Topic: Stereo mic comparable to AT822 for $200 or less?

[stantheman1976]

Is there a decent stereo mic for $200 or less that compares to the AT822?  I was going to pick one up on eBay but Buy It Now disappeared and now I've been outbid.  So what else is there for me?

Edit:
I should mention whatever I buy is for use on a camcorder.

[digifish_music]

Is there a decent stereo mic for $200 or less that compares to the AT822?  I was going to pick one up on eBay but Buy It Now disappeared and now I've been outbid.  So what else is there for me?

Edit:
I should mention whatever I buy is for use on a camcorder.

There is the Rode Stereo Video Mic for $250 (comes with windjammer - dead kitten). I have the mono version, works well on-camera.

http://usa.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=StereoVideoMic

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=BpBzn69_DPU

digifish

[stantheman1976]

Yea, I have the Rode VM.  The Stereo VM is great but a few bucks too much for me at this moment.  Sound Pros has some 822's on sale for $200 right now.  I think I'm gonna pick it up from there.  I really have my heart set on one but if I can find something as good for near the same price I might consider it.

[stantheman1976]

How about the NADY-CM-2S?  It appears to be basically identical to the AT822.  Has the capsule config, frequency response, and even the same roll off switch.

[illconditioned]

Yea, I have the Rode VM.  The Stereo VM is great but a few bucks too much for me at this moment.  Sound Pros has some 822's on sale for $200 right now.  I think I'm gonna pick it up from there.  I really have my heart set on one but if I can find something as good for near the same price I might consider it.

I recommend that SoundPro's one.  This is a great price, and you'll always find a use for it.

I still love the sound, especially for acoustic stuff (nice and warm), and even better if I have a board feed to mix it with.  Be warned that you have to be up close to get good recordings from this mic.  If you use it at the back of the room, it will sound a bit muddy.  So, either get close, or have a board feed to mix with it.

  Richard

[stantheman1976]

I'm about to order the Nady.  From discussions and a couple samples I found it appears to be identical to the AT.

[illconditioned]

I'm about to order the Nady.  From discussions and a couple samples I found it appears to be identical to the AT.

Do you have a link for the Nady?

Personally, if the price is close, I might go for the AT822, unless I could prove that it was identical.  I just don't trust the clones using the same quality of capsules.

  Richard

[stantheman1976]

Here's a link from camcorderinfo message board discussing it:
http://camcorderinfo.com/bbs/t125864.html

I've dealt with King Ghidora on there and he's a good guy.  I have no reason not to trust his opinions.

Here's another thread with him and some more samples:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/bbs/showthread.php?p=203939

This has links to different reviews, questions about it:
http://www.retrevo.com/s/Nady-CM-2S-review-manual/id/866ci867/t/1-2/

[DSatz]

While the AT822 isn't exactly a world-class microphone, Audio-Technica is very serious about the technical quality of their products. They were making good microphones many years before the Chinese clone factories entered the market and started ripping off the designs (and in many cases, simply copying the spec sheet data even when their products didn't meet those specs) of other manufacturers.

So I'd be very surprised if Nady really offers anything that's the same as what A-T makes. It would defy common-sense economics for a high-quality manufacturer to do all the design and production, only to let themselves be undersold by a lower-prestige competitor. It would be profoundly self-destructive, in fact.

Even AKG, which now has many microphones built for them in Chinese factories, doesn't license their designs to other brands. But you can easily find identical-looking Chinese-made microphones with the same specifications being offered. You need to understand that what you see isn't necessarily what you get.

--best regards

[digifish_music]

While the AT822 isn't exactly a world-class microphone, Audio-Technica is very serious about the technical quality of their products. They were making good microphones many years before the Chinese clone factories entered the market and started ripping off the designs (and in many cases, simply copying the spec sheet data even when their products didn't meet those specs) of other manufacturers.

So I'd be very surprised if Nady really offers anything that's the same as what A-T makes. It would defy common-sense economics for a high-quality manufacturer to do all the design and production, only to let themselves be undersold by a lower-prestige competitor. It would be profoundly self-destructive, in fact.

Even AKG, which now has many microphones built for them in Chinese factories, doesn't license their designs to other brands. But you can easily find identical-looking Chinese-made microphones with the same specifications being offered. You need to understand that what you see isn't necessarily what you get.

--best regards

If the Chinese companies (or even German ones with Chinese manufacturing - look at Behringer) have reverse-engineered the AT or AKG mics they could indeed create something that sounds (essentially) identical and sell it for a fraction of the cost - since they have nowhere near the same operational overheads to recover (and didn't spend anything on R&D). I would have expected that AT would have a reasonable patent portfolio to cover people directly ripping off their designs...possibly not, I don't see a lot of patent activity mentioned in this area.

The truth is, there is still a huge margin on microphones that is not related to anything other than what the market will bear. Look what AT just did to the AT3032/31 series, painted it black, changed a couple of components in the internal electronics and jacked the cost by $299

Also witness the Rode NT1-A, a $199 mic that is up there with mics costing 10X its price. That's all about automation & volume in the manufacturing process. I really don't see a very obvious correlation with price and performance in the mic world. There is way too many psychological/subjective factors influencing perception - brand, price, design etc. 

digifish

[illconditioned]

While the AT822 isn't exactly a world-class microphone, Audio-Technica is very serious about the technical quality of their products. They were making good microphones many years before the Chinese clone factories entered the market and started ripping off the designs (and in many cases, simply copying the spec sheet data even when their products didn't meet those specs) of other manufacturers.

So I'd be very surprised if Nady really offers anything that's the same as what A-T makes. It would defy common-sense economics for a high-quality manufacturer to do all the design and production, only to let themselves be undersold by a lower-prestige competitor. It would be profoundly self-destructive, in fact.

Even AKG, which now has many microphones built for them in Chinese factories, doesn't license their designs to other brands. But you can easily find identical-looking Chinese-made microphones with the same specifications being offered. You need to understand that what you see isn't necessarily what you get.

--best regards

If the Chinese companies (or even German ones with Chinese manufacturing - look at Behringer) have reverse-engineered the AT or AKG mics they could indeed create something that sounds (essentially) identical and sell it for a fraction of the cost - since they have nowhere near the same operational overheads to recover. I would have expected that AT would have a reasonable patent portfolio to cover people directly ripping off their designs.

The truth is, there is still a huge margin on microphones that is not related to anything other than what the market will bear. Look what ST just did to the AT3032/31 series, painted it black, changed a couple of components in the internal electronics and jacked the cost by $299

There are some great Chinese knockoffs.  My favourite is Studio Projects C4.  But, overall, you have to watch quality control.  That is where SP got it right.  Have Chinese manufacture, but USA (I presume) quality control.

As far the AT line goes, I trust their capsules.  I've got a couple of AT822s and one AT825, and the capsules sound great.  I'm curious what capsules are inside AT3032/31.  I'm also curious what is in the Nady clone.

Basically, it would take a price reduction of 50% before I bought a no-name Chinese mic.

 Richard

PS: Can anyone say the sound quality of AT3031/32 vs. SP C4?  I have not tried the 303x.

[DSatz]

digifish, despite many efforts and some dubious claims, it is simply not possible to reproduce high-quality condenser microphones--particularly their capsules--through reverse engineering alone. That's no reflection on the abilities of Chinese engineers; it's true throughout the world.

[digifish_music]

digifish, despite many efforts and some dubious claims, it is simply not possible to reproduce high-quality condenser microphones--particularly their capsules--through reverse engineering alone. That's no reflection on the abilities of Chinese engineers; it's true throughout the world.

Ahh, yes but I don't think anyone is making claims that the AT822 is an idiosyncratic or esoteric sounding mic. It's just a nice pair of modern small diaphragm cards on a stick.

digifish

[illconditioned]

digifish, despite many efforts and some dubious claims, it is simply not possible to reproduce high-quality condenser microphones--particularly their capsules--through reverse engineering alone. That's no reflection on the abilities of Chinese engineers; it's true throughout the world.

Ahh, yes but I don't think anyone is making claims that the AT822 is an idiosyncratic or esoteric sounding mic. It's just a nice pair of modern small diaphragm cards on a stick.

digifish

The issue is the quality of those cardioid elements.  I've looked at them, and they are very good.  Not steller, but very good.  In fact, I doubt a modern version of this mic would even use the same quality capsules.

  Richard