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Post by johneppstein on Mar 12, 2021 14:33:18 GMT -6
First of all, thank you very much for your honest feedback. It is very much appreciated. We are an extremely small company (5 people) and we do not have a big budget for marketing. Def. don’t want to come across as politicians so we will get to working on that asap if that is how the site comes across. None of us are experts at marketing-I plan on doing this the old fashion way-sending a handful of mics out to people I respect and let them provide feedback. The thing is, it is a crowded, competitive market and the way we can ultimately stand out is to emphasize what we are. Honestly, our mics are not for everyone-they are voiced to be modern and bright. There are hundreds of other companies floating out u87 clones and vintage clones of the past and that is not who we want to be. I do like vintage mics (I’ve owned multiple 87s) but I really favor the direction vocals are going in the mainstream world. I know lot of people complain about over compression, things getting too thin and too bright-I get that. When I hear modern vocals these days, I am blown away-I love modern radio processing. My heroes in the engineer field are Jaycen Joshua and Fabian Marascuillo.(he got me on the Dolby 740 and wow what a great piece of gear!) I grew up listening to Warren Zevon, Aerosmith, The Beatles and Stevie Ray Vaughn-it was not about the processing with those guys-it was how the songs made you feel. The cream of the crop of the industry back then was more about the talent, nothing to do with gear or who had the best mixing engineer. These days we all know the cream does not rise to the top- just look at modern country and modern hiphop. Lot of guys there with elementary performances/talent but with superstar engineers behind them and branding behind them. I have owned two Sony c800g’s and love everything about them. But before I could afford them-way back I was just a kid starting out recording vocals at home. I think lots of us can relate. Think of your first mic or your first guitar-and compare that to the tools you have now. I remember becoming fascinated with microphones-comparing them, contrasting them. I would record a whole song with my first microphone-a lowly Behringer XM8500(a dynamic that cost 20 dollars) then immediately re-recording with my second and third mics( Audix om5 and Sennheiser e835) I took notes of the differences, I loved how the XM8500, it had this lo fi quality that I really liked on my voice. And then the Audix om5, it was like a laser beam-it had a hypercardioid pattern and huge SPL so I could get right on it and yell my vocals. Then my e835-it had this crispy, cutting sound that was perfect for some of the instrumentals I was using. I started reading everything about microphones. I of course got the Sm7b then graduated to condensers. My first condenser was a lowly MXL 990 (How many of yall have been there before? Hahaha This was back in the day when they were everywhere at Guitar Center. I actually was not too disappointed-this was before my ears matured and I learned the extreme nuances of what I liked and what I did not like. Eventually, I wanted better and began reading and getting into microphone modifications. I thought this was the coolest thing ever. There used to be a nice fellow by the name of Michael Joly who posted at a forum I belonged to. This guy was so informative for me-he discussed capsules, transformers, circuitry-you name it. He was also very accessible-I remember shooting him a message with questions and he responded back very graciously. At this point, I was still trying to find out why certain microphones cost what they did and did that equate to a better sound? And what is a better sound really? Let’s be honest, if you have a great voice-a better mic by standards of nuance capture IS A BETTER mic, but if you have a not so great voice, then perhaps a dynamic mic is better for you, to tuck those flaws away! Haha I was learning. But I wanted to test the heavy hitters, I wanted a Manley Reference, I wanted a u87, I wanted a Sony c800g. I wanted a Neve 1073. This is what all the high ends guys were raving about and I wanted to get my hands on these things too. I purchased a Golden Age 73 OG, I started messing with cranking the output with lowering the output-getting all the different possible flavors going. I got my first, what I thought, high end microphone-I spent savings on an AT4047. I was mixing and matching mics with the pre. Then I got a solid state pre-a Grace 101. I wanted to combine transformer mics with solid state pres, then I wanted to switch it around. I got a TLM102 and put that through a Bae 1073. I was lucky, I had a girlfriend then(who became my wife) who didn’t look down on my mic nerdom! I was soaking up everything I could on these forums and then I came across someone who truly inspired me. A poster named ‘KidVybes’ This guy changed the game for me. He is the one who let me know you don’t need to spend thousands to get a thousand dollar sound. Look it all comes down to the room and the performance if we are all going to be honest here. But he schooled me on components. He knew I was obsessing about saving up for the Sony c800g after I messaged him. He put me on a marvel of a mic-the Stellar CM6. It was super affordable and it sounded GREAT. I began learning what sound I personally liked and didn’t like-what tone I preferred and didn’t prefer. KidVybes was the man. He answered all of my messages with details-he was so gracious with his time and he was so passionate about audio. Over the years you build a network of people you trust and who you respect. There are hundreds of PMs I still have from engineers and producers who were all so gracious to me and taught me so much along the way. All I had to do was ask. I remember personally talking to Wade Goeke at Chandler, Dave Thomas at Advanced Audio,Cliff Maag at Maag-these are giants within the industry and they were still picking up the phone to talk shop years back. Fast Forward to now, I’ve owned two c800gs, the Manley Reference and pretty much all the mics in between you can imagine. I love this stuff. My favorite pieces all time are the Clariphonic and the 1176. Audioscape is an amazing company too-they inspired me to do what I wanted to do for years, start my own microphone company. They are the epitome of great customer service and hands on passion with customers. All of these experiences led me to forming Daria Microphones. I went through several prototypes and worked with multiple builders to form the 251X. I am currently in talks with another very respected builder to perhaps offer a multiple voicing mic via switch although I am not sure we want to go in that direction yet. I want to stay at the 299 price point. I don’t plan on spendings tens of thousands on marketing(the quotes I got from some of these magazines for an ad is RIDICULOUS) only to jack up the price of the mic to cover that overhead. I want to be as grassroots as possible starting out. I also want to design a 500 series converter interface as I want to be the first to put that on the market! Also, I want to say that the website is at infancy stage. The website is far from finished. Right now I’m working with several artists to get clips and videos up. It will look more polished with specs over the coming weeks. Anyways, sorry for the long winded story, I am a pretty high energy guy and one or two lines is not how I roll! Thanks guys. Advertising (or having a rep for being) "modern and bright" is a 100% certain way to guarantee that I will have no interest in buying your product whatsoever.
If I need EQ, it's built into my console, plus I have a few standalone outboard units. What I do NOT need is some guy's idea of what EQ should be baked into a mic.
The thing is, it's much, much easier to create a mic with a "modern" treble boost than it is to design a mic with perfect frequency response from all directions (like a KM84).
The woods are full of mics that tout their "modern, bright" sound. The swimming pool is overcrowded.
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 12, 2021 14:49:25 GMT -6
I owned the TG at one point. So if I put out a mic with switching, there will be not be 21 possible combos! It would most likely be two options, max 3. Mics with switches for lots of tonal options remind of guitars that try to both a Les Paul and a Strat--and usually fail at both.
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Post by brenta on Mar 12, 2021 14:54:52 GMT -6
I don't mind the multiple voicing switch, but it's also not a huge selling point for me. I have a Warbler MKVI with three voicings that I bought partially based on Kidvybes' recommendation. The brightest voicing is too bright to be used on pretty much anything or anyone IMO. I almost exclusively use it on kick out in my studio, and the dark setting is nice there to roll off cymbal bleed. I think the multiple voicings would appeal to a large segment of the market that can only afford one mic.
A lot of people seem to like the multiple voicings on the Lauten mics. The Chandler TG has way too many options IMO. I can't be running back and forth to the mic 21 times trying to get a sound lol.
Good luck with the venture, it's getting crowded out there.
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 12, 2021 14:55:22 GMT -6
Advertising (or having a rep for being) "modern and bright" is a 100% certain way to guarantee that I will have no interest in buying your product whatsoever.
If I need EQ, it's built into my console, plus I have a few standalone outboard units. What I do NOT need is some guy's idea of what EQ should be baked into a mic.
The thing is, it's much, much easier to create a mic with a "modern" treble boost than it is to design a mic with perfect frequency response from all directions (like a KM84).
The woods are full of mics that tout their "modern, bright" sound. The swimming pool is overcrowded.
That said, I'm still curious to hear if the brightness on the Daria is sweet and musical or simply a cranked treble boost as you say. I don't care for hyped, steroidal modern mixes. But once in a while I encounter a vocalist with a dark murky voice that may benefit from a mic like this.
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Post by Vincent R. on Mar 12, 2021 14:58:14 GMT -6
While recording my Christmas album I found myself in front of a Lauten Atlantis numerous times. I thought the voicings were all really cool and we found different settings for different instruments and such while recording. So I think it can work. You just have to give each voicing equal amounts of time and research so its not just a gimmick.
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Post by srb on Mar 12, 2021 16:35:03 GMT -6
I have made numerous suggestions via PM to Daria on tightening up the web language component. (You can take the teacher out of the school, but you can't take the school out of the teacher, I reckon).
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 12, 2021 16:43:30 GMT -6
I absolutely am aware of Guosheng Zhuang. I bought a Warbler MKIV last year in fact. That mic is built like a tank-I accidentally had mine drop from a mic stand, crashed hard on a wood floor and afterwards was freaking out. But alas, no physical damage and it sounded like a champ. Mr.Zang is amazing, his mics cannot be beat regardless of the price! Just a total excellent value. Outstanding components.
And to Mr.Epstein, I completely respect that a mic advertised 'modern and bright' is not for you. I understand it is not for everyone and probably not for the majority-esp those who love fat and warm and vintage.
I have no intentions of making mics inspired by older vintage mics but I completely respect those that do. I much prefer bright mics over warm mics. But really, it all comes down to what fits the voice best.
Thanks for the feedback on the voice switching guys-this is outstanding feedback.
I'll clean up the website this weekend and I will continue to add clips/specs/and engineer testimonials over the next few weeks/months.
I work for a major tech company full time and this is for sure a project of passion for me. I just created a coupon code. If anyone from this sites purchases a Daria Mic-use coupon code RGO at checkout for 10% off.
That is one small way I can thank you guys for such a warm welcome!
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Post by drumsound on Mar 13, 2021 11:36:26 GMT -6
I didn't want to mention the website earlier, but since you brought it up... The auto scrolling thing is distracting.
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Post by superwack on Mar 13, 2021 12:06:03 GMT -6
Curiously I came across a new mic company from Belgium called ZP who just released a tubeless mic that is not a clone of but means to sound exactly like the Sony C800G. It also seems to have a 251ish head basket but the body looks different. The Daria has better aesthetics and is $2,400 LESS (!!!) so I’m much more interested in Daria in this weirdly suddenly exploding mic segment.
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Post by audioscape on Mar 14, 2021 2:40:01 GMT -6
First of all, thank you very much for your honest feedback. It is very much appreciated. We are an extremely small company (5 people) and we do not have a big budget for marketing. Def. don’t want to come across as politicians so we will get to working on that asap if that is how the site comes across. None of us are experts at marketing-I plan on doing this the old fashion way-sending a handful of mics out to people I respect and let them provide feedback. The thing is, it is a crowded, competitive market and the way we can ultimately stand out is to emphasize what we are. Honestly, our mics are not for everyone-they are voiced to be modern and bright. There are hundreds of other companies floating out u87 clones and vintage clones of the past and that is not who we want to be. I do like vintage mics (I’ve owned multiple 87s) but I really favor the direction vocals are going in the mainstream world. I know lot of people complain about over compression, things getting too thin and too bright-I get that. When I hear modern vocals these days, I am blown away-I love modern radio processing. My heroes in the engineer field are Jaycen Joshua and Fabian Marascuillo.(he got me on the Dolby 740 and wow what a great piece of gear!) I grew up listening to Warren Zevon, Aerosmith, The Beatles and Stevie Ray Vaughn-it was not about the processing with those guys-it was how the songs made you feel. The cream of the crop of the industry back then was more about the talent, nothing to do with gear or who had the best mixing engineer. These days we all know the cream does not rise to the top- just look at modern country and modern hiphop. Lot of guys there with elementary performances/talent but with superstar engineers behind them and branding behind them. I have owned two Sony c800g’s and love everything about them. But before I could afford them-way back I was just a kid starting out recording vocals at home. I think lots of us can relate. Think of your first mic or your first guitar-and compare that to the tools you have now. I remember becoming fascinated with microphones-comparing them, contrasting them. I would record a whole song with my first microphone-a lowly Behringer XM8500(a dynamic that cost 20 dollars) then immediately re-recording with my second and third mics( Audix om5 and Sennheiser e835) I took notes of the differences, I loved how the XM8500, it had this lo fi quality that I really liked on my voice. And then the Audix om5, it was like a laser beam-it had a hypercardioid pattern and huge SPL so I could get right on it and yell my vocals. Then my e835-it had this crispy, cutting sound that was perfect for some of the instrumentals I was using. I started reading everything about microphones. I of course got the Sm7b then graduated to condensers. My first condenser was a lowly MXL 990 (How many of yall have been there before? Hahaha This was back in the day when they were everywhere at Guitar Center. I actually was not too disappointed-this was before my ears matured and I learned the extreme nuances of what I liked and what I did not like. Eventually, I wanted better and began reading and getting into microphone modifications. I thought this was the coolest thing ever. There used to be a nice fellow by the name of Michael Joly who posted at a forum I belonged to. This guy was so informative for me-he discussed capsules, transformers, circuitry-you name it. He was also very accessible-I remember shooting him a message with questions and he responded back very graciously. At this point, I was still trying to find out why certain microphones cost what they did and did that equate to a better sound? And what is a better sound really? Let’s be honest, if you have a great voice-a better mic by standards of nuance capture IS A BETTER mic, but if you have a not so great voice, then perhaps a dynamic mic is better for you, to tuck those flaws away! Haha I was learning. But I wanted to test the heavy hitters, I wanted a Manley Reference, I wanted a u87, I wanted a Sony c800g. I wanted a Neve 1073. This is what all the high ends guys were raving about and I wanted to get my hands on these things too. I purchased a Golden Age 73 OG, I started messing with cranking the output with lowering the output-getting all the different possible flavors going. I got my first, what I thought, high end microphone-I spent savings on an AT4047. I was mixing and matching mics with the pre. Then I got a solid state pre-a Grace 101. I wanted to combine transformer mics with solid state pres, then I wanted to switch it around. I got a TLM102 and put that through a Bae 1073. I was lucky, I had a girlfriend then(who became my wife) who didn’t look down on my mic nerdom! I was soaking up everything I could on these forums and then I came across someone who truly inspired me. A poster named ‘KidVybes’ This guy changed the game for me. He is the one who let me know you don’t need to spend thousands to get a thousand dollar sound. Look it all comes down to the room and the performance if we are all going to be honest here. But he schooled me on components. He knew I was obsessing about saving up for the Sony c800g after I messaged him. He put me on a marvel of a mic-the Stellar CM6. It was super affordable and it sounded GREAT. I began learning what sound I personally liked and didn’t like-what tone I preferred and didn’t prefer. KidVybes was the man. He answered all of my messages with details-he was so gracious with his time and he was so passionate about audio. Over the years you build a network of people you trust and who you respect. There are hundreds of PMs I still have from engineers and producers who were all so gracious to me and taught me so much along the way. All I had to do was ask. I remember personally talking to Wade Goeke at Chandler, Dave Thomas at Advanced Audio,Cliff Maag at Maag-these are giants within the industry and they were still picking up the phone to talk shop years back. Fast Forward to now, I’ve owned two c800gs, the Manley Reference and pretty much all the mics in between you can imagine. I love this stuff. My favorite pieces all time are the Clariphonic and the 1176. Audioscape is an amazing company too-they inspired me to do what I wanted to do for years, start my own microphone company. They are the epitome of great customer service and hands on passion with customers. All of these experiences led me to forming Daria Microphones. I went through several prototypes and worked with multiple builders to form the 251X. I am currently in talks with another very respected builder to perhaps offer a multiple voicing mic via switch although I am not sure we want to go in that direction yet. I want to stay at the 299 price point. I don’t plan on spendings tens of thousands on marketing(the quotes I got from some of these magazines for an ad is RIDICULOUS) only to jack up the price of the mic to cover that overhead. I want to be as grassroots as possible starting out. I also want to design a 500 series converter interface as I want to be the first to put that on the market! Also, I want to say that the website is at infancy stage. The website is far from finished. Right now I’m working with several artists to get clips and videos up. It will look more polished with specs over the coming weeks. Anyways, sorry for the long winded story, I am a pretty high energy guy and one or two lines is not how I roll! Thanks guys. GREAT back-story - I agree with others who mentioned that THIS ^ needs to be somewhere on the site, but by now I'm sure you already know this 😜🙌! MUCHHHH appreciate the kind words and shout-out man! That's AMAZING to me that WE inspired you to start a NEW microphone company in an absolutely over-crowded market! Again, thank you for that... it truly warms our hearts over here man! Couple of suggestions & thoughts based on my personal experiences and "sales acumen" (accumulated over the past 12+ years) - When I first saw your banner on the site (SMART move, BTW. As much as I LOVE TapeOp, being the only recording mag worth a sh*t IMHO), buying ad-space can be hit or miss. BUT, it would be HUGE for a start-up such as yours to get a legitimate review in TapeOp once you've fleshed out the model name, aesthetics, marketing, etc...! - I visited the site immediately after seeing the banner - and left feeling confused about what this mic actually IS. The model contains "251" but the copy says it's more like a C800 - but not. I see you've already changed much of the verbiage on the site and it's definitely reading better and making more sense. HOWEVER! I would personally stay away from the word "bright". Usually when engineers call something "bright", there's a certain negative connotation to it. This is the subconscious part of marketing that can make or break a sale. I'd use the terms "modern & airy" or something similar. That sounds MUCH more appealing than "bright". - I'd like to read more about the circuit, capsule and WHY you chose not to use any tubes or transformers - as well as the topology actually being used. The brand/type/specs of the capsule, etc.. just more clarification. - Definitely change the model name (TT800X is actually a good one a previous poster mentioned I believe). Basically, all the passion that exudes from the above quote should be applied to ALL OTHER areas of the company / product. I can FEEL it there - but I'm not quite seeing it just yet. But I have faith you'll get there! - This one is silly and just my personal aesthetic - but I don't really get the "dragon" and what it has to do with the name of the company. When I think of "Daria" which IS a good, memorable name, depending upon your age - I think of the old MTV show called - "Daria". The logo for that show is STILL HIP even by today's standards! Hahaha, weird... I know but it's IMMEDIATELY what popped in my head upon seeing the banner ad / website 😜😂😘 - The "Daria Microphones" tagline needs work, at least IMHO! My gut (and I ALWAYS trust my gut) tells me that would really tie it all together. "Daria Microphones - Ultramodern Sonic Design" ...or something like that. Three seperate single words or a short, POINTED phrase that instantly gives people a GENERAL IDEA of how your products may sound or perform ... simply by reading ONE SENTENCE. ANYWHOOOOOOOOOOOO! LOL. This is a fkn NOVEL. Sorry y'all!!! Final note: I hope you know this by now, but this is not a personal attack by ANY MEANS - it's simply how I honestly feel and ways that *I* feel you could improve, with not too much retooling - at AS, we're all about transparency, honesty and having NO smoke-screen or BS. GOOD VIBES, ALWAYS! 😜😍❤ Much love man and RESPECT for venturing into the market!! It's NOT easy! We applaud ANYONE who has the gusto to even attempt entering this world, hahaha. Cheers!! Charlie
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Post by Ward on Mar 14, 2021 9:53:39 GMT -6
I prefer one voicing on the mic as well. Or, prefer a mic that has at least 1 preferential defined voice?
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 14, 2021 10:10:37 GMT -6
First of all, thank you very much for your honest feedback. It is very much appreciated. We are an extremely small company (5 people) and we do not have a big budget for marketing. Def. don’t want to come across as politicians so we will get to working on that asap if that is how the site comes across. None of us are experts at marketing-I plan on doing this the old fashion way-sending a handful of mics out to people I respect and let them provide feedback. The thing is, it is a crowded, competitive market and the way we can ultimately stand out is to emphasize what we are. Honestly, our mics are not for everyone-they are voiced to be modern and bright. There are hundreds of other companies floating out u87 clones and vintage clones of the past and that is not who we want to be. I do like vintage mics (I’ve owned multiple 87s) but I really favor the direction vocals are going in the mainstream world. I know lot of people complain about over compression, things getting too thin and too bright-I get that. When I hear modern vocals these days, I am blown away-I love modern radio processing. My heroes in the engineer field are Jaycen Joshua and Fabian Marascuillo.(he got me on the Dolby 740 and wow what a great piece of gear!) I grew up listening to Warren Zevon, Aerosmith, The Beatles and Stevie Ray Vaughn-it was not about the processing with those guys-it was how the songs made you feel. The cream of the crop of the industry back then was more about the talent, nothing to do with gear or who had the best mixing engineer. These days we all know the cream does not rise to the top- just look at modern country and modern hiphop. Lot of guys there with elementary performances/talent but with superstar engineers behind them and branding behind them. I have owned two Sony c800g’s and love everything about them. But before I could afford them-way back I was just a kid starting out recording vocals at home. I think lots of us can relate. Think of your first mic or your first guitar-and compare that to the tools you have now. I remember becoming fascinated with microphones-comparing them, contrasting them. I would record a whole song with my first microphone-a lowly Behringer XM8500(a dynamic that cost 20 dollars) then immediately re-recording with my second and third mics( Audix om5 and Sennheiser e835) I took notes of the differences, I loved how the XM8500, it had this lo fi quality that I really liked on my voice. And then the Audix om5, it was like a laser beam-it had a hypercardioid pattern and huge SPL so I could get right on it and yell my vocals. Then my e835-it had this crispy, cutting sound that was perfect for some of the instrumentals I was using. I started reading everything about microphones. I of course got the Sm7b then graduated to condensers. My first condenser was a lowly MXL 990 (How many of yall have been there before? Hahaha This was back in the day when they were everywhere at Guitar Center. I actually was not too disappointed-this was before my ears matured and I learned the extreme nuances of what I liked and what I did not like. Eventually, I wanted better and began reading and getting into microphone modifications. I thought this was the coolest thing ever. There used to be a nice fellow by the name of Michael Joly who posted at a forum I belonged to. This guy was so informative for me-he discussed capsules, transformers, circuitry-you name it. He was also very accessible-I remember shooting him a message with questions and he responded back very graciously. At this point, I was still trying to find out why certain microphones cost what they did and did that equate to a better sound? And what is a better sound really? Let’s be honest, if you have a great voice-a better mic by standards of nuance capture IS A BETTER mic, but if you have a not so great voice, then perhaps a dynamic mic is better for you, to tuck those flaws away! Haha I was learning. But I wanted to test the heavy hitters, I wanted a Manley Reference, I wanted a u87, I wanted a Sony c800g. I wanted a Neve 1073. This is what all the high ends guys were raving about and I wanted to get my hands on these things too. I purchased a Golden Age 73 OG, I started messing with cranking the output with lowering the output-getting all the different possible flavors going. I got my first, what I thought, high end microphone-I spent savings on an AT4047. I was mixing and matching mics with the pre. Then I got a solid state pre-a Grace 101. I wanted to combine transformer mics with solid state pres, then I wanted to switch it around. I got a TLM102 and put that through a Bae 1073. I was lucky, I had a girlfriend then(who became my wife) who didn’t look down on my mic nerdom! I was soaking up everything I could on these forums and then I came across someone who truly inspired me. A poster named ‘KidVybes’ This guy changed the game for me. He is the one who let me know you don’t need to spend thousands to get a thousand dollar sound. Look it all comes down to the room and the performance if we are all going to be honest here. But he schooled me on components. He knew I was obsessing about saving up for the Sony c800g after I messaged him. He put me on a marvel of a mic-the Stellar CM6. It was super affordable and it sounded GREAT. I began learning what sound I personally liked and didn’t like-what tone I preferred and didn’t prefer. KidVybes was the man. He answered all of my messages with details-he was so gracious with his time and he was so passionate about audio. Over the years you build a network of people you trust and who you respect. There are hundreds of PMs I still have from engineers and producers who were all so gracious to me and taught me so much along the way. All I had to do was ask. I remember personally talking to Wade Goeke at Chandler, Dave Thomas at Advanced Audio,Cliff Maag at Maag-these are giants within the industry and they were still picking up the phone to talk shop years back. Fast Forward to now, I’ve owned two c800gs, the Manley Reference and pretty much all the mics in between you can imagine. I love this stuff. My favorite pieces all time are the Clariphonic and the 1176. Audioscape is an amazing company too-they inspired me to do what I wanted to do for years, start my own microphone company. They are the epitome of great customer service and hands on passion with customers. All of these experiences led me to forming Daria Microphones. I went through several prototypes and worked with multiple builders to form the 251X. I am currently in talks with another very respected builder to perhaps offer a multiple voicing mic via switch although I am not sure we want to go in that direction yet. I want to stay at the 299 price point. I don’t plan on spendings tens of thousands on marketing(the quotes I got from some of these magazines for an ad is RIDICULOUS) only to jack up the price of the mic to cover that overhead. I want to be as grassroots as possible starting out. I also want to design a 500 series converter interface as I want to be the first to put that on the market! Also, I want to say that the website is at infancy stage. The website is far from finished. Right now I’m working with several artists to get clips and videos up. It will look more polished with specs over the coming weeks. Anyways, sorry for the long winded story, I am a pretty high energy guy and one or two lines is not how I roll! Thanks guys. GREAT back-story - I agree with others who mentioned that THIS ^ needs to be somewhere on the site, but by now I'm sure you already know this 😜🙌! MUCHHHH appreciate the kind words and shout-out man! That's AMAZING to me that WE inspired you to start a NEW microphone company in an absolutely over-crowded market! Again, thank you for that... it truly warms our hearts over here man! Couple of suggestions & thoughts based on my personal experiences and "sales acumen" (accumulated over the past 12+ years) - When I first saw your banner on the site (SMART move, BTW. As much as I LOVE TapeOp, being the only recording mag worth a sh*t IMHO), buying ad-space can be hit or miss. BUT, it would be HUGE for a start-up such as yours to get a legitimate review in TapeOp once you've fleshed out the model name, aesthetics, marketing, etc...! - I visited the site immediately after seeing the banner - and left feeling confused about what this mic actually IS. The model contains "251" but the copy says it's more like a C800 - but not. I see you've already changed much of the verbiage on the site and it's definitely reading better and making more sense. HOWEVER! I would personally stay away from the word "bright". Usually when engineers call something "bright", there's a certain negative connotation to it. This is the subconscious part of marketing that can make or break a sale. I'd use the terms "modern & airy" or something similar. That sounds MUCH more appealing than "bright". - I'd like to read more about the circuit, capsule and WHY you chose not to use any tubes or transformers - as well as the topology actually being used. The brand/type/specs of the capsule, etc.. just more clarification. - Definitely change the model name (TT800X is actually a good one a previous poster mentioned I believe). Basically, all the passion that exudes from the above quote should be applied to ALL OTHER areas of the company / product. I can FEEL it there - but I'm not quite seeing it just yet. But I have faith you'll get there! - This one is silly and just my personal aesthetic - but I don't really get the "dragon" and what it has to do with the name of the company. When I think of "Daria" which IS a good, memorable name, depending upon your age - I think of the old MTV show called - "Daria". The logo for that show is STILL HIP even by today's standards! Hahaha, weird... I know but it's IMMEDIATELY what popped in my head upon seeing the banner ad / website 😜😂😘 - The "Daria Microphones" tagline needs work, at least IMHO! My gut (and I ALWAYS trust my gut) tells me that would really tie it all together. "Daria Microphones - Ultramodern Sonic Design" ...or something like that. Three seperate single words or a short, POINTED phrase that instantly gives people a GENERAL IDEA of how your products may sound or perform ... simply by reading ONE SENTENCE. ANYWHOOOOOOOOOOOO! LOL. This is a fkn NOVEL. Sorry y'all!!! Final note: I hope you know this by now, but this is not a personal attack by ANY MEANS - it's simply how I honestly feel and ways that *I* feel you could improve, with not too much retooling - at AS, we're all about transparency, honesty and having NO smoke-screen or BS. GOOD VIBES, ALWAYS! 😜😍❤ Much love man and RESPECT for venturing into the market!! It's NOT easy! We applaud ANYONE who has the gusto to even attempt entering this world, hahaha. Cheers!! Charlie Great advice
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 14, 2021 11:56:45 GMT -6
Ok guys, like John said, this is GREAT advice. This is imo what a great forum is all about. I think I am the first microphone company to use consulting from a forum of great audio minds! Great community!
Here are some changes I have made so far this weekend:
-Next round of inventory, the mic will have a new model name, ie 700X, 800X, 900X, TT, etc..
-Changed the wording and phrases on the site-HUGE shoutout to Levon and Audioscape! (Audioscape is the epitome of a great company)
-Adjusted the header.
-Adding ‘About Us’ section with back story.
-Added innovative payment options. We are now accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment for all of you bitcoiners out there!
-Reached out to TapeOP first thing this morning! (As suggested by Audioscape)
-Exciting partnerships on the way(Including artists with 8 millions plus streams, multiple studios and some big time producers!)
HUGE THANKS to jcou, Ragan,Drumsound, EricN,DrBill, IpeDrum,Brenta and VincentR on the input on multiple voice option microphones!
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 14, 2021 12:41:13 GMT -6
I will accept Bitcoin for adspace and donations (please round up to nearest whole Bitcoin)
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Post by audioscape on Mar 14, 2021 12:48:15 GMT -6
I will accept Bitcoin for adspace and donations (please round up to nearest whole Bitcoin) 😂😂😜 You go John!! ;-) +1 - for ALL that John does for us here, he most assuredly deserves it! 🙌❤
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 14, 2021 13:17:40 GMT -6
I will accept Bitcoin for adspace and donations (please round up to nearest whole Bitcoin) 😂😂😜 You go John!! ;-) +1 - for ALL that John does for us here, he most assuredly deserves it! 🙌❤ Hey - seriously - I’ll only charge ONE measly Bitcoin for a year of adspace. Ok, I’ll even extend that to two.
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Post by lpedrum on Mar 14, 2021 13:33:04 GMT -6
Ok guys, like John said, this is GREAT advice. This is imo what a great forum is all about. I think I am the first microphone company to use consulting from a forum of great audio minds! Great community! Here are some changes I have made so far this weekend: -Next round of inventory, the mic will have a new model name, ie 700X, 800X, 900X, TT, etc.. -Changed the wording and phrases on the site-HUGE shoutout to Levon and Audioscape! (Audioscape is the epitome of a great company) -Adjusted the header. -Adding ‘About Us’ section with back story. -Added innovative payment options. We are now accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment for all of you bitcoiners out there! -Reached out to TapeOP first thing this morning! (As suggested by Audioscape) -Exciting partnerships on the way(Including artists with 8 millions plus streams, multiple studios and some big time producers!) HUGE THANKS to jcou, Ragan,Drumsound, EricN,DrBill, IpeDrum,Brenta and VincentR on the input on multiple voice option microphones! I think others here also requested more technical info. Can you provide insight into how the mic is designed? Is it built here or abroad or a mix of both? Does your company have expertise in crafting capsules or are you outsourcing that task? As a gear buyer I'm trying to determine if you've designed and built your own mic or if you're simply rebranding a budget Chinese mic, many of which can be had for under $50 these days. Thanks!
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 14, 2021 14:21:17 GMT -6
Great question.
Without giving away too much information-the capsule is sourced. I do not have the funds or the time to hand build these by myself.
Also, there is many companies and builders in Asia who make fantastic capsules these days. I worked over 8 months to reach out and build connections and to talk to several respected/experienced builders.
The Manley Reference, I have been told- is made by Felio. I'm not sure if Manley has ever confirmed that or not but I reached out to them (Felio) and many others during the process.
I would love to offer a hand built microphone with a David Josephson capsule but the price point I want to stay at(299 and below) just won’t allow for that.
I don’t make much off of these microphones and until I can scale and expand the line, that will probably be the case. Which is fine, like I said this is a project of passion, and I have a full time job with a tech company.
I have thought about introducing a model with transformers as well. I reached out to Hammond Transformers(a Canadian transformer company who makes amazing xformers) among others. It just comes own to pricing.
I believe you can get a great sound out of a microphone that is under 1,000 dollars. The Warbler line imo is the truest testament to that.
If I were to put out a 50 dollar microphone just to do volume, I’m not sure I would want that. MXL currently does that and to be honest there is plenty of great songs that have been cut on MXL mics. I loved the MXL Genesis Tube back in the day and I started with an MXL 990. I am working with some fantastic builders discussing design and more options down the road.
That is specifically why I asked about others opinions on a mic with multiple voicing.
I also have every intention on focusing purely on microphones and eventually a 500 series converter interface as I think they will be very innovative.
I don’t have any plans on getting into preamps or compressors as I think Audioscape is the way to go for that and they if we are being realistic, cannot be beat for the price point and quality.
And as far as the feedback goes regarding the term ‘Bright’ having a negative connotation-I think that makes for a very interesting discussion.
You guys are right in the fact that not many companies are using that term with marketing. But the truth is many people recording, esp those starting out are searching for that term. ‘What is the best microphone for bright vocals’ ‘How can I get my vocals bright like they sound on the radio?’
I don’t know if its a younger generation thing or what. Younger people probably are so used to what they hear on the radio.
Those questions are everywhere on others forums. Everyone who is experienced here obviously knows mics are a tool and it comes down to which mic fits the voice best.
And of course you guys know that skilled engineering plays the biggest role in sculpting that finished polished sound.
I personally prefer modern vocal processing, bright and crispy over fat, dark, or warm, etc.. but that is just my preference. Ironic too since all my favorite artists were definitely not mixed that way all. But that speaks more to the quality of music in the 90’s and before compared to what is mainstream today.
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 14, 2021 14:51:22 GMT -6
Guys,
Let me get your feedback on another thing.
What would you think about a 500 series interface?
Imagine having a 500 series interface in your rack. Imagine if we could get transformers in there as well. I think with the way technology is moving forward there is great opportunities for new concepts to be realized.
Any thoughts you guys have let me know and I will notch them all down to see what is possible.
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Post by mrholmes on Mar 14, 2021 15:46:28 GMT -6
I think it's hard to prove the famous brands wrong, they are leading because they do RD.
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Post by Johnkenn on Mar 14, 2021 15:58:42 GMT -6
Guys, Let me get your feedback on another thing. What would you think about a 500 series interface? Imagine having a 500 series interface in your rack. Imagine if we could get transformers in there as well. I think with the way technology is moving forward there is great opportunities for new concepts to be realized. Any thoughts you guys have let me know and I will notch them all down to see what is possible. I’m not really sure what the point of it would be…don’t mean that in a bad way, but I guess that might be appealing to someone just starting out that’s looking for an all in one thing…but again, what’s the difference in having the interface built into your 500 rack or running an XLR to one of a thousand interfaces on the market that will offer every scalable quality/price level you could want? As far as price level of mics - I’m not really sure how many people here are concerned about the mic coming in cheap per se. I think the onus is on the results. I’ll just say - the large majority of the users here have been around the block with tons of different mics and companies claiming they’ve found the holy grail in a Chinese wet market…and 99.99% of the time, that just isn’t the case. The only Chinese mic I’ve tried that I’ve had a decent experience with was the $100 SE X1 - but I wouldn’t want that to be my only mic by a long shot. It’s similar to what you’re saying your aesthetic is - bright but not harsh.
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 14, 2021 16:16:38 GMT -6
SE makes some great gear.
I've tried almost all of the big name high end mics but one I have always wanted to get my hands on is the SE Rupert Neve RNT.
I've heard some good things. And speaking of tube mics-quality for price point-my wife cut a really beautiful sounding Country Road cover with a WA47. I think that's a great tube for the price.
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Post by dariamicrophones on Mar 14, 2021 16:48:20 GMT -6
yea man for sure! I would not be opposed to postings pics in the near future-esp as I expand the line. I'm really excited about the next upcoming models and will share as much as I can as they get released. Everything is still in infancy stage! And I am very hands on with the design and everything, of course! I'm talking to some really great builders for upcoming models.
I would love to say that what makes me distinctive is some magic component/capsule/circuit that just fits every voice and rocks the audio world, but we know that does not exist. I will focus on excellent customer service, getting feedback to what my customers want next and just providing a great buying experience. I'll do some really cool unique things as well like offer custom mic suitcases for artists who buy my mic. (see my latest thread) And also, having a line that is distinct in what it offers-you will know with a Daria mic it is focused on being a bright, modern option.
Again to go back to Audioscape-what makes them outstanding is the gear first and foremost but to me what really makes them special is the customer service and hands on experience they offer. It is unmatched in my opinion and is what makes them by far the best brand in Audio. They are the pinnacle model to follow.
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Post by brenta on Mar 14, 2021 18:02:24 GMT -6
Guys, Let me get your feedback on another thing. What would you think about a 500 series interface? Imagine having a 500 series interface in your rack. Imagine if we could get transformers in there as well. I think with the way technology is moving forward there is great opportunities for new concepts to be realized. Any thoughts you guys have let me know and I will notch them all down to see what is possible. Do you mean a 500 series rack/interface like the Cranborne R8, or like an interface built into a 500 series module like the Wesaudio Calypso? I think Cranborne’s R8 is a brilliant idea. But I’m set interface-wise and I’m so deep into the UAD ecosystem rabbit hole that I don’t know if I can find my way out at this point. But I might pick up the Cranborne 500ADAT at some point. The Calypso never appealed to me. For one thing, too many wires coming out the front of my 500 rack.
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Post by chessparov on Mar 14, 2021 18:17:56 GMT -6
Just skimming-will properly read the Thread, after work tonight. But... "Bright/Modern" does connotate IMHO, Modern Pop/R&B/Rap/New Country user market. Therefore having a noted Modern style Producer/AE/Artist, (hopefully) endorse/use your microphones, seems generally like a natural "focus group". For the Boomers like me, if your microphones don't bug us on the top end... It's a minor miracle and a major success! Chris
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