Four SDC mics compared on six instruments - ANSWERS REVEALED
Jul 30, 2021 12:42:41 GMT -6
ragan, junior, and 2 more like this
Post by mcirish on Jul 30, 2021 12:42:41 GMT -6
The Bansai KM84 clone is available whenever Bansai does one of his DIY sales. This is the link to the last one.
Bansai KM84 clone
I like all these mics for different things. I'm still getting used to the Bansai KM84. It has quite a bit more low end than any of the others but has a smooth top. The MC930 just sounds very smooth and even to me with an open airy top. I really like it on piano as a stereo pair and it's also the best fiddle mic I've found (so far). It's also a good choice on upright bass. The KM84 is so well known but I think it gets misrepresented often by people who have not used one. To me, the KM84 has a certain transparency, especially off-axis that is hard to beat on many things. I do hear a slight upper mid push in the KM84 which really helps acoustic instruments, if you want them to come forward. The off-axis is something often mentioned. When you listen to the piano clips in my files, you will hear what I'm talking about. All the other mics change tone off-axis (to varying degrees). The KM84 acts as if it is almost an omni capsule. I do think it is wider than most. That is why it is so forgiving when picking up bleed from other things. It just continues to sound the same from most directions. The Oktava MC-012 was purchased in the big blowout sale at GC around 1999. I bought 10 and kept the four I liked the most. I sold off two and kept the two that sounded closest to each other. I read all the forums about modding them but they stayed in a box for many, many years. Then by chance, I tested out an Oktave 319 and found something very good about it, beyond the price. So I decided to pull out the MC-012 and check them out proper. Long story (less long), I did all the mods and began using it. In MY tests, when recording guitar and mandolin from about 8" away on-axis, the MC-012 and the KM84 were pretty much impossible to tell apart. I do have recordings which prove that and confirmed by others who were in the studio that day. That gave me a newfound appreciation for this budget Russian mic. Obviously, things change when you pull the mics back further or get off-axis. The Oktava gets a bit more bassy and the KM84 remains the same. On mandolin, mandola and guitar, I like the MC-012 best for what I am trying to do. I need to get a very real and upfront picture of those instruments. Some may think the MC-012 is a little harsh but I don't see it that way at all. It's super similar to the KM84 but can get a hint more low-end, which I often need on those thinner sounding instruments. I would not say the low end is wooly as some say. I think it is the best bang for the buck SDC ever made.
Back to the Bansai. I am very impressed with the capsule from Maiku. I never would have even thought to get anything from them but this build came up when I had a little Covid free time so I took the plunge. I may change a couple caps in the circuit to reduce the low mid buildup... or I may leave them alone. This one had the greatest difference in tone when off-axis. It may be because of the extended bass. The top end does sound pretty smooth. I never would have thought that. I'll have to work with it for a while longer before I can say more.
Other info:
I used the MC930 as my volume base level. The Oktava is 3.5dB quieter. Both the KM84 and Bansai are 4.5dB quieter. I fixed that when exporting the clips. The MC930 also seems to be the quietest of the mics. It's quite an impressive mic that should get more praise. Still, for mandolin and guitar, it's a little too polite for what I need. I like those instruments to poke out a bit. Personal taste.
Bansai KM84 clone
I like all these mics for different things. I'm still getting used to the Bansai KM84. It has quite a bit more low end than any of the others but has a smooth top. The MC930 just sounds very smooth and even to me with an open airy top. I really like it on piano as a stereo pair and it's also the best fiddle mic I've found (so far). It's also a good choice on upright bass. The KM84 is so well known but I think it gets misrepresented often by people who have not used one. To me, the KM84 has a certain transparency, especially off-axis that is hard to beat on many things. I do hear a slight upper mid push in the KM84 which really helps acoustic instruments, if you want them to come forward. The off-axis is something often mentioned. When you listen to the piano clips in my files, you will hear what I'm talking about. All the other mics change tone off-axis (to varying degrees). The KM84 acts as if it is almost an omni capsule. I do think it is wider than most. That is why it is so forgiving when picking up bleed from other things. It just continues to sound the same from most directions. The Oktava MC-012 was purchased in the big blowout sale at GC around 1999. I bought 10 and kept the four I liked the most. I sold off two and kept the two that sounded closest to each other. I read all the forums about modding them but they stayed in a box for many, many years. Then by chance, I tested out an Oktave 319 and found something very good about it, beyond the price. So I decided to pull out the MC-012 and check them out proper. Long story (less long), I did all the mods and began using it. In MY tests, when recording guitar and mandolin from about 8" away on-axis, the MC-012 and the KM84 were pretty much impossible to tell apart. I do have recordings which prove that and confirmed by others who were in the studio that day. That gave me a newfound appreciation for this budget Russian mic. Obviously, things change when you pull the mics back further or get off-axis. The Oktava gets a bit more bassy and the KM84 remains the same. On mandolin, mandola and guitar, I like the MC-012 best for what I am trying to do. I need to get a very real and upfront picture of those instruments. Some may think the MC-012 is a little harsh but I don't see it that way at all. It's super similar to the KM84 but can get a hint more low-end, which I often need on those thinner sounding instruments. I would not say the low end is wooly as some say. I think it is the best bang for the buck SDC ever made.
Back to the Bansai. I am very impressed with the capsule from Maiku. I never would have even thought to get anything from them but this build came up when I had a little Covid free time so I took the plunge. I may change a couple caps in the circuit to reduce the low mid buildup... or I may leave them alone. This one had the greatest difference in tone when off-axis. It may be because of the extended bass. The top end does sound pretty smooth. I never would have thought that. I'll have to work with it for a while longer before I can say more.
Other info:
I used the MC930 as my volume base level. The Oktava is 3.5dB quieter. Both the KM84 and Bansai are 4.5dB quieter. I fixed that when exporting the clips. The MC930 also seems to be the quietest of the mics. It's quite an impressive mic that should get more praise. Still, for mandolin and guitar, it's a little too polite for what I need. I like those instruments to poke out a bit. Personal taste.
