i have pairs of both DPA 4006s and the little 4061s, and they are
vastly different in tonal response. the pattern is amazingly omni on
the 4061, but it defintely exhibits a noticeable high0end lift - this
is great for acoustic guitar, and some other applications, but it ain't
so good for live ensemble work or for acoustic instruments that contain
significant high freq's like strings, woodwinds, etc. the larger 4006s
display a nicely "flat" freq response curve, and are useable on
literally anything, IME. for a less expensive, generally flat response
omni, i cannot recommend the AT4049 or its cardioid version the AT4051,
as they are both rather bright to me (i do own a pair of hte 4051s that
i use on some warmer sources). instead, check out the AKG c480/ck62
and its cardioid version the ck61 - wonderful mics that can be had for
a song and a dance compared to the DPA prices. i use the c480/ck61 on
all types of things, and have found it nearly interchangeable with my
DPA 4011s.

wrote:
AT4049 or its cardioid version the AT4051,
as they are both rather bright to me

Interesting, I don't think of the 4051 as bright at all... but I
usually run them through A Designs or Focusrite preamps at low
impedance. Thanks for the tips on the DPA differences and AKG.

I've never used DPA, we used to use quite a few B&K measurement mics at
my "real" engineering lab, have switched to PCB. But many of these
roll off pretty quick anywhere from 2-10 kHz, not always very usable on
musical instruments.

Steve

hi steve - after using neumann km184s for a long time before buying the
AT4051s, i didnt think ofhte 4051s as bright either, especially in
comparison to the little neumanns. but after using schoeps cmc64s, akg
c480/ck61s, and DPA 4011s, it became much more clear how much even the
ATs emphasize the upper mids (you can of course see this by looking at
the response curves for those mics). now, i am completely hooked on
"flat" mics (though dorsey will probably tell you that nothing is flat,
and even within the general category of flat mics, there can be quite a
bit of tonal variation, such as the senn mkh40s vs the DPA or schoeps,
all of which sound quite different). i am in agreement with the
schoeps philosophy that mics should be as neutral and invisible as
possible, and thus useable on any type of source. after using such
nice mics for a few years, i have sold all my neumanns, rode tube mics,
royer ribbons, etc etc, - every mic that i had originally selected for
its specific "color" for specific applications.

wrote:
...
that mics should be as neutral and invisible as
possible, and thus useable on any type of source. after using such
nice mics for a few years, i have sold all my neumanns, rode tube
mics,
royer ribbons, etc etc, - every mic that i had originally selected
for
its specific "color" for specific applications.

Yes, I was referencing things like MC012, SM57, Beta 87a, etc. I've
been gradually heading the same way, I'm fortunate to work with such
high quality instruments and singers now that I'm losing interest in
the character mics too. Although I won't give up the ADK A-48 for
female vocals and the superb AEA R84 for male.

That's what is driving my use of omnis -- I can get very close to the
source and not fight all the problems from rooms and directional mics.
Acoustic guitars in particular are just so much easier with close
omnis. So it sounds like maybe from your experience of going a similar
direction in tone, the AT4049a-EL might not get what I want. And I
don't want to pay for Schoeps or DPA.

The ones I clipped on the side of my head were Radio Shack lapel mics,
hadn't tried them in years but find I can still make them work
occasionally... maybe those are all I need g

Steve

Mike wrote

And then there's the most important tool that's flat out missing from
the tool box - the apprenticeship.

A question about other people's "thoughts and expereinces" doesn't mean
he doesn't listen. You think Al Schmidt or whoever didn't spend years
as an assistant watching and having some point of reference to start?

The acceptability of the answer "use your ears" on the newsgroup always
surprises me. Isnt' that a giventhat you lsting when your infron of
your monitors and discuss when infront of a computer?

The subtext of your answer strikes me as "don't ask a stupid question,
go figure it out for yourself" and in the context of the generosity and
sharing of infromation that goes on in this newsgroup... well that jsut
doesn't seem to fit. Maybe the subtext is "don't ask a question I don't
know the answer to"? I don't get it.

Even if listening isn't a given, it's not like there aren't going to be
multiple opinions on any question for him to try and then decide. The
answers are going to force listening.


So just what is your point here Mike? That you don't like my obvious answer to
the question? Or do you think that I don't care about any John Doe that asks
question's (stupid or not)? Or do you think that there is some magic formula to
any microphone placement approach?
OK, for your information Mike I'll give you a more detailed answer...."The most
important tool in any recording persons tool box is his ears". If you don't get
it then I don't know how to explain it any more simply than that so to bad.

Steve Scott wrote:

I've never used DPA, we used to use quite a few B&K measurement mics at
my "real" engineering lab, have switched to PCB. But many of these
roll off pretty quick anywhere from 2-10 kHz, not always very usable on
musical instruments.

The freefield omni capsules for the B&K lab mikes are lots of fun for
recording. If you have any of the old 1" ones kicking around, let me know.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey wrote:

The freefield omni capsules for the B&K lab mikes are lots of fun for
recording. If you have any of the old 1" ones kicking around, let me
know.

Like Scott, we have a few B&K 4145s here. They're really fine recording
mics.

--
Len Moskowitz PDAudio, Binaural Mics, Cables, DPA, M-Audio
Core Sound http://www.stealthmicrophones.com
Teaneck, New Jersey USA http://www.core-sound.com
Tel: 201-801-0812, FAX: 201-801-0912