#1682153 - 06/17/05 07:29 PM
Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Registered: 09/05/04
Posts: 158
Loc: Kansas City
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Hi all. . . thanks to a lot of good tips here, I went out on a limb and purchased two microphones this week. . . a Manley Gold Reference and a Soundelux ifet7. Thanks for all who helped!
Okay, here's the deal: I don't want to keep around mics I don't really, really need (I'm not a real project studio. . . I'm just me!), as despite (because of?) the purchase of the Manley and the Soundelux, I am not swimming in cash. I record acoustic piano (grand), acoustic guitar (Martin), and male and female vocals only. . . nothing else at all. Accordingly, if I can be reasonably expected to not use a mic very much because other ones are likely better for the tasks at hand, I'd like to sell it.
Given that the new ifet7 is a switchable solid state (between U47 and FET87, or so they say), I thought it would be safe for me to sell my KSM32 with essentially no loss at all in sound quality. I also thought that given the Manley, I could safely unload the Rode K2. (A clear trade-up in both situations, as far as I can tell. But DON'T tell me otherwise! Not now! :-)
My real question is whether I can likely get very nice stereo acoustic piano and guitar recordings using only the Manley and ifet7. That is, can I also safely unload my two SM81s??? (I'd like to be able to run some sound tests on all this, but I'm teaching right now and don't have the time to do it and I'd sure like to offer the other four mics to my friends here in Kansas City (or on ebay) right away (yes, I do need the money for other things).
So, what is the consensus? Am I safe in selling all four of these mics if I'm only interested in guitar, piano, and vocals? Will the great but different Manley and ifet7 do as well or better on acoustic piano and acoustic guitar as the two identical SM81s?
Yes, I know that it is better to have more mics than fewer mics, but in this case, that isn't going to be possible. That is a luxury I can't afford at the moment.
As usual, I am very grateful for all of your help. And I promise not to blame any of you when my first CD really sucks wind.
:-)
Sincerely,
Steve
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#1682154 - 06/17/05 07:52 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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Philip O'Keefe
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Registered: 12/17/00
Posts: 17674
Loc: Riverside,CA,UNITED STATES
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Dump the KSM32, give me the K2, and keep the SM81's. 
Seriously, the 81's would not be my favorite small diaphragm condensers, but you SHOULD haev a pair of sm. dia. condensers for stereo mic'ing duties. I doubt you'll be using the KSM very much, so IMO, it can "go". The K2 is supposed to be quite nice (I still have not been able to spend any quality time with one, but that's what I've been told), so you may want to keep that one... OTOH, for what you're doing, the other two new LD condensers should be fine... except MAYBE for "stereo" duties.
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#1682155 - 06/17/05 07:57 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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Philip O'Keefe
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On further consideration:
Sell the K2, KSM AND the 81's, and use some of the money for a really good pair of small diaphragm condensers. 
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#1682156 - 06/17/05 08:38 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Registered: 09/05/04
Posts: 158
Loc: Kansas City
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Thanks, Phil. . . when I check out of bankruptcy court, which small diameter condensers would you recommend???
The K2, the KSM32, and the SM81s are now are now on the endangered species list. . .
:-)
Thanks again for all of your help. . . I couldn't have done much of any of this without you. . .
Steve
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#1682157 - 06/17/05 08:39 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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I'd still like to know how the Manley and the ifet7 will likely do on piano and acoustic guitar. . .
Any thoughts???
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#1682158 - 06/17/05 10:05 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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KenElevenShadows
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Registered: 12/20/00
Posts: 8586
Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
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Audio-Technica AT4041s are excellent small diaphragm condensers and can be found for about US$200 used. I have AT4051s which are a little nicer but noticeably more expensive, and absolutely love them.
As far as your last question, I have no idea since I've never used those mics, but my gut feeling is that they would do a very good job on piano and acoustic guitar (although I prefer micing acoustic guitar with small diaphragm condensers most of the time).
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#1682159 - 06/17/05 10:32 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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Philip O'Keefe
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For acoustic guitar or piano, I'd likely opt for the iFET7 on the bass side, the Manley on the treble. I'd experiment with the iFET7 on both the U47FET and U87FET settings... on acoustic guitar, I'd likely use the iFET in 47 mode, placed behind the bridge and towards the lower bout, about half way back to the absolute end (strap end) of the guitar, but angled inwards towards the bridge a bit. The Manley would go in the usual 14th fret position, angled in towards the direction of the soundhole somewhat... IOW, aimed more towards the fingerboard where it crosses over the guitar's body. Adjust distance, angles and placements to taste.  While I imagine that will be a very nice, and very "useable" acoustic guitar tone, a "spaced pair" arrangement is probably the only "stereo mic technique" you can do with two dis-similar mics like that. For other tonal (and stereo) options, a matched pair (or at least a identical model pair) of mics is usually the choice to make. Such a pair would open up XY and ORTF stereo techniques to you. A multipattern pair (Omni / Cardioid and Figure 8 capable) would open up Blumlein and M-S (Mid-Side) stereo techniques too, although those are more likely to be used at more distant mic placement positions in really good sounding rooms.
For sm. dia. condensers, Josephson, Earthworks, Audio Technica and Neumann mics are held in high esteem by many engineers, as well as several other models.
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#1682160 - 06/17/05 10:40 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Registered: 09/05/04
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Loc: Kansas City
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Thanks so much!
With respect to miking the piano, I was thinking of exactly what you described. . . so perhaps I'm learning something. . .
Thanks so much for the tips!
Steve
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#1682161 - 06/18/05 10:01 AM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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where02190
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Registered: 11/06/01
Posts: 5402
Loc: Weymouth, Ma. USA
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I picked up 3 4041's a few years back, and yes I love them. I sold my 3 SM-81's after a bit, thinking I wouldn't need/want them anymore. I regretted it almost immediately. The 81 is a differnt flavor SDC, and a good one, a vry good one. I've often wished I still had them. Unless you absolutely must sell them ot raise cash, I highly recommend against the sale.
However if you do sell them, contact me, I'm interested. nick@npstudios.com
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Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1682162 - 06/18/05 02:02 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Loc: Kansas City
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Hi there, Nick. . .
I have yet to make a firm decision on the SM81s. . . but if I do sell them, I'll be in touch. . . they are in GREAT shape. . . barely used at all!
Thanks much for your help.
Steve
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#1682163 - 06/18/05 02:09 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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Chris Cavell
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Registered: 04/04/05
Posts: 94
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I honestly never liked the 81's and haven't owned a set in over a decade...haven't missed them one bit. Many engineers swear by them...I'm not one of them; too brittle for my tastes.
I vote that you sell them.
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#1682164 - 06/19/05 01:11 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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where02190
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I vote you sell them also, TO ME!!!!
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Hope this is helpful. NP Recording Studios Analog approach to digital recording.
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#1682165 - 06/19/05 02:28 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Registered: 09/05/04
Posts: 158
Loc: Kansas City
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It could happen, Nick. . . I'll let you know. I'm thinking of $550 plus shipping for the pair (they'd bring that on ebay, I'm certain).
But, I must say, all this lust for my 81s is giving me second thoughts about selling them!
:-)
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#1682166 - 06/19/05 03:46 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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Rob Campbell
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Registered: 11/30/03
Posts: 114
Loc: Apple Valley Ca
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As an owner of the ifet7 I would reccomend using it on V mode (87) for most everything you are considering. I mode (47) is like having a -10 pad in on V mode. I mode is/was desighned for high db sound sources, think kick drum here.
Hope you have good pre's with lot's 'o gain, this thing needs lot's, approaching ribbon territory! This mic is my favorite mic for most things you'd use an LDC on, super clean and detailed, yum!
Rob
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#1682167 - 06/19/05 04:17 PM
Re: Is it safe for me to sell my SM81s?
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umkcprof
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Posts: 158
Loc: Kansas City
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Thanks for the tips, Rob!
Steve
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