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Post by nomatic on Jun 2, 2024 7:51:47 GMT -6
Just scored one with a new capsule gone over by Tom O for $1850
It hurt a little but now there are 3....
They sound perfect on most acoustic instruments dammit.
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Post by Dan on Jun 2, 2024 13:06:30 GMT -6
4-6k for a tool when you can get Austrian audio cc8 pair for under 1000 and Gefell m300 for under 2000 |
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Post by Ward on Jun 2, 2024 18:06:19 GMT -6
4-6k for a tool when you can get Austrian audio cc8 pair for under 1000 and Gefell m300 for under 2000 You raise interesting points! All the Gefells I've heard and own are purely of Neumann origin in tone. |
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Post by drbill on Jun 2, 2024 20:05:14 GMT -6
All the Gefells I've heard and own are purely of Neumann origin in tone. Yes. But none of the SDC Gefell's I've tried (and loved) sound like a KM84. Or as good IMO. |
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Post by russellcreekps on Jun 2, 2024 21:02:04 GMT -6
This thread reminded me that I want to get one of the Beesneez options. Just checked the site and the 84 is 50% off…damn that’s a great price, just over $400 USD per. But…still find myself leaning toward his 54 tube option.
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Post by crillemannen on Jun 3, 2024 3:08:13 GMT -6
This thread reminded me that I want to get one of the Beesneez options. Just checked the site and the 84 is 50% off…damn that’s a great price, just over $400 USD per. But…still find myself leaning toward his 54 tube option. Nothing sounds like the originals anyways. Sure I wouldn't advice anyone spending 4-5k on a pair but if the actual going prices are 1750$ I would still think it's a solid investment with a classic sound that works on everything. |
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Post by hadaja on Jun 3, 2024 3:29:15 GMT -6
This thread reminded me that I want to get one of the Beesneez options. Just checked the site and the 84 is 50% off…damn that’s a great price, just over $400 USD per. But…still find myself leaning toward his 54 tube option. Having owned both the lulu and the 54 tube option, they did not sound close to a Km84. So if you want a nice SDC then you wont go wrong but if you are wanting a km84 clone you will be disappointed. |
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Post by drbill on Jun 3, 2024 9:35:54 GMT -6
If you want a KM84 and can't afford it - buy a Oktava 012. Very inexpensive and very close in sound for close mic'd instruments.
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Post by Ward on Jun 3, 2024 9:49:55 GMT -6
If you want a KM84 and can't afford it - buy a Oktava 012. Very inexpensive and very close in sound for close mic'd instruments. It actually sounds better on certain guitars, especially when the acoustic is bright and/or being played finger style. The Oktava is a little darker, and I've used it on a Taylor with great results! |
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Post by mcirish on Jun 3, 2024 10:06:57 GMT -6
If you want a KM84 and can't afford it - buy a Oktava 012. Very inexpensive and very close in sound for close mic'd instruments. It actually sounds better on certain guitars, especially when the acoustic is bright and/or being played finger style. The Oktava is a little darker, and I've used it on a Taylor with great results! Beating a dead horse here, but you are completely right. After having a few KM84's and a couple modified Oktava MK-012's, I let the KM84's go. I know... heresy. But, on a close mic'd instrument, there was no descernable difference. Moving either mic 1/2" would be a greater change than the sound difference between the two. I know that nobody wants to hear that. We all want to believe the KM84 is/was the greatest SDC ever made and nothing can touch it. For close micing, <18", the Oktava is it's equal. Like Bill said, once you start getting side bleed (off-axis) from other instruments, they start sounding different. The KM84 has such a wide cardioid pattern that it's sort of hard to even say it's cardioid. That wide pattern is why the KM84 sounds good off-axis. The MK-012 has a tighter polar pattern. Trust me when I say that I was as shocked as anyone when I did the shootouts. I picked up 10 MK-012's and kept the best 4. I wish I had not left two with a friend years ago. Really great close mics for acoustic instruments. BTW: My Oktava's are modified, but that's only because they are from around 1999-2000. Those were the GC blowout ones. Oktava was rushed to produce more quantities than they could. Some of the components in that era were sub-par. From what I understand, any new Oktava already has the upgraded parts and no modifications are needed. BTW, I made a couple of the Bansai KM84 clones from a few years back. They were suppsed to be an exact recreation. The circuit IS identical. Unfortunately the Maiku capsules they came with then were pretty horrible. They have the most insane low-end buildup off-axis I've ever heard. I bought a couple 3U capsules for those mics and they get used a lot now. I have not had time to make any direct comparisons to a KM84, now that I got the new capsules. What I would love to have is the MK-012 capsule on one of these Bansai KM84 bodies. But unfortunately, the Oktava's have a very different thread. |
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Post by ragan on Jun 3, 2024 11:24:25 GMT -6
You guys are making me want to buy a pair of MK-012s that I very much don't need. I'm super nostalgic about them though. Some of the first mics I ever bought and I do wish I still had them. I just don't use SDCs very much and I already have both the transformer coupled and transformerless 3U SDCs.
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Post by the other mark williams on Jun 3, 2024 11:49:36 GMT -6
You guys are making me want to buy a pair of MK-012s that I very much don't need. I'm super nostalgic about them though. Some of the first mics I ever bought and I do wish I still had them. I just don't use SDCs very much and I already have both the transformer coupled and transformerless 3U SDCs. Yeah, the same thing is happening to me over here, Ragan. I've got a pair of the Soyuz 013 and a pair of the Serrano 84s, so I don't really need the Oktavas, but every so often, they still tempt me. Today is one of those days... |
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Post by EmRR on Jun 3, 2024 17:28:45 GMT -6
Ah, one of my fave hobbies.
recent cheapest sold KM84's on eBay:
$842
$982
$1074
$1277
$1499
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Post by drumsound on Jun 3, 2024 17:44:06 GMT -6
If you want a KM84 and can't afford it - buy a Oktava 012. Very inexpensive and very close in sound for close mic'd instruments. The one time I had a chance to use a vintage KM84, I immediately thought "this sounds like using my MC012." You guys are making me want to buy a pair of MK-012s that I very much don't need. I'm super nostalgic about them though. Some of the first mics I ever bought and I do wish I still had them. I just don't use SDCs very much and I already have both the transformer coupled and transformerless 3U SDCs. They are super useful mics You guys are making me want to buy a pair of MK-012s that I very much don't need. I'm super nostalgic about them though. Some of the first mics I ever bought and I do wish I still had them. I just don't use SDCs very much and I already have both the transformer coupled and transformerless 3U SDCs. Yeah, the same thing is happening to me over here, Ragan. I've got a pair of the Soyuz 013 and a pair of the Serrano 84s, so I don't really need the Oktavas, but every so often, they still tempt me. Today is one of those days... But they're so niiiiiice.  |
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Post by paulcheeba on Jun 3, 2024 20:11:21 GMT -6
My schoeps or tube Soyuz SDC’s sound every bit as good if not better than my KM84i’s.
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Post by Ward on Jun 4, 2024 19:14:05 GMT -6
You guys are making me want to buy a pair of MK-012s that I very much don't need. I'm super nostalgic about them though. Some of the first mics I ever bought and I do wish I still had them. I just don't use SDCs very much and I already have both the transformer coupled and transformerless 3U SDCs. Can't speak for anyone else, but that was my evil plan. Why should you get to keep your money? MWUHAHAHA |
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Post by Ward on Jun 4, 2024 19:14:36 GMT -6
My schoeps or tube Soyuz SDC’s sound every bit as good if not better than my KM84i’s. *gasp* Heresy |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,086 
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Post by ericn on Jun 4, 2024 20:11:25 GMT -6
My schoeps or tube Soyuz SDC’s sound every bit as good if not better than my KM84i’s. *gasp* Heresy I would not say better, but different. |
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Post by antipodesjosh on Jun 4, 2024 21:50:40 GMT -6
4-6k for a tool when you can get Austrian audio cc8 pair for under 1000 and Gefell m300 for under 2000 The CC8s are great, my pair have yielded excellent results on overheads, choir, and acoustic. Could easily find use for more of these on stage. |
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Post by Hudsonic on Jun 12, 2024 5:12:26 GMT -6
Bought them all day long in 1992 for $325 each. Pricing now is for doo-wahs only.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,086
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Post by ericn on Jun 12, 2024 7:12:41 GMT -6
Bought them all day long in 1992 for $325 each. Pricing now is for doo-wahs only. I was thinking we had entered a world of insanity when it comes to KM84 prices, till I was browsing and started seeing AKG C12VR’s going for over $3k! Suddenly KM84’s didn’t seam that unreasonably priced. For those who feel the KM84 is out of reach, remember their are loads of SDC’s out there that are sleepers and way under priced you just have to be willing to take a risk. |
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Post by chessparov on Jun 12, 2024 13:29:18 GMT -6
I would not say better, but different. I say better. But different. Like my EV 635a. It's Omnivores  (Gotta liven this place up!)  |
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 16,086
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Post by ericn on Jun 12, 2024 13:54:02 GMT -6
I would not say better, but different. I say better. But different. Like my EV 635a. It's Omnivores (Gotta liven this place up!) This deserves a cardiod emoji |
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