Mic tests - 575M6, D104M6, RK56....and more

[2NC995]

Ok, if anyone gets bored.

I've been planning on doing this for a few weeks and finally got around to it. Plenty of room for criticism with the test...it just is what it is.

TX is President Lincoln II+, RX is Washington and recorded with iphone. I did cut the volume after the first test, so the lower volume level is not due to the noise-canceling effects. Pay no mind to the S meter....it works when it wants to.

First: 575M6, D104M6B, Mod'd D104M6B and the Stock President mic (all power mics set to approx 1/3 volume and the 575 tone is 3/4 towards "0".



Second: Telex Turner RK56, New RK56, Workman SS56



Third: 636L, SRA198, Stryker SR56BC, and Telex RK56

 

[Low_Boy]

I hate to say it none sounded much different.
Possibly old RK56 had the edge.

 

[2NC995]

I hate to say it none sounded much different.

Nothing wrong with that thought! When I first started playing around that's exactly what I realized as well. I'm finding that how I play the recordings (phone, laptop, desktop) and they all sound different. LOL.

Here's my general thoughts:

In the first video I thought the 575 and the mod'd D104 both sounded very good...but my mods did not make a D104 into a 575.

In the second I think the vintage RK56 sounds best.

And in the third, they all sound good to my ears except the Stryker.

 

[undertaker]

I agree the stryker does not sound good...

 

[Slowmover]

(If you please, sir, go back and strike out that opening line).

Second, tests are open to criticism.
Critique isn’t anything but about method or gear
or phase of the moon.

Opinion can be ignorant or learned
We nearly all fall in-between.

So, if play it on my IPhone
Or I play it at home on a high-fidelity system

I’ll hear different differences, won’t I?

Your evaluation using YOUR microphones AND
your recording plus playback gear

Is actually a useful introduction.


Gives the thread participant an angle to start with.

Whatever else, these boys ain’t shy.
The riff-raff got run-off.

.

 

[Low_Boy]

Actually to me and my untrained ear the 575 and the modded D104M6 sounded almost the same. And that was my first thought.

 

[2NC995]

Actually to me and my untrained ear the 575 and the modded D104M6 sounded almost the same. And that was my first thought.

I always get excellent reports with the mod’d D104, but I do with the stock mic also. I actually think the stock mic picks up more background noise.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The 575, mod 104, and stock 104 sound very good. Different levels of bass in same order. Stock mic good but has the pfft sound on the P sounds that the Astatic don't have.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The RK 56s sound very good and just about the same. Workman sounds good but less bass than the 56 pair.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

The 636 is my go to mic but I think the 198 has it beat with a little more clarity. I will have to go back and listen to mine again. I wish the 198 had a little more gain. I think eating the mic ruins the good sound it is capable of.

The Stryker would be a good DX mic and sounds like the space shuttle radio with a slight nasal sound.

 

[2NC995]

I tend to agree with all your assessments, Chris. Thanks for taking the time to listen and weigh in.

 

[357magnum]

Lately this has bee a daily thing w/ Op's & Mic's on my home AM Channel . Therefore my head phones are in my shack . My hearing is getting bad as I get older but I like the Modded D-104 .

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I'm going to take my 198 apart and see if the diffuser in front of the element can be modified.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Well it is not like the stock 980 mic. There is no black disc to remove. The 198 element looks like it is something special. Not much to fix without tearing up the element. I'm going to have to do some googling to see.

 

[Slowmover]

I agree about the RANGER SRA-198: audio quality is nice, but needs some oomph (on my barefoot UNIDEN 980 also, at present).

I haven’t asked for reports with the KL-203p inline.

.