I'm planning to buy a pair of condenser mics, mainly for drum overheads, but also for any other stereo source i need to record, mainly percussion. I've got 400 quid max. I've used AKG C1000s before (they sounded a little cold to me), and also the Rode NT1 I use for everything (Which sounds nice, but I only have one).

Obviously I can't buy another NT1, cos they won't be a pair, so does anyone have any recommendations or observations on affordable mics that are available in pairs?

Thanks, Mike.

Evolution e914



New model due this month - switchable bass roll-off and sensitivity for high sound pressure levels.

Or.....

The cheaper e614



Both designed for overheads - but the 914 is better and more versatile.

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...affordable mics that are available in pairs?

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Matched pairs are not necessary when bought from a quality manufacturer (eg: Sennheiser, Neumann, Schoeps, etc..) as the very tight manufacturing tolerances mean that any two are a pair.

Cheaper manufacturers with large manufacturing tolerances would need to specially match pairs.

NT5s?

Those look nice John, but I'm sure they won't satisfy my itch for the KM184's!!!

Any idea on a price yet on the e914? The e614's go for about US$200 each, but so far, no one seems to have any info on the e914's.

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James
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake" ~Napoleon Bonaparte~

Oktava MK012's. Cheap, excellent, and good on acoustic geetar too. Great on snare!

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www.inverseroom.com

Quote Doublehelix:

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Those look nice John, but I'm sure they won't satisfy my itch for the KM184's!!!

Any idea on a price yet on the e914? The e614's go for about US$200 each, but so far, no one seems to have any info on the e914's.

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Info is on the link I posted above.

Due to hit the shops this month (I hope).

Price is still to be fixed - I think the UK price will be around £250. but could be a bit more or less.

Sennheiser USA may be able to give you a price.

The e914 has a removeable mic. head - we are hoping that different polar-pattern options will be forthcoming in the future.

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John - Sound-Link ProAudio
President - Federation Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

A pair of Groove Tubes 33's would work very well indeed for...

230 quid. They're as useful to me as my 414's which cost the best part of a grand for the pair.

You could spend the rest of the budget on a couple of spare 57s. Or getting beered up.

J

Of mics sold boxed in matched pairs...

Bottom of the range SE1As... come with mic mounts and T Bar... £199 inc VAT list and you can have them on a sven day trial from Sonic Distriution... Results... not bad, I have a pair.

Top of the range KM184s... Euro1,111 inc VAT from Thomann - not T-bar but with mic mounts and very peachy... Results excellent.. have bid for two pairs on eBay and lost out both times...

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Google less; read more!

Or if you want to go even further up the range you can buy pretty much any type of mic in matched pairs. Schoeps, DPA, Neumann, AKG, Sonodore, Brauner, etc. etc. all sell matched stero pairs of mics.

How well matched they need to be for use as drum overheads is debatable. If the aim is to capture some kind of purist stereo recording of a drum kit in an ideal acoustic then fair enough, otherwise pretty much any two competently manufactured mics of the same type will suffice. (I wouldn't expect two off the shelf £100 mics to be particularly alike (though they're getting better and even then would probably be ok unless they're really very badly matched) but ime unless you're being really picky, most >£500 mics will be similar enough to each other for stereo use without getting specifically matched pairs.) If you don't want the expense of buying matched pairs, you could always try a load of single mics until you find two that are sufficently close to use together.

Quote John Willett:

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... The e914 has a removeable mic. head - we are hoping that different polar-pattern options will be forthcoming in the future.

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John,

How do these relate to the old E664 (K6/ME64)? Is this using the K6 system? And quality wise, do they compete?

Andrew

Quote Grim Audière:

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Quote John Willett:

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... The e914 has a removeable mic. head...

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How do these relate to the old E664 (K6/ME64)?

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The e914 is a totally new microphone and is not compatible with the K6 series in any way.

It is certainly heavier and more robust than the K6.

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John - Sound-Link ProAudio
President - Federation Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

Thanks John.

I guess I was just pondering whether Sennheiser see these as killiing off the old K6 series or whether they'll market them together.

But I guess that will be commerically sensitive so maybe I shouldn't ask

Interesting what you say about robustness. I never thought of the Me64/K6 (aka E664) as not "robust", though I have avoided using them in a West London classroom before now!

the e914 was designed as a stage mic. and the K6 series was designed as a PA mic.

But both are exellent low cost recording mics.

The bass-roll-off and pad switches on the 914 make it very versatile.

I have held it and had a quick listen, but not used it in anger - as only pre-producion samples were available up until now.

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John - Sound-Link ProAudio
President - Federation Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons