Stereo Mics Recommendations

[Paver]

I started out years ago with the Sony EDM-957, then graduated to the AT-825, then on to the Sony ECM-999 (Great Mic!) and I'm wondering what would be the next big step in quality for a stereo mic for all around live recording. Any recommendations? I see Shoeps has one as does Manley and Neumann among others. I'm pleased with what I'm capturing but I'm curious about what's up there. It would go into a MiniMe and into PT via MBox. Thankyou.

[neil_mcdermott]

If its high end stuff your interested in te C426 (i think its called that) must be close to AKGs most expensive mic. Remote switchable between X-Y & M-S.

I looked at it once but ended up getting an X-Y pair of KM184 instead. Purely because of expense though the AKG sounded great.

[where02190]

While not a true stereo mic(it's an M-S with internal matirx) the Shure VP88 has yielded us superb results on drums (overhead) and piano, both live and in the studio.

We tried the rode NT4, but ound it very brittle and harsh, and thus returned it.

Hope this is helpful.

[Castaliamusic]

If you like Blumlein stereo technique and warm sound, consider Royer (ribbon stereo mics)

[OnSiteDigital]

I love my 3 AKG C426s. You may still be able to get them from StudioCare.com (Liverpool) new for $2000 (my last one never had import duties levied). They retail for $5000.

You cannot remote switch from x-y to m-s due to the fact that the capsules have to be roatated for m-s. But you can switch x-y from omni all the way to figure 8.

[s2n]

Royer SF-12

[Bixby]

Schoeps.

<http://www.schoeps.de/E/cmxy.html>

[Barnabas]

Why are there not any mid-priced stereo mics? The Shure VP88 is at the top of the inexpensive mics, then there is a big price jump to the expensive stereo mics. I wish there was something in between.

[Duardo]

I guess it depends on your definition of "mid-priced"...I'd think of the VP88 as being a mid-priced stereo mic, as well as others like the Crown SASS-P...with things like the cheaper Sony and Audio-Technica being the "low-priced" options, and maybe the Røde NT4 straddling the boundary...with the various offerings from Neumann, Beyer, AKG, and others being the "high-priced" options.

I'd imagine the reason there isn't such a variety is because a stereo microphone is overall somewhat limited in application...you can do a lot more with a pair of microphones in most cases than you can with a stereo microphone. Even though some of them are adjustable and can even be used as X/Y or M/S microphones, you'd have a hard time doing a spaced pair with a stereo microphone.

Having said all that, I'm a huge fan of the Royer SF12, which is quite a bit less expensive than most of the "high end" stereo microphones-

-Duardo

[TAPKAE]

NT4. I don't know... brittle and harsh? never heard of that myself, as an owner of NT5s, which IIRC are basically the 4, but in two parts. And, I certainly don't think of them as brittle. Actually, mellow, even on cymbals. Buttery, even.