New Mic purchases: Vanguard V44S and Alder H44S

Someone had asked about my opinion on my recent purchase of a Vanguard V44S. I was looking for a stereo mic to use for drum room recording and also see where else it might be useful. I had a few sessions this last week, so I got a chance to try it on a couple sources. Both mics are not the "usual suspects" and so I wan't sure how they would fair. End results are they are both keepers. 

Vanguard V44S
Drums:
As a drum room mic, I set it up 10' from the kit at about 2' off the floor. It was in Blumlein, so both capsules were figure 8 and the capsules were at 90 degrees from each other. I wasn't sure what to expect. Even though it's a fairly mid-range priced mic ($1300), I was a little worried it would be kind of boring and plain. True, it's not a character mic but it does have a very nice and open sound. I've used a lot of different mics for drum room and I've never been very happy. This was instant "yes". Due to the Blumlein configuration, the stereo image was just perfect. Spaced pairs always sound too disconnected from each other, This can out great. The mic does not have the big low mid buildup of some of my tube mics. I hardly touched EQ and it sat in the mix perfectly. It has a permanent place for drum rooms now.

Guitar:
I tried the V44S on an acoustic 12 string for a session last week. First off, I absolutely hate 12 string guitars on sessions. They take up so much sonic space and generally are just a lot of muck. That said, I tried the V44S in XY. It sounded ok, but still sounded like a 12 string. The player was pretty weak as well so I was wrestling with more than the sonics of the mic. My usual acoustic mic technique lately is two SDC, one at the neck/body joint and the other at the lower bout. That gives me a nice ste\areo image. The V44S gave a reduced stereo image as the mic was only about 15" straight out from the sound hole. Usually a sound hole is woofy, but this guitar didn't have much low end so this helped a bit. So far, this isn't my favorite but it did work and I will use it again on another session this week to see if I can improve on it.

I was a bit worried that the V44S would be  similar to an ADK Tfet 251. Both seem to have side terminated K67 capsules, but I could be wrong. I had thought of getting a second ADK instead of the V44S. The ADK is OK, but so far, I find it just too bright for my tastes, unless the source really needs some high end. Pick noise and even fingernails on a piano became a bit too much. The V44S didn't have the same top end, in my limited experience. That makes the V44S a winner in my book. Speaking of 251's in general... The one I have used on some session was not super trebly bright, like what many people describe them as. It was just a really balanced mic with an open top and it did not have the midrange push of a U47, or the low end. The ADK, sounded nothing like the 251 I've used. The V44S sounds pretty balance to my ears, but not much character.

Alder Audio H44S
I've had an Alder H44 (non-symetrical) for about 8 months and I've used it on a number of sources. It was the best choice on a cello I recorded in the fall. It beat out all my other mics, including an AEA R84A. I've been wanting a stereo pair of ribbons, so I got a couple H44S (symetrical) mics. I haven't used them as a stereo pair yet but I did use on as an overhead center mic on the last drum session. Wow, I was pretty impressed. The sound of the mic was great. Better yet, adding a center mic to the overheads really brought the kit together in a way I had not experienced before. My usual overhead arrangement is just a pair of AT4050 in cardiod. I have them ech 42" from the snare, so the snare stays in the center. I usually pan those out 50-70%. Sounds good, but adding the center overhead really pulled the image together. Overall, I have been happy with the Alder H44 ribbons. They do need a lot of gain, except as an overhead. Tyler's design, with the corrugated ribbon makes them a bit more durable, though I won't be putting them in front of a kick port. :-) At the price these sell for, they are a geat deal IMO. There are a lot more super inexpensive ribbons from China, but for a USA made ribbon, $499 is pretty cheap. Oh, the difference between the non-symetrical H44 and the symetrical H44S is something to note. The front side of the H44 is a touch more present and could be used for closer vocals. The H44S is the same on both sides, which is roughly like the back side of the H44. My original intension was to get a matched pair of H44 but ended up with a pair of H44S. It was an ordering mistake but I'm happy with the sound anyway.

I hope someone finds this info useful.