Four KM-84 Clones - Blind Test

[Barry Hufker]

Waiting eagerly (patiently, not so much )...

 

[joulupukki]

Ok, the answers are posted at the bottom of the video description!

 

[Paul W]

Did you tally up the votes?

(I didn't vote because they all sounded fine to my tin ears, but I'm curious how others ranked them.)

 

[joulupukki]

Did you tally up the votes?

(I didn't vote because they all sounded fine to my tin ears, but I'm curious how others ranked them.)

Edit: The goal of this “experiment” wasn’t to crown a winner or to say definitively which mic is the “best” but it was interesting to see how the KM-184 bubbled to the top.

Unofficially earlier today between here and YouTube comments it looked like this (for people who actually said they preferred one particular mic).

 

[SubSpec]

Definitely called them all wrong myself. Was quite interesting to see the variety of opinions on these.

 

[rock soderstrom]

Thank you joulupukki! The main takeaway for me is how similar these sound. On some sources I can't tell any difference, others I'm feeling certain I've identified some difference in frequency response but then second guess myself on listening again. Wild guess: I think D is the 184 and B is the micparts. I'd be happy with any of these mics but if I had to pick D feels the best to me, then C or A, then B.

That's pretty much exactly what I hear and think. I haven't read the answer yet. I think D is the much “bashed” KM184, which I know and appreciate very well.

Edit: pretty close to my expectations...Thank you joulupukki for this nice experiment! All microphones sound very similar, at least on youtube.

 

[Drea]

who has bashed the km184 ?

 

[rock soderstrom]

who has bashed the km184 ?

Ohh, I've come across that quite often online in the last few years.(check gearslutz) The KM184 would be too sharp in the treble and only the KM84 would be the real deal and so on. I never understood that, I think they are very good and universal workhorses in the recording studio and also live on stage. I've worked with them myself for long years and I think you get a lot of microphone for the money. Very flexible.

 

[GeorgeToledo]

I honestly hope the KM184 naysaying keeps up because it makes them a good buy on the used market.

I have my drumset right now with two KM184 overhead and a 421-II on the bass drum, which as the internet knows, is absolutely awful.

 

[dreamix]

I honestly hope the KM184 naysaying keeps up because it makes them a good buy on the used market.

I have my drumset right now with two KM184 overhead and a 421-II on the bass drum, which as the internet knows, is absolutely awful.

Myself I dont like the km184 that much compared to the km84, but its really more of getting a more likeable eq-curve from the start with the km84, nothing you cant eq to get the same in mix... if anyone would want imo

 

[k brown]

Myself I dont like the km184 that much compared to the km84, but its really more of getting a more likeable eq-curve from the start with the km84, nothing you cant eq to get the same in mix... if anyone would want imo

Well, the KM 84 is dead flat; doesn't have an "eq-curve".

Anyone who expected same from KM 184 was disappointed.

 

[dreamix]

Well, the KM 84 is dead flat; doesn't have an "eq-curve".

Anyone who expected same from KM 184 was disappointed.

Im sure km184 is "dead flat" aswell, still dont sound the same, same with everything. The sonic differences is best described with eq curve in mind in terms of more mid, more highs, less low etc etc...

 

[rock soderstrom]

Yes, that's right.

Like the TLM103 (another “terrible” Neumann microphone ), the KM184 has a built-in EQ curve, so it's practically ready to mix. In my opinion, this works quite well, you immediately get high-quality results, which can be very advantageous, especially in time-critical production environments (TV and radio broadcasts, VO and media productions). On the other hand, this can perhaps also stand in the way of one or other application, but in the end I don't think the differences are so great that an EQ couldn't fix them. YMMV.