Small Diaphram Condenser Mics

[mandofiddle]

Hi Folks,
I need some advice on small diaphram condenser mics. My band has decided that we want to play as many shows as possible with instrument mics instead of being plugged in, because obviously, the acoustic sound just is not represented right when plugged in. Because of the type of music we're playing (jamgrass, contemporary original bluegrass) we can't really make a 1 mic setup work, as their are different musical textures going on between instruments at any given time, and breaks get passed regularly in no particular order at certain points in songs, etc...

Anyhow, we're looking into 3 small diaphram condenser mics to mic the instruments separately. 1 for fiddle, mando and guitar. We have about $900 to spend. Any good recommendations for mics in that price range?

Thanks folks!

[Ken Sager]

If you're playing in a loud setting I wouldn't recommend a condenser mic for instruments. Instead I'd go with Shure SM57s or Shure Beta57s. Much less likely to feedback and the sound quality is great for live use.

That said, I've used the Octava M012 ($50-99) and AKG C1000S ($150-200) with great success. Some folks on this board don't care for the AGK as they can be quite bright, but I like them. Conversely, I've found the Octavas to be fairly dark sounding and add depth to higher instruments like mando and fiddle.

Good luck,
Ken

[Fuzzyway]

I agree with everything Ken wrote regarding the AKG C1000. #Great all around stage mic, but some people don't like the upper mid boost this mic has.

Another mic you might want to consider is the Audio Technica 4041. #Small, fast, and pretty much flat all the way through the frequencies. #I like this mic a lot. #Should be able to find it in the $250--300 range new.

Note you would need external phantom power for the 4041. The C1000 can be powered with an internal battery.

Best, fuzzy

[steve in tampa]

I have an AKG C1000, and it was the best bang for the buck in the store when I bought it a coiuple of years ago. Sometimes you can find them on special for 2 for 300.

[Bradley]

I am a big fan of the Audio Technica Pro 37R....I have tried the C1000 and the Shures but like it better.Its one of them things you'll have to decide on....

They sell for about $120 each.

Good luck in your search

[pathfinder]

I like the Shure KSM-137. I have three of them. About $200 to $225 each. Sometimes even less if you do a search on eBay.

[WJF]

I have two for you .... one at each end of the price spectrum ...

If you can afford it, the Neumann KM-184 is hard to beat (it's my personal "gold standard " ... I really love them) They're priced in the 6-700 dollar range.

At the polar opposite end of the price spectrum is the MXL-603 (Marshall Electronics). Nice flat response, no coloration a truly nice mic that compares favorably with those costing many times as much! The MXL-603 sells for around 60 dollars or so ... a steal for the quality you get.

Hope this helps ...

Wayne

[Mando Medic]

Mandofiddle, Were you asking for mount on board the instrument microphones? Somehow I thought that's what you were asking. If so, my choice would be either Countryman or the Joe Mills. Kenc

[steve V. johnson]

Since the mention of mounting on-board has come up, I'll tell a little tale. I have some AT35x Pro clip-on condensors that I use in the studio. I first heard them on a fiddle in an Irish trad band at a festival and the fiddle sounded great. I got a deal on several of them, well under $100 each. Our fiddler uses one now, and it works great for him. He clips it onto the chinrest of the fiddle, but I'm not sure how one would put it on a mando, I've not tried it.

Anyway, these use phantom power (from the PA board, for us) and are pretty feedback-resistant and do a real accurate reproduction of the instrument tone.

fwiw... <G>

stv

[Doug Edwards]

We use Octava CA012 & KA012's with good success. One draw back with the condensors is they can be too hot and pick up other instruments (like the bass). The musician should use them like a close mic and not stray too far away. The AT PRO 37 are good mic and seem to be a hotter mic than the Ocatava. Both are reasonably priced.

[mandofiddle]

No, I'm not asking about on-board mics. I actually already have a Joe Mills on my mando along with a piezo. I've heard a few recommendations for the AT PRO 37 mics. Does anybody have any negative experiences with those? What about sound coloration? Do they tend to be brighter, darker, or pretty true tonewise?

One of the reasons we are going to the condensers is because we have been having sort of a "wall of sound" issue when we plug in. If you're loud enough on the mixer to be heard when you play a light solo, then you REALLY have to play your chops as light as possible during rhythm as to not whomp the sound levels. I played around with a volume pedal, with limited success... We want to have better control over our dynamics by being able to move away from the mic on rhythm and such. That, and mic'd acoustic instruments sound way better imho than plugged in ones.

A friend did tell me to check out Mtn Heart's setup, since they all have on-board wireless mics. One thing they have though that we don't, is a dedicated soundman that knows all the break orders and arrangments of tunes. Our fiddle player watched their soundman during Rockygrass, and said he was working as hard as the band and constantly turning people up and down based on their parts in the songs. That ain't gonna happen in my group for QUITE a while http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Thanks for the recommendations folks! Keep em' coming...

[Pete Martin]

Having used the AKG C1000, the Neuman KM184 and the Shure KSM 137 for both mando and fiddle, I'll endorse the Shure. Way more gain, the 2 position bass roll off switch can very much help with proximity effect and is also very useful on Martin guitars. I got a matched pair for $400.00. Unmatched should be about $50.00 less.:D

[mandofiddle]

Hey Pete, where did you find the Shure's for $400? The cheapest I can find is a matched pair for $600...

[Pete Martin]

Got them at Pacific Pro Audio in Seattle when they first came out. I would also keep an eye on Ebay as they show up there for way under 600.

[Pete Martin]

The MXL-603 can be a very good deal, but listen to them before buying. The quality control on these is loose and the sound can be great or lousy. If you buy them from reputable pro audio delears they cost more, but these dealers send back they lousy ones. Same with the Octavas.

[mandroid]

Rode Nt 5 seem just fine, come as a pair. aussie factory is fairly automated , so with consistent specs, matching is just shipping sequential serial numbers. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Luthier Vandross]

AKG 451, with a CK-1 (cardioid) module, hands down, no better mic for acoustic instruments.

If you get a CK-5 (omni) module with it, you will have everything needed for live, and recording, and you can tell them you brought your own. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


M

[Tbone]

Dave-

Yea, you should check out mountain heart. Their live sound is KILLER. All through their set at rockygrass, they kept mentioning some Mic company right there in Lyons. I'm going to email them and find out what they were talking about. They also all have wireless transmitters, which would be killer.

[mandofiddle]

DPA is the mic brand they use.

www.dpamicrophones.com

DPA Microphones, Inc.
691 Gray Mountain Drive
Lyons, CO 80540
USA
Telephone: +1 303 823 8878

Att.: Bruce Myers
Email: info-usa@dpamicrophones.com

Apparently DPA is a company in Denmark. The place in Lyons is a distributor...?

[mandofiddle]

Oh yeah, and Terry. Are you offering to run the board for us for every show? And learning exactly what are arrangements are for each tune so you can work the levels? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Tbone]

I alredy know half of them anyways!

[dasspunk]

I highly recommend the Oktava MC012...