A Test, A Quiz, A Game, A Chance to Help.

You may have found yourself in this situation. You have accumulated a collection of mics that you are comfortable with. Maybe you regularly use one or two or three for different type jobs, but you hate to get rid of any of the others. They are like favorite pets or something.

Tom Test has this dilemma. He has quite a collection of accumulated mics and he wants to pare them down to just a few of the most useful.

Get out your pencil and paper. Listen to each mic, write down the number and your impressions of his sound on each. I recommend NOT trying to match up the mic’s brand to the number yet.

There is a Warm Authority presentation (lower key) and High Energy presentation (higher key) to get a good idea of how they are used.

Tom Test's WARM mic samples.

Tom Test's Hot mic samples.

Now check your notes and make your comments below. I cannot say that there will be a drawing from all the comments for one of the mics not chosen. I said I cannot say that--so I won't.

We may try to talk Tom into a big Yard Sale so we can then help him pay for another new mic. Only this time we will make all of our recommendations on what would sound best for him.

Get the pencil & paper and start making notes.

Behringer XM8500 – $20 (el cheapo dynamic mic)
Marshall V63M - $75 (medium diaphragm condenser)
Kel HM-1 - $110 (small diaphragm condenser)
AKG Perception 200 - $185 (large diaphragm condenser)
Studio Projects C-1 - $240 (large diaphragm condenser)
ElectroVoice RE-20 - $399 (a cardioid dynamic mic)
Rode NTK - $569 (tube condenser)
M-Audio Sputnik - $799 (large diaphragm vacuum tube mic)