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Post by drbill on May 13, 2023 21:54:59 GMT -6
Hard to imagine a good 84 clone not sounding killer on Snare....
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Post by recordingengineer on May 14, 2023 0:48:15 GMT -6
So you didnt like the Serrano 84’s? I quite dig mine. It’s not that I didn’t like it. It just sounded broken. Either I did something wrong or at least one of my pair are broken. Changed it out for the SM-81 and moved-on. By end of this coming week I’ll finally find out if I or it was the problem. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 14, 2023 20:00:53 GMT -6
So you didnt like the Serrano 84’s? I quite dig mine. It’s not that I didn’t like it. It just sounded broken. Either I did something wrong or at least one of my pair are broken. Changed it out for the SM-81 and moved-on. By end of this coming week I’ll finally find out if I or it was the problem. If you really know how to use an SM81 it’s really hard to beat. Many poo poo it, it’s not sexy but few mics are as flat. |
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Post by recordingengineer on May 14, 2023 23:14:56 GMT -6
Actually wish I could find an SM-80… Seems impossible!
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Post by EmRR on May 15, 2023 7:11:20 GMT -6
I need to try an SM81 again, last time I saw one was when I sold some (after getting KM140’s) in the late ‘90’s. The omni capsule would be cool too, I see Shure says they sold less than 20 a year, so….unobtainium.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 15, 2023 9:08:17 GMT -6
Actually wish I could find an SM-80… Seems impossible! I actually sold the very very last 2 in Shure’s warehouse! |
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Post by ab101 on May 15, 2023 9:43:29 GMT -6
Actually wish I could find an SM-80… Seems impossible! I actually sold the very very last 2 in Shure’s warehouse! Eric - was/is the VP88 like having two SM81 mics? How so or not? Thanks! |
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Post by plinker on May 15, 2023 10:28:51 GMT -6
The noise spec on the SM81 is 16dB while the VP88 is 24dB -- ewww...no thanks  |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 15, 2023 11:02:07 GMT -6
I actually sold the very very last 2 in Shure’s warehouse! Eric - was/is the VP88 like having two SM81 mics? How so or not? Thanks! The 88 has a different tone, a bit of HF lift and the LF isn’t quite as defined ( harder to define pitch) than a pair of 81s. That said short of a mega buck stereo mic, it’s a damn nice point and run stereo mic, that being a VP series was more aimed at Video production than audio guys. |
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Post by Omicron9 on May 15, 2023 11:07:41 GMT -6
If you really know how to use an SM81 it’s really hard to beat. Many poo poo it, it’s not sexy but few mics are as flat. The plussiest of plus 1s to this. I love 81s and use them on various things. One of my favorite instrument mics, but I never seem to hear anyone else discussing/using them. If you determine sexiness by the greatness of a mic, then I think they're sexy. If sexy = vintage/rare/super expensive, then no. I have a few 81s and a few AKG C-460-B, and when I need something flat/natural, I usually choose an 81 over a 460. Not trying to disparage the 460; also a great mic. -09 |
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rpc
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Post by rpc on May 15, 2023 15:03:53 GMT -6
Actually wish I could find an SM-80… Seems impossible! I actually sold the very very last 2 in Shure’s warehouse! I ordered two R104As (the omni capsule) from Full Compass way back when. The capsules arrived drop shipped from Shure, then the next day my rep called and said Shure was sold out forever. Close call. (Still have them!) |
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Post by recordingengineer on May 15, 2023 15:18:45 GMT -6
Ah you can give one up, can’t you? 😜
Seems like while Neumann should be rereleasing the KM-84, Shure should be rereleasing the SM-80… I bet we here would buy 20 over a year! 🥹
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 15, 2023 17:40:44 GMT -6
I actually sold the very very last 2 in Shure’s warehouse! I ordered two R104As (the omni capsule) from Full Compass way back when. The capsules arrived drop shipped from Shure, then the next day my rep called and said Shure was sold out forever. Close call. (Still have them!) Are you Shure it wasn’t me😁 seriously the last pair wasn’t really from inventory, they were from parts, Shure had not officially DC’ed them and I called my rep, and Randy moved heaven and earth to get my client a pair. This is why Randy had the Sunbeam and the Porsche Turbo! |
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rpc
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Post by rpc on May 16, 2023 6:49:52 GMT -6
I ordered two R104As (the omni capsule) from Full Compass way back when. The capsules arrived drop shipped from Shure, then the next day my rep called and said Shure was sold out forever. Close call. (Still have them!) Are you Shure it wasn’t me😁 seriously the last pair wasn’t really from inventory, they were from parts, Shure had not officially DC’ed them and I called my rep, and Randy moved heaven and earth to get my client a pair. This is why Randy had the Sunbeam and the Porsche Turbo! Naw, it was Andrea (?) Mikalovsky at Full Compass. She retired ages ago. |
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Post by hadaja on May 22, 2023 23:09:24 GMT -6
Ohhh nice. Fed Ex has sent an email saying the product has shipped out.
Looking forward to getting this one. Anyone got theres yet?
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 23, 2023 11:34:04 GMT -6
The first mics I ever had were a beat up pair of SM81s I got for cheap. They looked like hell but still worked, came in an 80s-styled case with foam lining. I used the pair to record everything, but especially my acoustic. Was all I had for 2 years when I started learning how to record. Years later, when I finally heard KM84s, U67s, Josephson c42s, RE-55s, etc. it took a few months of being honest with myself that SM81s were often, if not always better on acoustic. Just a very natural, untilted sound. I had to laugh Saturday night at the Rynman there were a pair of 81’s hanging OH on over Elroy Finns kit for Crowded House they sounded great! |
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Post by recordingengineer on May 23, 2023 12:25:39 GMT -6
I remember when the SM-81 was the only “real” affordable condenser option. I couldn’t afford that, so the AKG C1000 was the much-downgraded second option. Of course they’re was the Crown CM-700, but those seemed so boutique since they weren’t everywhere.
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Post by ab101 on May 23, 2023 13:15:33 GMT -6
I remember when the SM-81 was the only “real” affordable condenser option. I couldn’t afford that, so the AKG C1000 was the much-downgraded second option. Of course they’re was the Crown CM-700, but those seemed so boutique since they weren’t everywhere. The great thing about those AKG C1000 mics, is that if they got wrecked at a live gig, no one cried. By the way, they actually do last a long time as I have had some at our live gigs that have been around for about 35 years in "live" use. |
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Post by mcirish on May 23, 2023 15:06:27 GMT -6
I remember when the SM-81 was the only “real” affordable condenser option. I couldn’t afford that, so the AKG C1000 was the much-downgraded second option. Of course they’re was the Crown CM-700, but those seemed so boutique since they weren’t everywhere. The C1000 is one of the few mics that makes a SM57 sound expensive. A friend loaned me one years ago. Horrible mic. We ended up using a 58 in it's place on everything. |
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rpc
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Post by rpc on May 23, 2023 15:29:41 GMT -6
I remember when the SM-81 was the only “real” affordable condenser option. I couldn’t afford that, so the AKG C1000 was the much-downgraded second option. Of course they’re was the Crown CM-700, but those seemed so boutique since they weren’t everywhere. The C1000 is one of the few mics that makes a SM57 sound expensive. A friend loaned me one years ago. Horrible mic. We ended up using a 58 in it's place on everything. ...and to try to bring this back to the subject at hand, a C1000 mod was, if I remember correctly, one of the first SAMAR offerings. EDIT: If you search it's still on their Web site! www.samaraudiodesign.com/modifications2.html |
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Post by Ward on May 23, 2023 15:34:02 GMT -6
I remember when the SM-81 was the only “real” affordable condenser option. I couldn’t afford that, so the AKG C1000 was the much-downgraded second option. Of course they’re was the Crown CM-700, but those seemed so boutique since they weren’t everywhere. The great thing about those AKG C1000 mics, is that if they got wrecked at a live gig, no one cried. By the way, they actually do last a long time as I have had some at our live gigs that have been around for about 35 years in "live" use. Funny, innit? I still have two C1000s that I picked up new in 1989 as a kid because I needed something for drum overheads. They still have a use! They still work just fine. And they still sound as 'awful' as ever! |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 23, 2023 17:09:08 GMT -6
The great thing about those AKG C1000 mics, is that if they got wrecked at a live gig, no one cried. By the way, they actually do last a long time as I have had some at our live gigs that have been around for about 35 years in "live" use. Funny, innit? I still have two C1000s that I picked up new in 1989 as a kid because I needed something for drum overheads. They still have a use! They still work just fine. And they still sound as 'awful' as ever! I never bit on the C1000, it wasn’t just the sonics it was that stupid plastic “plug” that made it hyper cardiod. Instead I around the same time grabbed the other “ do everything SDC” the EV BK1. Not much better and to this day I assume they both used the same generic capsule. Then a year latter I bought my first pair of SM81/80’s with vocal windscreens, it was like I found a U47! |
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Post by notneeson on May 24, 2023 8:28:27 GMT -6
Funny, innit? I still have two C1000s that I picked up new in 1989 as a kid because I needed something for drum overheads. They still have a use! They still work just fine. And they still sound as 'awful' as ever! I never bit on the C1000, it wasn’t just the sonics it was that stupid plastic “plug” that made it hyper cardiod. Instead I around the same time grabbed the other “ do everything SDC” the EV BK1. Not much better and to this day I assume they both used the same generic capsule. Then a year latter I bought my first pair of SM81/80’s with vocal windscreens, it was like I found a U47! I’m mixing a project for this reissue label and the vocals are so harsh that one of my first thoughts was, is that a C1000? |
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Post by recordingengineer on May 24, 2023 17:16:14 GMT -6
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Post by hadaja on Jun 9, 2023 19:19:53 GMT -6
MG20 impressions.
Did a speaking comparison against some contenders.
Beyer Mc930, Soyuz 013, Serrano 84, and when I get my KM84's back will try those.
Initial - The MG20 is super quiet. The MG20 has some weight to the sound.
It definitely is not super bright. The Beyer has more top end, the Soyuz has more top end, the Serrano 84 Vintage capsule sounded closest to it but a little wider sounding.
The MG20 grows on you. Its very upfront but not a hyper cardioid upfront.
IT sounds like its just you and the mic in the room. It does great side and back rejection.
The Serrano 84 vintage sounds close but the Samar sounds just a little more polished sounding.
I should have bought a stereo pair instead of a single.
I really need to get my KM84's back to compare but I like this MG20 a lot.
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