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Post by Martin John Butler on Aug 1, 2017 20:16:49 GMT -6
It's hard to say what the "truth" is sometimes. For example, I've read quite a few articles about the variations in original U47 models, so which one is the "true" U47, see what I mean :-)
I've found that many online shootouts were quite helpful, and many surprisingly demonstrated the same experience I had with a with a piece. A couple of weeks ago, I watched a Warm Audio, Stam and UAD LA2A shootout that was perfectly demonstrative of the differences. Of course there's plenty of drek around too.
I think the more experience you have, the better you can separate the wheat from the chaff.
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Post by ChaseUTB on Aug 1, 2017 20:23:36 GMT -6
It's hard to say what the "truth" is sometimes. For example, I've read quite a few articles about the variations in original U47 models, so which one is the "true" U47, see what I mean :-) I've found that many online shootouts were quite helpful, and many surprisingly demonstrated the same experience I had with a with a piece. A couple of weeks ago, I watched a Warm Audio, Stam and UAD LA2A shootout that was perfectly demonstrative of the differences. Of course there's plenty of drek around too. I think the more experience you have, the better you can separate the wheat from the chaff. Time to make some music 🤠🤘
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2017 6:04:36 GMT -6
The judgement comes down for pretty much any engineer these days imo if it will sonically be useful in a day to day scenario over it's direct counterparts, be it plugs & other similar priced cloned outboard / 500 versions.
I really don't understand why a modern clone is the same price as a vintage unit (EAR & Pulse), But i'm not in that line of work to understand the overheads/sales involved.
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Post by Vincent R. on Aug 3, 2017 12:43:59 GMT -6
For me it's all about the sound. I think it's easy to say that one kind of sound is a 47 sound and another a 251 sound, etc. They do have their own signatures, but when looking at clones each company has their ideal sound, some based on specific microphones, some on their tests of multiple microphones. For me there are a few things to look at.
Clones in my book are replicas. They should be as close to the originals' designs as possible. I'll accept small changes and still keep them in this catagory; Flea changing the tube used for their 47 or 49, Max creating a bypass switch for the FDE or for use with a different tube on his 67 kit, etc. These tend to be the most expensive. They are true to the original designs without cutting corners. They also tend to sound the closest to their vintage counterparts. Like @thephatbaby, I have issues paying the same cost for a replica that I could pay for an original vintage mic. I understand their are benefits to having a new mic, but that's a little tough for me to justify. In this catagory you have your Telefunken Electrostatic, Wunder, Flea, etc. I'll put the Wagner U47W in this catagory, although it's more correctly a newly assembled U47 since they were made with mostly NOS parts.
Then you have tribute mics. These vary the most in price range. They are often not part for part recreations, but tend to keep the main pieces the same; transformers, capsules, etc. Adk, Peluso, Advances Audio, even Boch audio falls into this category. Some are far more faithful recreations than others. For me usually the closeness to their vintage counterparts has a direct correlation to the price. I'd love to be proven wrong. Many of the cheaper brands can usually match the quality of the vintage mics, but lack the bottom end. Sometimes they are just overall a brighter microphone. That doesn't mean they're bad. They are just not as accurate as they could be. I own a bunch of these mics. The affordable ones have been my gateway gear. They're not cheap. They are reasonable.
From there we have some mic systems. Zigma CHI, Korby Kat, BLUE Bottle, etc. Again price to performance ratio applies. These use tuned capsules to give you the sound a vintage mic. Most of the time it can get you pretty close in the ball park depending on the brand. Now we even have digital mics systems from Slate, Townsend, and more to come.
At the end of the day it's about sound. I can easily put my BLUE Bottle Rocket II with the B7 head anywhere I would put a U47 and I don't think it would sound wrong. It would sound a little different, but not wrong. The same goes for many of my clones. Without a direct comparison to a vintage counterpart I don't think anyone would complain with what they are hearing. Then again, I've chosen reputable companies that make balanced sounding mics.
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Post by swurveman on Aug 3, 2017 13:51:19 GMT -6
I think if they look and are marketed to be like the original they should be judged on:
1. Sound relative to the original 2. Reliability. 3. How they hold their value.
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Post by johneppstein on Aug 5, 2017 17:02:23 GMT -6
I'm no scientist, but my videos don't lie :-) I'm sure they're fine videos, but I still can't trust them to tell me anything. Even if they're not intentionally doctored, which I'm sure yours aren't but a great many are, but even in videos that aren't there are too many variables. And no video can tell you how a device is going to affect the way you work.
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