Topic: Josephson C42 Opinions

[Jamos]

I just purchased a matched pair of these mics.  I've heard and used them before, but not extensively.

Just wondering what people's opinions/experience with them is.
I'll be using them for a variety of applications...from concerts to nature recording to instruments in the studio.
Their high boost helps with clarity on lots of recordings, IMO.

In the field, I'm planning on running them into a Fostex FR-2LE, possibly with a Sound Devices MP-2 in the middle.

thanks,
/james

[svenkid]

the c42s were my first pair of mics, used to pull sweet onstage recordings with them. Farther back 10-20 feet from stage, pulled some nice tapes too. Theyre small sturdy mics that are relatively cheap. Ultimately sold them though because I wanted some tighter club mics like some mbho hyper action.

[BobW]

I always have liked what I've heard from them.
IMHO, the low-end is more accurate than the KM184s...some folks will disgree, but that's what I hear.

+ for new toys

[ArchivalAudio]

hey
Jmos

how do you like your Josephson C42's?

much field use yet?

thanx

[mblindsey]

Here are some examples from my pair.  I like them.

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=mblindsey%20AND%20mediatype%3Aetree%20AND%20collection%3Aetree

[momule]

These will more than likely be my next pair of mics.
Love there size and sound both.  Looking to go C42 > phatcables > (vintage) R-4 

[bgalizio]

I really like the sound of the C42s, Beyer MC930s and the Peluso CEMC6. I went with the Pelusos because I liked the interchangeable cap options. If not for that, it would have been a coin toss between those mics. Just depends on what flavor you're looking for!

[Chilly Brioschi]

I've always liked what I have heard, but the MBHO440s are close, although maybe brighter.

I think a vintage or warm mod would be perfect with them.
I had a favorite recording of Sam Bush that I think was C42>>warmUA-5>>JB3...must dig in the library

[momule]

wouldn't mind hearing that if ya find it.

[carlbeck]

I am not familiar with the Josephson sound but I did have a SD MixPre(the newest version of the MP-2). What I will say about the MixPre & what ultimately led to me selling it is that it can be bright with some microphones. I was told it was a "dark" sounding pre & it was not at all. I really liked it but it made the high end on my recordings sound way too tizzy for my tastes so I would be cautious if your microphones are bright. Otherwise it was a bomber unit, sounded incredible on every other aspect of my recordings & I loved everything about it, with darker sounding microphones it is a killer pre IMO.

[Brian]

i ran c42 > v2 > 722 and it was awfully bright.  i sold my pair of c42s after 2 or 3 shows.  they sounded great on acoustic instruments in the studio, but i couldn't justify keeping them.  for taping, i'd pair them up with a warm pre/ad combo.

[stevetoney]

I owned 184's and listened to 42's and really REALLY liked what I heard.  I agree with people that say they sound quite alot alike.  That said, I also had a SD MP-2 and I can say for my own personal tastes that I thought the 184 and MP-2 were a pretty poor match...but that's just me.  
Here's my reasoning...the wonderful thing about the 184's and I think also the C-42's is how clean and clear the bass rings through.  I feel like I can actually hear the string vibrate on the recordings I made with the 184's.  My experience with my MP-2 was that the MP-2 took AWAY detail in that same frequency range and kinda muddied those frequencies up.  So, to my ears, the MP-2 negates the very essense of what makes the 184's and C-42's such great sounding mics.  

In my experience, MP-2 users like the pre-amp for the fact that it is a 'go-to' preamp for warming up the sound and I agree with that, but I think you sacrifice low end detail in the process and that is NOT something I was happy with in my setup.  Besides, warmth is not really something that these mics need.  So, I'd personally DEF leave the MP-2 home in favor of something that will give you a clean transparent low end.  

Having said all of this, I do want to say again that this was all based on my conclusions from running 184's...I've never owned the C-42's.  

So just another opinion.

[udo]

SD Mixpre and C-42s were my first set for the exact same thing (nature and studio recording). A sound engineer let me compare a few mic's in the price range of my budget at that time (Akg blue line etc.) and I preferred the C-42 to all of them, especially in ortf. I sold them when I had less time for recording and got the C4s from studio projects, and have to say that the Josephon Cardioids were far better (but the C4 omnis are really great, though).  I thought once I have more time I would scramble together the additional 400-500 Dollars and get a set of Akg C414s.
Enjoy them!