What's a natural step up from sm81s?

[Scodiddly]

I think you can do a pair of the DPA 4061 (omni, lav) mics for around $1000 with XLR outputs. Throw in a few more bucks for the "instrument mounting kit" with sticky and magnetic mounts and you can do a lot of stuff.

[joel hamilton]

I think you can do a pair of the DPA 4061 (omni, lav) mics for around $1000 with XLR outputs. Throw in a few more bucks for the "instrument mounting kit" with sticky and magnetic mounts and you can do a lot of stuff.

Agreed. A person I am in a band with has a DPA endorsement, and she plays a violin with one of those little DPA lavs tucked in the violin, with the wire going down her back into her boot!

Awesome. Those little thingies sound great. the DPA stuff is quite nice in general. The MBHO SDC's are quite nice as well. they were making capsules for soundelux a bunch of years back when soundelux was still really good.

[heylow]

i like the sm81 with a good mic pre. i like the 451 with a good mic pre.
both sound poopy without a good pre. i like recording ac gtr with a good tube pre and an sm 81. i will either do that or use a cmv 563 or an m49 or u67 or u47 with a neve pre, but usually i like the sm81. seriously.dont discount the pre in this equation.

+1

Just for the record, I LOVE SM81s on acoustic instruments....particularly guitars. They are often a natural go-to for me even when I am working around much "better" mics. And I totally agree that a decent pre will make all the difference in the world....but of course, this applies to any microphone.

That said, I have used KM84s and loved them....though.....they are a bit tougher to find and kind of expensive nowadays. Down on the lower end, I love the 4047 and the 4050 on acoustics as well.



[dt]

[Sean Sullivan]

I just bought my second pair of SM81s because I haven't found anything I like better.

[rwc]

i like the sm81 with a good mic pre. i like the 451 with a good mic pre.
both sound poopy without a good pre. i like recording ac gtr with a good tube pre and an sm 81. i will either do that or use a cmv 563 or an m49 or u67 or u47 with a neve pre, but usually i like the sm81. seriously.dont discount the pre in this equation.

the preamps I'm using are a joke. presonus digimax fs nonsense, and some mindprint stuff. for the new space, I plan on making 4U worth of seventh circle c84s, and selling this junk.

I wanted to get mics and whatnot before I got super expensive preamps. Maybe it's time I look there as well. I'm not buying a console of 31102, but I should be able to make some stuff that beats this crap.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[winky dinglehoffer]

I think Scott Dorsey wrote up a mod for the SM81 in Recording Jan. 2007. I missed the issue so I don't know the details, but I think it's a fairly simple mechanical (i.e. not electronic) mod. I also have never heard a modded mic, so I can't speak to the sound, but it might be a step up.

[Recycled_Brains]

I agree with Joel on the pre-amp thing. I have an SM81 that I use with either my Hamptone tube pre-amp or my TAB/Funkenwurk V78M tube pre-amp, and it's always sounded really nice to me. I like them because they're not brighter than the source. They sound neutral to me. They also have good features like the 2-position roll-off and the pad. As long as the person playing the guitar is good, it's doing what you need it to.

I also got a great drum sound out of using a mono SM81 only, placed pretty low (forehead level) over the kit, btwn. the snare and fl. tom.

Not a huge fan of 451s as overheads. I always find them to be a bit too bright sounding for rock or other heavier styles, and I don't feel like they pick up enough of the kit. I haven't used one on anything else in so long, that I can't remember if I liked them on other sources.

[joninc]

i have a love/hate relationship with my 451b's. they are definitely bright and i am not loving them on acoustic guitars - unless the guitar was super dark or something. too zingy. atleast by themselves.

on some drums overheads they can be great - love it on btm snare.

on piano i like them a lot. let's be honest - a lot of times we find ourselves boosting top end eq - with these mics that's often not necessary.

that said - i have used akg 460's - especially those modded by jim williams - that sound more organic, woody and less hyped in a while that i really really like. i would love to find a pair of these and would sell my 451s to do it.

i have been really curious about the recent crop of tube SDC but can't seem to find info that compares/contrasts them (pelusos, chameleon labs ...)

in general i am more into LDC and ribbons these days tho... well, and dynamics....

[linus]

I really like SM 81s. I also really like the stock Oktava 012s I bought at Guitar Center years ago so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. Maybe I'll have them modded someday but I like them the way they are so...

Another great SDC is the AT Pro37. Sounds really great. I'm not so good at describing characterists of mics but basicly when I put it up it sounds really open, clean, and like the instrument it is in front of.

My all-time favorite SDC was (is?) the Neumann KM86. It's a side-address 3 pattern member of the KM (83/84/85) family. I borrowed a pair from a friend for a few months and they were god-like on everything. But like the 84's they are more expensive now than I can justify. Particularly because I have so many mics that work on lots of stuff that SOMETHING always works.

Basicly I haven't recently run into a situation where I thought, "Damn... I don't have a single mic that will work well here." Until that happens again I'm gonna try to not buy anything else. We'll see how that works.

[joninc]

anyone used the josephson's?

[sethmeister]

I use SM81's for drum overheads and acoustic guitars all the time but I am running them into API and Great River preamps. I'd address your preamps before buying more mics.

[sdelsolray]

I saved up for a while to get sm81s because I had used them before, after feeling I had "outgrown" using MXLs and other cheapies a while back.

I think I am starting to outgrow the 81s, and would like to add to my collection. Right now I'm looking hard at the AKG c451b, and the AT4051. I was wondering if anyone else had any other suggestions for a SDC cardioid mic in the price range that could be used universally. Anyone I tell this to immediately remarks I should go for a pair of 451s... I think it's time to demo a pair and get some.

The studio has one sm81 already, that is very different looking, and slightly different sounding, so I'd prefer to get something matched this time. Main application would be violin, piano, and drum overheads when I don't want to use one of the "color" mics.. secondary application could be anything I think it'll sound good on for the session.

I can't think of anything I've ever put an MXL 603 on I didn't think sounded better with an 81.. I'm looking for that kind of reaction from the next mic I get. the sm81s kick ass and I intend to keep them for a long, long time, I just want more choices in this kind of mic now that I'm getting sessions where I wish I had such choice.

Thanks.

If you wait a few weeks, ADK will be releasing their new 3 Sigma mic series. First is the "CHI", a modular mic amp (the first will be SS and transformerless, it will be followed by a tube version), along with 3 different SD capsules and 6 different LD capsules.

I use Schoeps CMC6/MK4, Gefell M294 and Peluso P28 mics all the time. I just finished gamma testing the new ADK mics.

Very nice indeed.

[rwc]

I use SM81's for drum overheads and acoustic guitars all the time but I am running them into API and Great River preamps. I'd address your preamps before buying more mics.

Perhaps. If I do go that route, it'll definitely be something like building seventh circle c84s, or saying fuck it and designing my own; but with college and work that's unlikely.. although something I intend to do eventually. I don't intend to become a preamp "junkie" to the point where kick, snare, hat and ride have different pres or anything.. but you make a good point.

I'm going to save a bit longer and get some km84s. I'll read the rest of the comments later.. thanks a lot.

[Recycled_Brains]

anyone used the josephson's?

Wondering that myself.

Beuler?

[fossiltooth]

I don't intend to become a preamp "junkie" to the point where kick, snare, hat and ride have different pres or anything.. but you make a good point.

Hey man, no one ever intends to become a preamp junkie.... it just kind of happens...

Have you ever heard anyone say "I think I'd like to become an alcoholic"? Some people get bit by the bug, and some people don't.

I'm going to save a bit longer and get some km84s..

You might love the km84s... but based on the personal tastes you describe in your regular posts, I get the feeling that something along the lines of akg 460s or, better yet, DPA 4011s might be more to your liking than 451s or better yet, km84s. I'd hate to speak for you or make assumptions. I could be completely wrong. I think you need to find out for yourself.

I say it's time to start getting familiar with some new microphones. As you continue to get good at this, you'll want to guess less when making your purchases. Advice on the TOMB can be a good place to start getting ideas, but it can't start and end there. Hear things, and make decisions based on your own personality and tastes. I can't emphasize that enough.

Good luck!