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Author Topic: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon  (Read 877 times)

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gmatkin

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Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« on: September 23, 2018, 09:20:42 PM »

https://youtu.be/xeTe-RreeyI

I've collected a number of pairs of small-diaphragm condenser microphones over the years, and I thought a little shootout comparing them with a favourite melodeon might be useful.

The details are:

-Old Hohner D/G melodeon (tuned from C/F by Mike Rowbotham)
- Studio Projects C4 (cardioid capsule)
- Behringer B5 (cardioid capsule)
- Audio Technica AT813R
- Rode M5
- Rode M3

No compression, no eq, no reverb, recorded in an untreated room corner facing into the room with mics set up as spaced pairs, with a duvet hung behind chair (very much a home recording environment). Stereo moved slightly (30%) to centre.

Fred

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Re: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2018, 09:35:35 PM »

Very interesting test. Thanks for doing it.

Personally I prefer the sound of the Behringer, as is. It has a full body and it feels to me like you're playing right next to me.
Both Rodes felt to me like they were lacking in the mid range. Audio Technica had a clean sound, which would be perfect as a starting point for mixing and equalising, but out of the box something was missing to me. Studio Projects were a bit too heavy on the mids, making the recording imbalanced and a bit woolly (right word?).
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gmatkin

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Re: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2018, 09:57:12 PM »

I think it's very interesting.

I think they all, both cheaper and more expensive models, make a creditable job, which they should as a melodeon shouldn't be a big challenge.

The mics I liked least were the M5s.

Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2018, 10:36:26 PM »

Very interesting test. Thanks for doing it.

Personally I prefer the sound of the Behringer, as is. It has a full body and it feels to me like you're playing right next to me.
Both Rodes felt to me like they were lacking in the mid range. Audio Technica had a clean sound, which would be perfect as a starting point for mixing and equalising, but out of the box something was missing to me. Studio Projects were a bit too heavy on the mids, making the recording imbalanced and a bit woolly (right word?).

Interesting you like the Behringer best, considering it's probably the cheapest. I'm inclined to agree.
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

gmatkin

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Re: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2018, 11:02:36 PM »

If anyone decides to give the B5s a go, I should say that I used the 10dB pad - without the pad I've found they can go into distortion when used with a melodeon.

To be honest it took me years to learn that the pad helped so much, and made the mics so much more unable.

Used this way, the B5s are certainly better than their price might suggest.

I've also found the omni capsules very useful for recording sing's in pubs and small ensembles.

G

gmatkin

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Re: Five pairs of small diaphragm mics compared with a D/G melodeon
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2018, 11:21:43 PM »

The AT813Rs are probably the surprise of the bunch. One of them languished at the bottom of my gigging mic box for about 20 years without much use - I used it to mic acoustic guitars should the need arise, but more recently found it was a useful vocal mic - so when I saw one on eBay recently I nabbed it for £21, on the basis that it's a useful, versatile tool and that pairs are much more useful than one mic on its own. This was despite its relatively high noise, but that doesn't matter a lot if your instrument is as loud as as melodeon, and you're fairly close to the mic (ie, you're not recording a concert from the back of the hall),

I'd be prepared to bet that some of the other AT 813/31 models are available cheaply and that a pair might be a low cost way to get into recording melodeon. The current AT model based on the same body and head shell is proper spendy, however - Thomann has the AT8031 listed at a little less than £200/mic.

I would also say that using monitor speakers playing on Youtube, these mics sound much more similar to each other than they did on my monitor headphones listening to the recordings in Audacity.

Using the headphones the C4s were my favourites. There's /something/ about them that appeals to me, though what it is I don't know. It may just be a coloration I happen to like.

G
« Last Edit: September 24, 2018, 10:57:47 AM by gmatkin »
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