the SDC saga - josephson c42 to replace AKG 451 B?

[joninc]

so i sold my akgs this weekend. they were the re-issue ones with fixed cardoid. i bought em initially after hearing an original model on a session and loving it's smooth quality on acoustic. the new ones are different i think tho - more hyped up high. i thought i loved them at first but i have grown weary of their fingernail scraping top end on overheads and their lack of body and tone on acoustic. i liked them most on btm of snare and piano.

i only have a budget right now of about $1000 to replace them with - or i just rent some mics for a while to work with while i save for something better. i definitely do want to have a pair of SDC mics and i like the quality in general of that style of mic - i just want something much less hyped than the 451s were.

i have a pair of josephson c42 to try out and just did some acoustic and OH recording with them. right away they don't have that 14 - 20k shrillness i was getting off the 451s. they seem rounder and smoother. acoustic guitar sounded warmer and less spiky.

it's an improvement already for sure - but - i don't have access to try any of the other newer SDC floating around (ts1 - the pelusos - mercenary km69etc...). has anyone done any testing/comparisons of these guys?
the other mics that seem to come up all the time in these threads are the gefells M300 i think. never used em.

will i get a world of difference out of a mercenary KM69? it's gonna be twice the price - but i am trying to buy upwards here and not sideways so if it's worth it - i'll save. the other option is to go vintage and get some gefell bodies and capsules - they won't likely be closely matched in tone and might be more fragile and noisy (due to age) BUT they can be had for more like $1200.

thoughts?

(what kind of sounds do i like? warm/dark/smooth etc,,, i record to digital too so i don't need enhanced top end to cut through tape etc..)

[Recycled_Brains]

You should just spend some more time with the Josephsons. I picked up a pair back in August, and they're 2 of my favorite mics now. I have yet to have them sound bad on anything.

I've used them on el. guitar, ac. guitar, dobro, OH, snare, bass cab, percussion, claps, piano..... Most of the time, it makes it in the song.

I love the clarity and detail of them. They are bright, as I'm sure you noticed, but I haven't once found it unflattering. Changes in distance from the source seems to flatten them out if I'm looking for a more of a 'instrument in the room' sound.

i like them so much, that now I just want to get more Josephson mics.

I haven't used 451's regularly in about 4 years. I used them recently on toms and liked them for that. I remember not being all that fond of them as OH's though. A little low in the balls department, IIRC. The one thing I like A LOT about them, is that they have fantastic off-axis rejection.

[joninc]

thanks for that - i do have a week and i will run them through their paces. there is a good chance that i will buy them since i already like them better than what i had previously - but - i would still love to hear what others might have found/tried etc...

[Sean Sullivan]

Why don't you just get an old pair of AKG C451E's? They will be well under $1000.

I like SM81s, they do the job for me, and I plan on saving up for a pair of KM84s.

[joninc]

anyone else care to chime in?

[the finger genius]

If you can find some used, I love my Gefell MV692s. I'd recommend trying to find a pair that don't require an external power supply.

[joninc]

do the gefells require much maintenance? which capsules do you use with em?

[the finger genius]

Ive had mine for about six months, so I can't say much about maintenance. I have an M93 (omni) and an M94 (cardiod).

[percussion boy]

the other mics that seem to come up all the time in these threads are the gefells M300 i think. never used em.

I've got a pair of m300s as the only SDCs in my weekend warrior setup -- paid $325 each before they got fashionable.

They are clear -- that is, they emphasize the high end, but in a flattering rather than "cheap and bright" way. For example, they're a wonderful triangle mic.

I had an unmodded Russian Oktava 012 briefly, and it seemed kind of veiled by comparison. There was an SDC shootout long ago in ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN, and the one place the 012 clearly beat the 300 was as a drum overhead -- so maybe a little more low end beef in the Oktava.

The m300s are great at rejecting hum and radio interference. Not a sexy feature but it makes them a pleasure to use. If I remember right, they can take a lot of SPL too. And they're made to a pretty high tolerance; the Gefell repairman up at C-Tech told me two m300s will tend to match up well even if not an official matched pair, and that's been my experience.

Hope this helps. Haven't used the Josephsons or 451s to compare, sorry.

[junomat]

Why don't you just get an old pair of AKG C451E's? They will be well under $1000.

I like SM81s, they do the job for me, and I plan on saving up for a pair of KM84s.

+1 on the SM81's. I use them on a lot of instruments...

[capone]

I have the c42s and MV691's (basically same as 692). I also have a pair of KM84's.

I really love the rft/gefells - but they are a flavored mic for sure. I use them over both the 84's and the c42s for over heads and they were my go to for acoustic gtr as well until I got a lomo 19a19. The 691s with the M70 cardioid capsules are in a very similar league to the 84's and C42s. The other bonus with the 692/691 is the interchangeable capsules. The LDC (UM 70) is killer. They seem very well built and I have not had any issues - although you want to get them modded for 48v.

That said - the c42's are quality mics. They are much "purer" sounding than the geffels. They really capture the sound as it is (with the standard SDC hi boost). I use them as a stereo pair for strings for example. Or as a stereo pair of drum room mics. They are brighter than the 84's but not as bright as 184's (stay away from those!). Josephson is real quality. I just happen to favoring flavor these days.

-daniel

[losthighway]

(Insert trite losthighway post advocating Shure Ksm 137's and 141's).

I say that all the time, they're cheap and they rule. Very flat response.

I would guess the Josephsons might be a little nicer, or at least should be based on price.