Topic: Sonic Studios DSM-6 mic

[lushka]

Hey, fellow tapers:

Has anyone had experience with these mics? Are they worth the price they cost?

Thanks.

[china_rider]

I have them and love them.  You just need to make sure to pick the model that suits what you will be recording the best.

Dana

[Brian Skalinder]

I've not used the SS DSMs, but I've heard them, and my ears prefer the DPA 406x.

[poorlyconditioned]

I've not used the SS DSMs, but I've heard them, and my ears prefer the DPA 406x.

The problem is we're not told what mic capsules are in the DSMs.  I might take a chance on something like this, but for big money, I would like to buy a known product/capsule, such as DPA 406x or Sennheiser MKE2.  Or stick with "middle" money and use Audio Technica 853 or similar.

  Richard

[Church-Audio]

I've not used the SS DSMs, but I've heard them, and my ears prefer the DPA 406x.

The problem is we're not told what mic capsules are in the DSMs.  I might take a chance on something like this, but for big money, I would like to buy a known product/capsule, such as DPA 406x or Sennheiser MKE2.  Or stick with "middle" money and use Audio Technica 853 or similar.

  Richard

Richard ( RESPECTFULLY) I know allot of people don't like Guy around here but, to be honest, I don't think people know who uses what capsule. Ask AT what brand of capsules they use or Shure or any of the mid sized mic companies out there that can not afford to make there own, they will all say the same thing: We do not talk about what we use period. If they did I would be ordering them So its not fair to say just because we do not know what the DSM mics use that they are not as good as AT mics, because lets face it we do not know what AT uses ether.
Lets face it making mics is not rocket science take a good capsule in a good mic housing and you have a good mic design. Lets remember that Guy was awarded a Patent for his DSM design. Not to many mic companies get awarded a patent because lets face it, its all been done before Guy has a good design I like the way his mics sound. And I make mics for a living.

Chris Church

[poorlyconditioned]

I've not used the SS DSMs, but I've heard them, and my ears prefer the DPA 406x.

The problem is we're not told what mic capsules are in the DSMs.  I might take a chance on something like this, but for big money, I would like to buy a known product/capsule, such as DPA 406x or Sennheiser MKE2.  Or stick with "middle" money and use Audio Technica 853 or similar.

  Richard

Richard ( RESPECTFULLY) I know allot of people don't like Guy around here but, to be honest, I don't think people know who uses what capsule. Ask AT what brand of capsules they use or Shure or any of the mid sized mic companies out there that can not afford to make there own, they will all say the same thing: We do not talk about what we use period. If they did I would be ordering them So its not fair to say just because we do not know what the DSM mics use that they are not as good as AT mics, because lets face it we do not know what AT uses ether.
Lets face it making mics is not rocket science take a good capsule in a good mic housing and you have a good mic design. Lets remember that Guy was awarded a Patent for his DSM design. Not to many mic companies get awarded a patent because lets face it, its all been done before Guy has a good design I like the way his mics sound. And I make mics for a living.

Chris Church

Sure AT do not tell us what capsules they use, but they are essentially a commodity item and everyone knows how they sound.  I am just not willing to pay a lot of money for something I do not know about.  In contrast, if I buy from soundpros, or microphone madness, or even coresound, I know exactly what I am getting, even if it is a lowly Panasonic WM61A capsule.  (Edit to add: some vendors, like soundpros, have disclosed this info.  Others like core needed some searching/prying to find this information.)

That said, I appreciate that you and Guy are both very passionate about your gear, and provide great service.  And you guys are just much more fun to deal with.  I am willing to pay for great quality design, construction, and service.  But in the end it is my money.  I don't want to pay more than, say $200, unless I know exactly what those capsules are!  In the end I am an engineer, and I'm always thinking "could I build that".  The same goes for anything else, preamps, or whatever.  In addition to specs, I open it up and look at the circuitry, components, etc, before I make a decision to buy.

Hmm.  I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

  Richard

[Church-Audio]

I've not used the SS DSMs, but I've heard them, and my ears prefer the DPA 406x.

The problem is we're not told what mic capsules are in the DSMs.  I might take a chance on something like this, but for big money, I would like to buy a known product/capsule, such as DPA 406x or Sennheiser MKE2.  Or stick with "middle" money and use Audio Technica 853 or similar.

  Richard

Richard ( RESPECTFULLY) I know allot of people don't like Guy around here but, to be honest, I don't think people know who uses what capsule. Ask AT what brand of capsules they use or Shure or any of the mid sized mic companies out there that can not afford to make there own, they will all say the same thing: We do not talk about what we use period. If they did I would be ordering them So its not fair to say just because we do not know what the DSM mics use that they are not as good as AT mics, because lets face it we do not know what AT uses ether.
Lets face it making mics is not rocket science take a good capsule in a good mic housing and you have a good mic design. Lets remember that Guy was awarded a Patent for his DSM design. Not to many mic companies get awarded a patent because lets face it, its all been done before Guy has a good design I like the way his mics sound. And I make mics for a living.

Chris Church

Sure AT do not tell us what capsules they use, but they are essentially a commodity item and everyone knows how they sound.  I am just not willing to pay a lot of money for something I do not know about.  In contrast, if I buy from soundpros, or microphone madness, or even coresound, I know exactly what I am getting, even if it is a lowly Panasonic WM61A capsule.  (Edit to add: some vendors, like soundpros, have disclosed this info.  Others like core needed some searching/prying to find this information.)

That said, I appreciate that you and Guy are both very passionate about your gear, and provide great service.  And you guys are just much more fun to deal with.  I am willing to pay for great quality design, construction, and service.  But in the end it is my money.  I don't want to pay more than, say $200, unless I know exactly what those capsules are!  In the end I am an engineer, and I'm always thinking "could I build that".  The same goes for anything else, preamps, or whatever.  In addition to specs, I open it up and look at the circuitry, components, etc, before I make a decision to buy.

Hmm.  I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

  Richard

After your explanation your argument makes more sense, I was confused by the "we know what they use" statement. I understand where your coming from, In the case of the DSM not unlike my cardioid mics its more then what capsule we use, its how we change the capsule and how we modify the housing the holds the capsule that makes the mic sound the way they do. I just think that at one time Audio Technica was a nobody just like me, we all have to start somewhere. I guess I was just trying to say that one should not judge by what capsule one is using, but more by the sound of the mics the respective companies produce.

Chris Church

[lushka]

Hey, guys:

Thanks for the nice feedback. Guess I'll buy the Sonic Studios mics.