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Condenser
Microphones—Neumann
Series 180 Continued from Page 1 |
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The KM 185 hypercardioid worked wonderfully on the hi-hat, picking up only
minor leakage from snare and the rest of the kit. Because of its pattern,
I could put the mic a little farther away to pick up the total sound, which
sounds better than putting the mic extra close to minimize leakage. Also,
unlike a lot of other mics, the KM 185 also did not “fold up”
or get strident under the dynamics of good hi-hat playing. Again, little
or no EQ was required here for a crystal clear sound. As is my preference,
I did roll out some low frequencies to reduce the amount of rumble from
the rest of kit. All three Series 180 mics have high output. To get proper recording levels, I had to back down all of the mic gain settings I usually use. Make sure your mic preamps have pads, sufficient dynamic range and proper gain structure to handle the extra hot peak levels. In fact, if you use an external phantom power supply, you could try these mics at line level. ACOUSTIC GUITAR Next I used the mics on acoustic guitar, routing a single mic preamp straight into a DAT machine with no EQ and no compression. I tried all three mics at one meter (the farthest away I would ever mike an acoustic guitar) and then very close, right over the guitarist’s right hand and the sound hole (the closest possible I could ever get). The KM 183 omni offered the most diffuse sound, with no change in proximity when I moved it closer. As expected, this mic captured more of the room character along with the guitar, making for a more diaphanous or transparent sound. The KM 185 hypercardioid, which I aimed at the point where the fingers struck the strings, produced a more percussive sound. Fret squeaks and noises off-axis were not very loud. When I moved it closer, the KM 185 exhibited only a slight rise in low frequencies because of the proximity effect. The KM 184 cardioid also had a great sound, with good spectral balance and the usual bass buildup as I moved it closer, and more output. Although the three mics use the same electronics, the 184’s capsule has greater sensitivity and therefore more output. All three mics produced a great guitar sound with minimum fuss. If you are as interested as I am in building up a mic collection, the new Neumann Series 180 mics make a good choice for compact condenser pencil mics. The Series 180 models are a big improvement over the old KM83/84 mics and offer improved SPL handling, lower noise, lower prices and demonstrable ruggedness. Both the KM 183 and KM 185 sell for $750, and the KM 184 goes for $725. Neumann USA, 1 Enterprise Drive, Old Lyme, CT 06371; 860/434-5220; fax 860/434-3148; Web: www.neumann usa.com. Barry Rudolph is an L.A. recording engineer. Visit his Web site at www.barryrudolph.com.
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