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Author Topic: Uses for Neumann KM86?  (Read 43475 times)

Schallfeldnebel

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #30 on: January 19, 2010, 03:11:45 PM »

The KM86 is a cheap "radio U87". Three switchable diagrams. Because of the extra grid it could be easily used as anouncer microphone. For music recording it is handy in between two harps. If you use it in figure of eight it does not have bass roll-off like most single small diaphragm figure of eights. I don't think it is really usable as part of a stereo main pair.

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Bill Mueller:"Only very recently, has the availability of cheap consumer based gear popularized the concept of a rank amateur as an audio engineer. Unfortunately, this has also degraded the reputation of the audio engineer to the lowest level in its history. A sad thing indeed for those of us professionals."

DavidSpearritt

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #31 on: January 22, 2010, 04:07:34 PM »

Schallfeldnebel wrote on Wed, 20 January 2010 06:11

For music recording it is handy in between two harps. If you use it in figure of eight it does not have bass roll-off like most single small diaphragm figure of eights.


We have different experiences. One thing I have found that you DON'T want between two harps, is bass response. Harps are some of the "boomiest" instruments to try to record.

Eric H.

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #32 on: January 22, 2010, 07:00:51 PM »

But even like that, for a chamber music, 2 or 3 instruments, I got a pretty nice sound out of them by carving a bit the frequency in M/S (2dB max cut or boost).
The mic still gives pretty good results for studio use or spot mic in cardioid.
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eric harizanos

Schallfeldnebel

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #33 on: January 22, 2010, 07:45:31 PM »

DavidSpearritt wrote on Sat, 23 January 2010 05:07

Schallfeldnebel wrote on Wed, 20 January 2010 06:11

For music recording it is handy in between two harps. If you use it in figure of eight it does not have bass roll-off like most single small diaphragm figure of eights.


We have different experiences. One thing I have found that you DON'T want between two harps, is bass response. Harps are some of the "boomiest" instruments to try to record.



I have had similar experiences with harps as you mentioned above. It depends also very much on the situation and music if such set up works. I simply used my filters and EQ's.
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Bill Mueller:"Only very recently, has the availability of cheap consumer based gear popularized the concept of a rank amateur as an audio engineer. Unfortunately, this has also degraded the reputation of the audio engineer to the lowest level in its history. A sad thing indeed for those of us professionals."

Mark Lemaire

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #34 on: January 24, 2010, 03:23:30 PM »

DavidSpearritt wrote on Sat, 16 January 2010 22:43

Yes, I had a KM86 for about 8 years but sold it, because I didn't like anything I used it for in classical music recording.

It was too noisy, it didn't work well as side mic in MS (imaging accuracy collapsed, and tonally weird), I didn't find it tonally accurate as a spot mic, and it was no good in a coincident main pair, due to noise, and funky off axis response.

I wanted to like it, but couldn't.


I have a pair of 86's that are not noisy, but they have been modded by Klaus. That said, before modding they were about each as quiet as a KM84. Perhaps the 86 you used, David, had a problem? Sounds like it may not have been up to spec. Of course, I wasn't there...

I like using them, in cardiod, as choir spots. I also use them in omni or card as room mics for choir or acoustic guitar. In a recent string quartet session, they were placed (omni) some 40 feet from the players and mainly served as reverb mics. No noticeable noise in this potentially very troublesome situation.

In studio I like to use them (in fig eight) on singing acoustic guitarists. The wide spacing of the front and rear capsules create a deeper than average null spot, which I point at the vocalist's mouth. This allows reasonable vocal rejection on the guitar mic.
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Mark Lemaire

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AlexVI

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Re: Uses for Neumann KM86?
« Reply #35 on: February 13, 2010, 02:48:02 PM »

Hi Mark,
Good to hear you have found some uses for your pair of KM86's.
I acquired a pair a couple of years ago, and though they don't come out that often they can work very well when they do so. In the right situation they can be good woodwind mics, orchestrally, but very useful as solo spots for a bit of gentle enhancement in chamber recordings, especially with odd selections of instruments in quirky layouts, and most useful, I find, as little spots in a choral / vocal situation where the fig8 pattern can be very handy.

AVI
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