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The folks that make the SD Systems STM99 mic (small diaphragm condensor mic
tailored for brass/reed instuments) have a comparison of their mic vs the
Neumann M-147. They basically recorded a sax with both mics simultaneously.
The result is a stereo recording, the STM99 on the left channel and the
M-147 on the right.
I imported the stereo file into Sonar and then bounced it to two separate
mono tracks, panned dead center. I set one track to solo, and then grouped
the solo buttons on each track so that one click would reverse the solo,
effectively giving me a one-click A/B comparison. I monitored via a Delta
1010 audio card to a headphone amp to a pair of mid-range AKG cans.
At first, I thought that possibly the STM99 sounded a little fuller, and a
little truer, whereas the M-147 seemed to meld the sound into a smoother,
more velvety palet. However, every so often, the true nature and sweetness
that makes the sax so nice to listen to would exhibit itself on the M-147
track, yet when A/B-ing it with the STM99, that sweet sax character was
totally missing from it's track.
At times, I was absolutely amazed at how differently the mics performed
dynamically. The Neumann was "hearing" a dynamic fluctuation that the STM99
was not. Indeed, I could have believed that some of the phrases were
recorded separately, even though the timing proved beyond doubt that this
really was a stereo recording.
The next experiment was to add the exact same reverb to each track at
exactly the same level. I did this by adding an Aux bus and inserting a
Sonitus reverb (one of the best sounding plugin reverbs IMHO) into the bus.
A send was then inserted into each of the tracks to feed the bus with the
send levels carefully set to match. Listening to individual phrases by
A/B-ing with the reverb online revealed even more differences between the
characters of the two mics. Many intricate phrases were, to use a cliché,
just "more musical" on the M-147. In fact, the Neumann came to life with
the reverb, where the STM99 turned to mud.
The interesting thing here is that the site is trying to show off the STM99.
I came across the site because I saw the STM99 for sale on a local internet
auction site. I was really hoping that the STM99 was going to sound great.
I'm a passionate, but novice home recordist with around 10 years experience.
I own the likes of Rode, Audio Technica, Studio Projects mics - I've never
owned a Neumann. I come away from this feeling like I just learned
something.
If you want to play, the link to the recording is here:
http/www.sdsystems.com/Soundtest/soundSTM99_1.htm
Hope I didn't bore to many of you,
Bill Ruys.
The folks that make the SD Systems STM99 mic (small diaphragm condensor mic
tailored for brass/reed instuments) have a comparison of their mic vs the
Neumann M-147. They basically recorded a sax with both mics simultaneously.
The result is a stereo recording, the STM99 on the left channel and the
M-147 on the right.
I imported the stereo file into Sonar and then bounced it to two separate
mono tracks, panned dead center. I set one track to solo, and then grouped
the solo buttons on each track so that one click would reverse the solo,
effectively giving me a one-click A/B comparison. I monitored via a Delta
1010 audio card to a headphone amp to a pair of mid-range AKG cans.
At first, I thought that possibly the STM99 sounded a little fuller, and a
little truer, whereas the M-147 seemed to meld the sound into a smoother,
more velvety palet. However, every so often, the true nature and sweetness
that makes the sax so nice to listen to would exhibit itself on the M-147
track, yet when A/B-ing it with the STM99, that sweet sax character was
totally missing from it's track.
At times, I was absolutely amazed at how differently the mics performed
dynamically. The Neumann was "hearing" a dynamic fluctuation that the STM99
was not. Indeed, I could have believed that some of the phrases were
recorded separately, even though the timing proved beyond doubt that this
really was a stereo recording.
The next experiment was to add the exact same reverb to each track at
exactly the same level. I did this by adding an Aux bus and inserting a
Sonitus reverb (one of the best sounding plugin reverbs IMHO) into the bus.
A send was then inserted into each of the tracks to feed the bus with the
send levels carefully set to match. Listening to individual phrases by
A/B-ing with the reverb online revealed even more differences between the
characters of the two mics. Many intricate phrases were, to use a cliché,
just "more musical" on the M-147. In fact, the Neumann came to life with
the reverb, where the STM99 turned to mud.
The interesting thing here is that the site is trying to show off the STM99.
I came across the site because I saw the STM99 for sale on a local internet
auction site. I was really hoping that the STM99 was going to sound great.
I'm a passionate, but novice home recordist with around 10 years experience.
I own the likes of Rode, Audio Technica, Studio Projects mics - I've never
owned a Neumann. I come away from this feeling like I just learned
something.
If you want to play, the link to the recording is here:
http/www.sdsystems.com/Soundtest/soundSTM99_1.htm
Hope I didn't bore to many of you,
Bill Ruys.