that
Duncan
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I have probably bought more Schoeps gear of all vintages then any one else on this site. (Not counting DSatz :))
For CCM's just have the seller provide pictures and serial numbers. Send the serial numbers to Schoeps to get any repair history, original delivery dates, and to see if they have been flagged as stolen, etc
Chances are you should be ok.
Can you point me to where exactly I email this info to? I poked around the site but wasn't sure where to direct my question.
I am looking to buy a pair of MK41s next month, possibly used, and would like to check the serial numbers of the MK41 lot Justin has at PSS in NY (i'm sure others may have the same inquiry). I'd prefer a new matched pair but would settle for a used matched pair if the history looks good.
Thanks!
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I have probably bought more Schoeps gear of all vintages then any one else on this site. (Not counting DSatz :) )
For CCM's just have the seller provide pictures and serial numbers. Send the serial numbers to Schoeps to get any repair history, original delivery dates, and to see if they have been flagged as stolen, etc
Chances are you should be ok.
Can you point me to where exactly I email this info to? I poked around the site but wasn't sure where to direct my question.
I am looking to buy a pair of MK41s next month, possibly used, and would like to check the serial numbers of the MK41 lot Justin has at PSS in NY (i'm sure others may have the same inquiry). I'd prefer a new matched pair but would settle for a used matched pair if the history looks good.
Thanks!
I think the email is:
service@schoeps.de
As I am at work I do not have it handy - I will check tonight to be sure - DSatz would know off the top of his head I am sure.
But should get a response buy filling out the contact form on Schoeps' website:
http://www.schoeps.de/en/contact_form
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I sent my request to Bernhard Vollmer at Schoeps, who responded promptly.
Bernhard Vollmer
Senior Customer Service & Quality Control
Phone +49-721-9432021
E-mail vollmer@schoeps.de
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One pitfall for me was I can't stop buying schoeps gear!! The wife loves that
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One pitfall for me was I can't stop buying schoeps gear!! The wife loves that
Cool, at least you know why she loves you. ;)
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pronounced "Shehps"; the E is pronounced like the word "wet"
Not picking nits here, just filling in some linguistic details for anyone interested.
In English yes, that is the accepted pronunciation. In German, no.
In German when you see either the letter a, o or u followed by the letter e then that "e" is a subsitute for the a, o or u with an umlaut (ä, ö or ü). So "Schoeps" is the same as "Schöps". The pronunciation in English rimes with "cups", so the way the Germans (should) pronounce it sounds like "Shups" in English. Strictly speaking :)
Regards, Christine
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So another potential pitfall of buying Schoeps is when one does not correctly pronounce the name and suffers countless embarrassing situations when asked, "what kind of mics are you running?"
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One pitfall for me was I can't stop buying schoeps gear!!
Yep. The Schoeps addition is painful, yet strangely satisfying.
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Christine is certainly right about "oe" being a respelling of "ö"--but I disagree strongly that "Schoeps" should ever rhyme with "cups," unless it's in a regional accent that I'm unfamiliar with. When people say something that sounds like "shepps" it isn't quite correct, but it's probably the closest you can get in standard American English.
I think this was covered in a thread a few years back, in which I posted a brief sound file of the late Dr. Schoeps saying his own last name. Someone else in that same thread, if I remember correctly, posted a nice explanation about how to form the proper sound from an American English perspective.
Back to the main topic, though: The main thing is that the CCM 5 is a current product, and the company has no problem servicing them and keeping them up to spec. Also, the fact that the CCM 5 (or its counterpart, the MK 5 capsule) has two patterns with mechanical switching doesn't make it more delicate or vulnerable, or likely to need service in a given set of field conditions, than the company's single-pattern capsules.
--best regards
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Christine is certainly right about "oe" being a respelling of "ö"--but I disagree strongly that "Schoeps" should ever rhyme with "cups," unless it's in a regional accent that I'm unfamiliar with. When people say something that sounds like "shepps" it isn't quite correct, but it's probably the closest you can get in standard American English.
But everything is mispronounced in American English. ;D ;)
I think the closest pronunciation in English is:- Sherps
Not quite right, but I think the closest - the "oe" or "ö", as I understand it, is trying to pronounce an "o" and "e" at the same time.
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Christine is certainly right about "oe" being a respelling of "ö"--but I disagree strongly that "Schoeps" should ever rhyme with "cups," unless it's in a regional accent that I'm unfamiliar with. When people say something that sounds like "shepps" it isn't quite correct, but it's probably the closest you can get in standard American English.
But everything is mispronounced in American English. ;D ;)
I think the closest pronunciation in English is:- Sherps
Not quite right, but I think the closest - the "oe" or "ö", as I understand it, is trying to pronounce an "o" and "e" at the same time.
That's what my English brother-in-law keeps telling me. I have been corrected about the proper pronunciation of "scone" any number of times. Clearly we in the colonies have some linguistic deficiencies.
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I think it would be a great idea if two or three of the more experienced Schoeps tapers were to put together a practical guide in the TS Knowledge base.
This would detail what cap options are out there, interconnects, preamps, bars for stands etc, and the relative benefits of each.
I realise some of this will be subjective (ie some of you prefer MK4s to MK41 and vice versa).
This would be of enormous help to those of us thinking of making the step up at some point in the future.
Cheers,
Humbug
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Maybe include rough costs of new and second hand gear, and if course a few photos.
Would probably reduce the number of questions on here too.
Way too many options to make a sensible guess at what for most of us will be the biggest investment in our hobby.
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I think it would be a great idea if two or three of the more experienced Schoeps tapers were to put together a practical guide in the TS Knowledge base.
This would detail what cap options are out there, interconnects, preamps, bars for stands etc, and the relative benefits of each.
I realise some of this will be subjective (ie some of you prefer MK4s to MK41 and vice versa).
This would be of enormous help to those of us thinking of making the step up at some point in the future.
The myriad "active" powering options are the part I just don't really get (but would like to have available). The Schoeps site itself it very good for going over the capsules and patterns (maybe not the subjective aspects but those aren't much different than any other discussion of preferences here).
if you're running them standard phantom there's little mystery to it.
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