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I'm looking for a pair of sdc, my budget is $500. What would you folks recommend?

Used an option? What's the main use for them going to be?

Shure KSM 137's are great, although slightly outside of your budget if purchased new. Don't know if the SM137's are comparable. They're quite a bit cheaper, but I haven't heard them, so can't really say. Pair of used SM81's would work as well.

Should also be able to find a pair of used Oktava Mk 012's for around that price.

Audio Technica 4041's are in that price range as well. Have only tried the 4051, which I really enjoy, but if the 4041's are like the rest of the 40 series, they should be at least competent.

Seems you're right at the cusp price wise of some very decent mics that will hold up and last forever. If I were you, I'd wait a bit and stretch your budget, even $100 would make a difference. Either that or wait around for a good deal on the used market.

i recently bought a matched pair of oktava mk-012's for 535 + shipping. very impressed with the quality for the price tag.

I want them as a general work horse mic. I'm going to school in march as long as I get accepted and I want a pair of sdc's, a ldc, logic, rockit 8's and an m88 if I can swing it. I want this setup to to do everything From recording drums to strings. Keep in mind I already have a 57 and 58

Fair enough. I made suggestions assuming that's what you had in mind. Where are you planning on going to school?

Harris institute

Pair of Rode NT5s?

Ton's of great options slightly above your budget.

The "SM" is not anything a KSM137 is.

I would also ask is "features" are anything you are considering such as HPF or pads...

Dylan, As others have suggested it may be to your advantage to wait a little longer and grow your budget. You're only a couple of hundred dollars away for some pretty competitive choices.

I decided to go with the 4041's I ordered a pair of 4041's and a 4040 they should be here in a week.

Someday I might get Matt to steal those off you for a session Dylan. I'm interested to hear how they stack up to the 4051.

Maybe we can borrow them for an upcoming session? I'm actually curious too. The 4051 is right the deadlies.

Ya for sure, I'm kinda of curious if I can even hear the difference. I spent a good 20 min on the AT site trying to hear the difference between the 4040 and the 4050.

dylanger wrote: spent a good 20 min on the AT site trying to hear the difference...

There's your answer fishbulb.

I just had a chance to visit Studio Economik in Montreal, a favorite supply company, and they introduced me to Josephson microphones. They really like the josephson C42 sdc. just under $500 each and they like them as well or better than Neumann K184s. They come in matched pairs. It's a mic I may put on my wish list.

Yeah, I love Studio Economik. Great service there.

Tim Davidson wrote: They really like the josephson C42 sdc. just under $500 each and they like them as well or better than Neumann K184s. They come in matched pairs. It's a mic I may put on my wish list.

Really? Interesting... You didn't get a chance to hear them for yourself did you? I'm curious as to what you'd think. We're looking into buying a pair of KSM184s but I'll totally entertain the idea of something else if I like them.

This may call for a big 'ol FAG mic shootout after the summer. It's been too long since we had one... Double blind as per usual.

I don't think you were there Matt, but Al, Kevin and I, plus a few others shot out the C42's, KM184's and a whole bunch of other SDC's probably close to two years ago now.

I wasn't blown away at all by the C42's, especially after all the hype they received. I really preferred the KM184's, although if you were working with an very bright source, I could see how the C42's might be great, as the top end shimmer on the KM184's is nice, but could get dangerous. Personally I preferred the Gefell M300 over both of them, as it seemed to have the best of both worlds. A nice smooth top end, without sounding hyped, and a great smooth response through the middle. It's about the same price as a KM184 though, so if you were only spending a grand for a stereo pair, I'd have no problems using the C42's

Now if the budget is raised a bit more to around $1500/mic the Gefell M295/296 is an absolutely stunning mic. The most "real" sounding SDC I've ever heard bar none. I think it's actually a medium diaphragm condenser, made of nickel. Gawgis.

I'm surprised you guys didn't post the "results" of that little adventure on here.

I seem to remember you guys also were surprised by the KSM137/141 holding up against higher priced competition.

macrae11 wrote:I don't think you were there Matt, but Al, Kevin and I, plus a few others shot out the C42's, KM184's and a whole bunch of other SDC's probably close to two years ago now.

I wasn't there for it that day. I still haven't met Kevin either for the record.

macrae11 wrote:I wasn't blown away at all by the C42's, especially after all the hype they received. I really preferred the KM184's, although if you were working with an very bright source, I could see how the C42's might be great, as the top end shimmer on the KM184's is nice, but could get dangerous.

Good to know.

macrae11 wrote: Personally I preferred the Gefell M300 over both of them, as it seemed to have the best of both worlds. A nice smooth top end, without sounding hyped, and a great smooth response through the middle.

I'm leaning a bit towards these myself, I've heard good things indeed. You just serve to reinforce that praise. A pair of those would be just what the doctor ordered methinks...

Malcolm Boyce wrote:I'm surprised you guys didn't post the "results" of that little adventure on here.

I seem to remember you guys also were surprised by the KSM137/141 holding up against higher priced competition.

From now on I'll be an active participant in any future FAG shootouts, and they'll be documented and the detailed results will be submitted here by me.

Malcolm Boyce wrote:I'm surprised you guys didn't post the "results" of that little adventure on here.

Yeah someday I'll have to get around to editing that session. I still have it around here somewhere.

Kevin was going to get one of his students to chop it up for extra credit, but it never happened. I'm swamped at the moment, but maybe in July I'll take some time. Hey Matt, you don't want some PT practice do ya?!

macrae11 wrote:

Malcolm Boyce wrote:I'm surprised you guys didn't post the "results" of that little adventure on here.

Yeah someday I'll have to get around to editing that session. I still have it around here somewhere.

Kevin was going to get one of his students to chop it up for extra credit, but it never happened. I'm swamped at the moment, but maybe in July I'll take some time. Hey Matt, you don't want some PT practice do ya?!

I do but I'm in a bit of a real estate frenzy right now... Can it wait Malcolm?

I was actually kidding Matt. I don't expect you to do that. If you do want to take a crack at it though, I'll see if I could bring the files up for the Feedback session, and you could go through them whenever you have some time.

Sure. I want to, just not today....lol

My mics should be in tomorrow

Bring them with you on Thursday, we'll try em out...