Oppinions - $350 or less cardioid sdc pairs

DJ_LBP · Post by **DJ_LBP** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:41 pm

This thread is awesome, I've been watching it closely because this is probably my next mic purchase. I can get a pair of CAD 1200s cheap and I see that the 603 etc. mods that Mr. Joly does can be done to those as well. I would like to try some of the 012s too though.

The only pairs I've used before were a different MXL model, 993 maybe? and the stock cads, and those were really bad with the drums i was miking at the time (more the cymbals were what sounded bad). I used a pair of Shure BG4.1 mics once as well. I dont really recall how I felt about them.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:14 pm

I find it very annoying that some companies that make perfectly decent mics (like the CAD E100/200) make so much junk.

I didnt buy any AT mics for years because the first couple of AT mics I bought were HI-Z garbage GC specials. I just assumed that all of their mics would sound bad and fall apart.
I still am pretty skeptical of Samson and Cad. They seem to specialize in junk. I had a kit of CAD drum mics once. $120 out the door. This is back when Scum Rock took over the punk scene for a few years. I dint want "Fuckface", "Diesel Queens" or "the Insaints" getting their bodily fluids on my mics, but if I didnt mic the drums at their shows people accused me of being something-phobic (homophobic? gimme a break! These bands go way beyond simple labels like straight and gay!). So the cheapo mics went up for the spewtastic scum-core shows, and then went back in their own case, seperate from any other mics! The sucked ass, were "medium impedance" like 600 ohms. The kick mic had the same element as the tom mics, just a bigger body! when a crackhead/junkie broke into my econoline and stole all my crap mics (and my socket set and my friends cordless dremel) I was releived to see them go.

At least down market Shure is still useful. Same for Beyer.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:10 am

CALAVARESGRANDES wrote:"SPEWTASTIC"

I did a few GWAR shows, I wish I had pic of the impromptu cardboard box and transparent plastic shield we built over monitor world. We called it "the starship enterprise". Named each other trek charactars for the day, spoke in fake scottish etc.
They tried to destroy us from 14' away with their spew, but, the shields held.

Michael_Joly · Post by **Michael_Joly** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 8:45 am

mjau wrote: Might also be good to have someone on the messageboard kind of keep tabs on the whole thing, considering that Michael said he doesn't have the time to be the organizer. I'm happy to do so if nobody else wants to jump in on it.

Great! Sounds like an offer to moderate this thing. Mjau you are hearby appointed Minister of Information for the OktavaMod Box of Mics loan program. Please start a new thread with a subject title like "OktavaMod Box of Mics Loan Program". Sorta summarize what's been discussed here and then we can move further conversation to the new thread.

Took a quick look at my mics shelves - looks like I can put together two or maybe three kits of mics. Perhaps they could be tiered: 1) a pair of SDCs and an LDC for singer / songwriter types; 2.) pair of SDC, an LDC and a ribbon; and 3) SDC pair, two LDCs and two ribbons for full band recording. Just a thought. Level one could be a shorter loan period and the big kit could be longer. Just thinking out loud.

What do you all think makes sense? Oh, I'd like to have some sort of "demonstration of need" rather than a simple first come first served model. Remember, the primary goal here is to empower folks who have the greatest need and intention to use the gear. I've had a couple of loaners out before, in one case the band had the mics for 6 months before they complete their project due to circumstances beyond their control. So this time I really want to support folks who are a ready to record a project NOW and send the mics on to the next user. Then either release their recording (disc, MySpace, iTunes) or use the recording in some way to leverage where they are now up to their next goal.

mjau · Post by **mjau** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:25 am

Michael_Joly wrote:
mjau wrote: Might also be good to have someone on the messageboard kind of keep tabs on the whole thing, considering that Michael said he doesn't have the time to be the organizer. I'm happy to do so if nobody else wants to jump in on it.
Great! Sounds like an offer to moderate this thing. Mjau you are hearby appointed Minister of Information for the OktavaMod Box of Mics loan program. Please start a new thread with a subject title like "OktavaMod Box of Mics Loan Program". Sorta summarize what's been discussed here and then we can move further conversation to the new thread.

Awesome - I'm totally happy to help this thing along. I'll get a new post up this weekend, maybe with some loose guidelines and such.

calaverasgrandes · Post by **calaverasgrandes** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 12:17 pm

Love the idea of the mic loaner box. I am gainfully employed and have more mics than I ever use, so I dont think I am really qualified.
But I sure can identify with the gear starved dudes/dudettes in their late teens/early twenties that have like 2-58's and some duct tape covered relic.
Actually I withdraw that sentiment. I totally resent young kids these days. They dont have to suffer through a gear desert like I did back in the 80's before affordable gear really existed. They can get a pretty snazzy little home studio for a grand, maybe two off some etailer.

But OTOH they never will experience the pawnshop safari like used to be possible back then. Finding the perfect guitar/outboard/amp in a pawnshop that has no clue of the true value of the item.
Damn interweb fuckin up the show! Thanks Al Gore!

ps. next paycheck I am pretty sure I am sending Joly my MC012's for an upgrade.

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 1:38 pm

I'm not sure if I qualify for mic loaner welfare. I've got zero ribbon mics, and keep thinking about plunging. I do have three high quality SDC's and three high quality LDC's and half a dozen very useable dynamics. But I'm still in my twenties......

Maybe I'll let the board of the Jolymod for the People make their decision on my mic welfare.

Michael_Joly · Post by **Michael_Joly** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:31 pm

losthighway wrote:I'm not sure if I qualify for mic loaner welfare. I've got zero ribbon mics, and keep thinking about plunging. I do have three high quality SDC's and three high quality LDC's and half a dozen very useable dynamics. But I'm still in my twenties......

Maybe, do you have a project that would really benefit from a ribbon or two? How would having them take what you're doing to another level or help others do the same?

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:40 pm

calaverasgrandes wrote: "Fuckface", "Diesel Queens" or "the Insaints"

hahahah sweet. Got a bunch of those bands 7"'s. I think i did see fuckface play the replay lounge as well... i just remember alot of thrown beer and blood... but that happened a lot those days.. especially if the motards or fuckemos were in town.

mjau · Post by **mjau** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 8:29 am

Ok, the first post in the official JolyMod for the People thread:

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopi ... 770#538770

kingmetal · Post by **kingmetal** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 1:55 pm

Due to unforseen circumstances (read: flakey musician), one of my two artists couldn't make it to the session this weekend, but my main singer/songwriter came through and just as I had experienced before, the modded 603s were absolutely brilliant. I did a simple 12th fret, single mic setup, angled slightly towards the sound hole and the guitar came out perfectly. Percussive but not harsh and very detailed all around. My artist was floored - he's been working with me since we first tried plugging an SM57 into a Soundblaster Audigy (the one with the stupid breakout box with the "mic pre" in it) and I think this is the first time we've both been really happy with how the guitar sound is coming out. Good results before, great results now.

I'm going to post in the mic loan forum about this, but I'm scraping together the money to buy a set of these from MJ sometime in the next 3 weeks (hopefully!) so the mics can go on. I'm lucky enough to have a pretty decent day job, and while I certainly have to stretch to make purchases like this, I'm sure there are folks who are in worse positions than mine and I don't want to be a hog.

Best thread ever!

Artifex · Post by **Artifex** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:25 am

kingmetal wrote:...My artist was floored - he's been working with me since we first tried plugging an SM57 into a Soundblaster Audigy (the one with the stupid breakout box with the "mic pre" in it) and I think this is the first time we've both been really happy with how the guitar sound is coming out.

Man, that is EXACTLY how I first started recording too!

delo054 · Post by **delo054** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:00 am

i picked up a pair of avantone ck1's not too long ago, and have been really digging them for overheads.....i think you can still get them for $150 a piece....they enhance the high end a little, but its not harsh...you may want to check them out

roderick · Post by **roderick** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:09 am

Interesting about the 603 mod. Does anyone know if they're the same electronically as the Apex 180? They look more or less the same--not that that necessarily means anything. I have a 180 that is effectively useless to me out of the box; it sounds harsh and clips on even modestly loud sources.

Michael Joly, do you have any experience with them? I'm hoping to send off my MK-012s to you at some point within the next year anyway, and if the 180 is modifiable I might just send it along for the ride as well.

Oh and also I think what you're doing with the mic loaner box is fantastic. Kudos!

Michael_Joly · Post by **Michael_Joly** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:31 am

Thanks for the kind words.

The Avantone CK-1 is the same mic as the Apex 185 with a cute paint job and some chrome. The Apex 180 is the same mic internally as the MXL 603. All of these mic use the same capsule guts (diaphragm, spacer, backplate, center terminal, retaining ring) but pack them into a few different capsule housings: open, (the 603 ), slotted (the CK1) or fluted (Joe Meek JM27). In addition the body vent styling is different between some of these mics - 3 or 4 sections with different total open area percentage.

Front-of-diaphragm design and vent area differences create micro-acoustic variances between mics that give them each a different top end flavor - all of them flawed in my opinion.

The Nady CM-90 or CAD GXL 1200 for around $49.95 seem to be the least expensive, true externally-polarized, "84 capsule clone" pencil mics available. Of course the $39.95 MCA SP-1 uses the same capsule in an LDC-style headbasket. Tremendous upside potential with all of these when you consider the initial cost. Btw - the Behringer C2 is inexpensive but it is an electret condenser with poor S/N and a very "papery" sound.

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Oppinions - $350 or less cardioid sdc pairs

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