M50c schematic

[abbey road d enfer]

  Evaluating the comfort and subjective feel for the performer is absolutely important. The performance is the most important part in the whole equation. You can always make up for technical matters, but you can't really improve a bad performance.

That's exactly what I said when I mentioned the comfort factor. But the most comfy mic may not be the one that gives the best recorded results at the end of the day.

Also - I know this is subjective, but having reviewed and owning a large number of mics I speak from experience - the sound quality of a mic is almost directly proportional to the effect the polarity switch has on your listening experience in front of the mic.

It just doesn't work for me, probably have a hole in my head that f...s up everything.  I choose the mic by comparing recordings and then I manage to make it comfy for the singer.

 

[Rossi]

Maybe it's the headphones we use. For mic evaluations I prefer AKG K240DF phones, because they translate to the recorded sound very well, at least in my experience. I can't say I was ever surprised by a mic sounding different over speakers. Plus I'm a badass mic nerd, I can hear most of my mics in my head before I actually put it on the stand. What does surprise me is that performers often prefer different headphones that I find almost unbearable (mostlly for their overwhelming bass response). But different people have different ears, so I have a number of different headphones models.

We're getting way off topic...

 

[mad.ax]

Sorry for not having followed this discussion, I've been busy, and not able to read or post for a week or so...
It is definitely instructive to hear several opinions as there's good and bad in different approach.

Axel