[coreybenson]

Mike Rivers wrote:
coreybenson wrote:
While I have good luck with the current microphones, I don't have
anything I'd consider a "flagship" mic, and I've had people NOT come
work with us because of this.

So, knowing what we do, if you had a small pile of money to throw at
it, what would you consider for a do-it-all high quality mic? Neumann
U87? AKG 414 (I actually don't like them!)? Neumann TLM149? Some other
high buck mic?

Been there, done that, bought a couple of U87s, some C451s, KM84s,
M160s, M260s, MD421s, M88s, and one lone C414. The difference between
you and me is that when I bought my U87s, they cost me $550 each. But
there weren't any $300 large condenser mics back then.

I find myself wondering (not a slam, a serious question!) how $550
compares to todays dollars... when was that, exactly? If that was
mid-60's dollars, that $550 would equate to around $2.5k, wouldn't it?
Or something like that?

With prices the way they are now, if you have a potential client who
wants a particular mic, tell him "No problem, I'll rent it."

I've done that... I do have access to some really nice mics through
another studio.

Just be sure that it's your mic collection that's keeping them away and
not something else. When I first started buying decent mics, I still
had a TASCAM console and 80-8 8-track recorder. The mics I owned put me
a notch above the other TASCAM studios that usually didn't get much
notice from outside clients.

A very good point, Mike. Thanks for the perspective!

Corey