Micorphone Comparison

[Jeff Troxel]

Hello fellow flatpickers:

I'm going to be starting a new recording project sometime this winter and I've been wanting to audition some small diaphram condenser mics. I've owned several good ones over the years, but it occured to me that I've never owned them all at the same time to be able to do a real comparison. And a person can go crazy trying get any useful information by reading the recording threads - ask two recording engineers a question and you'll get three different opinions - no disrespect intended. I love you guys.

So my idea is to dedicate a future column to doing a mic shootout featuring small-diaphram, cardioid condenser mics. I put out the word to several manufacturers and have gotten commitments so far from Neumann, Mercenary Audio and DPA. AKG initially agreed, and then backed out after hearing who the competition is (or so it seems). I'm waiting to hear from Schoeps, Peluso, Josephson, Gefell and a couple of others.

My question to you all is - do any of you own these mics, and would you be willing to send one to me for a short recording session? It will be returned promptly with the proper insurance, and handled with extreme caution. Let me know what you think.

[Mark Parchment]

Jeff,

What are the couple of others? I'd love to see/hear the mic comparison, as well as read about the methods and equipment used to administer the test.

Mark P.

[Jeff Troxel]

Mark,
The experiment is coming along with great success. I've gotten comittments now from Schoeps, DPA, Mercenary Audio, Josephson, Neumann, Charter Oak and Peluso. I also have access to a shure SM81, and an AKG C391B. I'm still waiting to hear from Audio Technica, Gefell and Sennheiser. The problem has now become almost too many mics. But it's great to have these manufacturers be so willing to participate.

I'd love to get ahold of a vintage Neumann KM84, but I doubt that anyone would want to send one. I used to have a matched pair of them and it's a shame I let them go. The results of the mic comparison will appear in my column in FGM - I hope in the next issue.