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Wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Shure KSM42 ?

I believe they are a side address cardioid condenser with a dual capsule (one active and one passive).

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kmetal Fri, 08/12/2016 - 20:57

There was a pair of ksm 32's at the studio for a long time as room mics. I never recorded with them becuase I didn't do drums at that studio. My boss liked them well enough. I think he uses the new audio technica mics now instead. The 32's were up for like 6-7 years, until just recently.

The 42 has a great reputation. its priced very close to the 414's current price, which is a true staple, and multi pattern. So id definatly be very positive I liked the 42 better. There's also the nueman tlm 102.

So in other words. No I have no experience w the 42. Lol

I think Marco pcrecord had either a 32 or 42 in one of his videos.

Sean G Fri, 08/12/2016 - 21:05

kmetal, post: 440494, member: 37533 wrote: I think Marco pcrecord had either a 32 or 42 in one of his videos.

I think if my memory serves me correct, Marco may have had a KSM44 in his videos ???

I've seen one floating around one of the local sites here in Oz, wondering if it worth a consideration. I would like a 414 but there only appears to be a C414 B-XL-II model and from what reviews I have been reading they aren't the pick of the crop when it comes to 414's...which has put me off a little on that particular model 414.

kmetal Sat, 08/13/2016 - 16:06

Sean G, post: 440496, member: 49362 wrote: I think if my memory serves me correct, Marco may have had a KSM44 in his videos ???

I've seen one floating around one of the local sites here in Oz, wondering if it worth a consideration. I would like a 414 but there only appears to be a C414 B-XL-II model and from what reviews I have been reading they aren't the pick of the crop when it comes to 414's...which has put me off a little on that particular model 414.

Sorry my memory is redicously strong but model numbers and people names glitch out.

Yeah the 414 uls, and xls are the ones. I dint realize there was such a price increase over in oz. 414s go 6-700 usd regularly over here. If it ever works out cheaper you can have it sent to me and I can forward it to you. Figuring like 80$ postage.

Over here the 414xls is 739 new on Amazon free shipping and the ksm 42 is 799 free shipping. They may have changed them since Harmon bought Akg like maybe make the case in China, but either way for the money I think the 414 wins hands down.

Recording vocals in omni is something I started a few years back. It's good. No proximity effect. It's not roomy sounding either. There's less phases stuff if the room/booth is questionable I think too. I could be wrong. But your not dealing w weird cancelizations from a pickup pattern and room.

Sean G Sat, 08/13/2016 - 16:36

414's generally go for upwards of $800 AUD used here...that B-XL-II was at $800 from memory...ballpark they regularly sell here for around the $1100 AUD mark.

A matched pair recently sold for around $2200 AUD.

Although I do see new TM-102's retail from around $849AUD...go figure.

The irony is the KSM retails for about $1299 - $1549 here, depending on the source. I feel has to do with our exchange rate (hovers around 70-73 cents / USD) so naturally we are going to be paying a higher dollar for dollar cost in comparison alone for anything not made here. I suppose freight to our far-away land is something else that is tacked onto the final price...so when you take all these factors into account the odds are stacked against us with some goods in our game.

kmetal Sat, 08/13/2016 - 18:39

I'm not sure what your looking to record but the avantone Cv-12 is pretty darn good, especially for the price. The capsule design is really good and close to the c-12 it's mimicking. This is not my opinion but Danny zellman as far as the capsule.

If you swap out the cheap tube they give you you've got yourself a real mic. I think it made the cut on a Taylor swift album when they couldn't reproduce the performance from the demo which was done in the producers reasonably equipped, not crazily equiped, home studio in his back yard.

It's not a c-12, the robust lows and lushness of the 'real' thing can't be faked for that cheap, but the Cv 12 is defiantly a nice all around LDC.

Sean G Sat, 08/13/2016 - 19:49

kmetal, post: 440515, member: 37533 wrote: I'm not sure what your looking to record but the avantone Cv-12 is pretty darn good, especially for the price. The capsule design is really good and close to the c-12 it's mimicking. This is not my opinion but Danny zellman as far as the capsule.

If you swap out the cheap tube they give you you've got yourself a real mic. I think it made the cut on a Taylor swift album when they couldn't reproduce the performance from the demo which was done in the producers reasonably equipped, not crazily equiped, home studio in his back yard.

It's not a c-12, the robust lows and lushness of the 'real' thing can't be faked for that cheap, but the Cv 12 is defiantly a nice all around LDC.

Interesting Kyle...its amazing how re-tubing something makes a world of difference.

I picked up a new but cheap Presonus Studio Channel (please...hold that laughter) and the first thing I did was swap out the cheap chinese made factory 12AX7 tube for a Tung-Sol...made a difference in how it sounded straight away. I have a Svetlana 12AX7 there as well that I want to try to see how that sounds too.

The next step is to have it re-capped with Panasonics as I read that this improves their sonics substantially as well...turning something crap into something not so crap and may just end up with a half-decent tube pre channel strip with EQ and compression in the end.

kmetal Sat, 08/13/2016 - 21:11

That's pretty cool man. It amazes me that a couple of $2 parts can separate things so much. Like boz said in another thread about having to test each components performance. Attention to detail can sometimes ruin a mix (ask me how I know) but it seems w hardware the almost can't be too much attabetion detail. To a point.

Damn bro you really did get the GAS huh!? Lol

Sean G Sat, 08/13/2016 - 22:34

kmetal, post: 440520, member: 37533 wrote: Damn bro you really did get the GAS huh!? Lol

I picked that one up around 6 or so months ago...just for something different and the option of having a tube pre. It was new, bought as a gift for the guy I bought it from and never used.

I got it for around $200, under half of what you would expect to pay for them new, with the view that if I didn't like it I could always relist it, but I kept hold of it.

The tube cost me around $20 bucks, so all in all I'm in the hole for around $220 for a channel strip that has a compressor and a parametric EQ.

It is what it is...I don't expect it to sound like a $1k mic pre, but I may find a use for it somewhere...who knows...even if means trading up to something else along the way.