Twenty mic comparisons

[johnsonic]

Hi all!

Felt sciencey yesterday and decided to record the same thing on the same signal chain through all of my microphones and pattern selections, mainly as a reference for me but thought it could find some use here. Good mix of decent and not so decent mics.

Setup was acoustic guitar about 18" off the 12th fret with a reflection filter.
Signal chain was all directly into a UA Apollo x8, no inserts. Dynamic and ribbon mics got a Cloudlifter Z, impedence all the way up for ribbons, 3k for the 57.
I did RMS normalize all tracks so they'd be relatively consistent in volume.

Loaded in a Pro Tools session here: Mic Comparison.zip
Or, just download it and the audio files are in the appropriately named "audio files" folder. Info on what the mics are in the Comments field here:

T R A C K  L I S T I N G
TRACK NAME:    NOS Omni
COMMENTS:    NOS c12 w Cinemag, OPR capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    NOS Cardiod
COMMENTS:    NOS c12 w Cinemag, OPR capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    NOS Fig8
COMMENTS:    NOS c12 w Cinemag, OPR capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    JDF Omni
COMMENTS:    Matachung DIY c12, Haufe T14/1, Beesneez capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    JDF Cardioid
COMMENTS:    Matachung DIY c12, Haufe T14/1, Beesneez capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    JDF Fig8
COMMENTS:    Matachung DIY c12, Haufe T14/1, Beesneez capsule, vintage 6072a

TRACK NAME:    BN Omni
COMMENTS:    Beesneez DIY c12, cinemag, dachmann capsule, JAN 12AT7,

TRACK NAME:    BN Cardioid
COMMENTS:    Beesneez DIY c12, cinemag, dachmann capsule, JAN 12AT7,

TRACK NAME:    BN Fig8
COMMENTS:    Beesneez DIY c12, cinemag, dachmann capsule, JAN 12AT7,

TRACK NAME:    MA200
COMMENTS:    Mojave MA-200

TRACK NAME:    C3000B
COMMENTS:    AKG C3000B, high boost mod: https://groupdiy.com/threads/akg-c3000b-5-min-mod-awesome-mic.67911/

TRACK NAME:    AT SDC
COMMENTS:    Audio Technica 2021 SDC

TRACK NAME:    SOY Omni
COMMENTS:    Soyuz 013 FET

TRACK NAME:    SOY Cardioid
COMMENTS:    Soyuz 013 FET

TRACK NAME:    SOY Hypercardioid
COMMENTS:    Soyuz 013 FET

TRACK NAME:    MXL 992
COMMENTS:    MXL 992

TRACK NAME:    AT 2020
COMMENTS:    Audio Technica 2020

TRACK NAME:    SM57
COMMENTS:    SM57

TRACK NAME:    AUSTIN
COMMENTS:    Austin DIY Ribbon, Lundahl

TRACK NAME:    AEA R84
COMMENTS:    AEA R84

 

[Khron]

"Obviously" a different take per each mic, or...?

 

[k brown]

What's NOS/JDF/BN?

 

[johnsonic]

"Obviously" a different take per each mic, or...?

Of course!

What's NOS/JDF/BN?

Description of each mic is right below the track name next to "comments". NOS is a bargain brandname of a c12 mic that conveniently works well as a donor. Tracks here are the NOS modified as noted, original circuit for now.