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Thread: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

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    Default pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    Here is what a fine dual source system sounds like compared to a high end studio condenser microphone. I took my well worn Collings MF5 equipped with a K&K pickup / DPA 4061 attached mic and a Schopes MK4 small diaphragm condenser microphone for a short comparison.

    https://youtu.be/cbcveVqJWo8

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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    Love it man!!

    The Schoeps is my hands down favorite sound for acoustic guitar; sounds great w/ your mando. Pleasantly surprised by the blended signal- was it hard to get it phase aligned or was it good as is?

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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Infield View Post
    Love it man!!

    The Schoeps is my hands down favorite sound for acoustic guitar; sounds great w/ your mando. Pleasantly surprised by the blended signal- was it hard to get it phase aligned or was it good as is?
    Hey,
    thank you very much - glad you like it !
    Oh yes, the Schoeps is such great mike, no doubt. Love it like I love my old KM84s. Often hard to decide cause both mikes are so great on guitar, mandolin ... but: No complaints on that level.
    Phase was good as it is - I didn't do anything.
    Cheers, Bob
    Ellis F5 Special Deluxe custom
    Anton Krutz F5
    Lawrence Smart H 5 Mandola
    Gibson K 2 Mandocello
    Northfield mahogany arch top Octave Mandolin

    guitars, banjo, dobro, weissenborn, pedal steel, fretless bass, upright bass

  5. #4
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    pickup senses sound board vibrations , loud pub gig ? that may be OK.
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    Wonder what that mandolin sounds like thru a external mic. Both tests sounded thin or trebley ( is there such a word) to me. Sustain is unnatural also. If you’ve ever picked a guitar thrower up with your ear against the body, you know that takes away the depth of the instrument. I think a mounted mic does the same thing. A ribbon mic is my preference for about any acoustic instrument.JMHO

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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandoplumb View Post
    Wonder what that mandolin sounds like thru a external mic. Both tests sounded thin or trebley ( is there such a word) to me. Sustain is unnatural also. If you’ve ever picked a guitar thrower up with your ear against the body, you know that takes away the depth of the instrument. I think a mounted mic does the same thing. A ribbon mic is my preference for about any acoustic instrument.JMHO
    Hey,
    thanks for your contribution - some questions ...
    There is an external microphone in this comparison - maybe you missed it. And can you explain what you mean by saying "sustain is unnatural" ? What is the unnatural part of sustain ? And the mounted mic used here is an omnidirectional, so it picks up sound from every direction while being free of any proximity effect. That's why I prefer the DPA 4061 over any other clip on mic. So it's not like "ear against the body".
    Yes, a bit bright to my ears as well - brand new strings on mandolin here, not my preference. And yes, I love a ribbon mic on mandolin. But it colours the sound of the instrument much more then a decent condenser mic. The Schoeps I used in the vid is very true sounding, which makes it my first choice for vids like that, where listeners should get a detailed impression of the instrument. When recording I often chose a ribbon.
    Ellis F5 Special Deluxe custom
    Anton Krutz F5
    Lawrence Smart H 5 Mandola
    Gibson K 2 Mandocello
    Northfield mahogany arch top Octave Mandolin

    guitars, banjo, dobro, weissenborn, pedal steel, fretless bass, upright bass

  8. #7
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: pickup/mic vs. studio condenser microphone on a Collings MF 5

    short string @ high pitch fades pretty quickly.. Physics..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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