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Re: Gear: TALK ME OUT OF IT or JUSTIFY MY PURCHASE?
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 5:21 pm
by losthighway
^ I've been using KSM137/141s for like 15 years. All of this is true. A Josephson e22 can beat them on snare or toms, but that's at 3x the $. Not to mention many other things they can do that e22s weren't made for (overhead, acoustic instruments etc).
It's taken me that many years to even think about buying another SDC (I'm Soyuz curious) and that's more out of mic lust than any practical need.
Re: Gear: TALK ME OUT OF IT or JUSTIFY MY PURCHASE?
Posted: Mon May 19, 2025 11:35 pm
by Kniferide
eephus wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 5:13 pm
KSM137/141 very hard to beat for a small diaphragm condenser. Easy to place, and they sound good on lots of stuff. Excellent snare mic that can take a hit.
The preamp is (or at least was) the same one that is in the KSM9 vocal mic. I had to shrink it into the KSM mic heads for the Shure wireless things, so I got to know them pretty well.
I thought the 137/141s sounded better than the SM81. The 81 has a flatter response, but I think extra lows in a small diaphragm mic aren't necessarily great, and if you run the 137/141 flat, it's plenty full sounding for what it is. If I'm using a SDC I probably want a bit of a lift on the "air" side of things, which the 137/141 has that built-into it. The 137/141 paired with a good ribbon mic is very nice for acoustic guitar.
The mechanical polar pattern switch on the 141 is worth the extra money. For strictly snare, doesn't matter, you'll want cardioid anyway. But the omni setting on the 141 is pretty great for a front-of-kit excitement effect or a big open ambient sound on whatever.
Might keep an eye out for a used pair. Any excuse to buy more mics, ya know?
Re: Gear: TALK ME OUT OF IT or JUSTIFY MY PURCHASE?
Posted: Tue May 20, 2025 5:41 pm
by Garth
I forgot I have access an M80 at work & I have heard good things. They aren't cheap though so I'll wait until the right drummer comes through.
An M80 should really blow up the snare.
*ahem* Sorry, I'll see myself out
Re: Gear: TALK ME OUT OF IT or JUSTIFY MY PURCHASE?
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 9:13 pm
by llllllllllllllllllll
eephus wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 5:13 pmThe 137/141 paired with a good ribbon mic is very nice for acoustic guitar.
I’ve used the KSM137 on acoustic, but never tried it with a ribbon. I had a AEA KU5A out that sounds cool on acoustic in kind of a Django single note way, but a little cartoonishly “vintage” unless I got the position just so. Went ahead and setup the Shure with it to give it a try when I have a minute. I bet it will be great.
Unrelated, but with a lot of sdc mics I never feel like they sound that great solo, though not bad, but hearing the mics in context with everything they really come alive.
Re: Gear: TALK ME OUT OF IT or JUSTIFY MY PURCHASE?
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 11:02 pm
by eliya
llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 9:13 pm
eephus wrote: Mon May 19, 2025 5:13 pmThe 137/141 paired with a good ribbon mic is very nice for acoustic guitar.
I’ve used the KSM137 on acoustic, but never tried it with a ribbon. I had a AEA KU5A out that sounds cool on acoustic in kind of a Django single note way, but a little cartoonishly “vintage” unless I got the position just so.
Man, I feel like that's just how recording acoustic guitar is. Not so much the cartoonish Django sound, but it's really hard for me to get a good sound with a single mic unless it's positioned just so. Ribbon, ldc, sdc, dynamic - all been the same in that way.
Staying on topic, I've had a pair of KSM137 for almost two decades now. They're great and I never felt like I needed to upgrade.