Hi, fellas. I hope you can share some insight here. I want to buy a pair of small-head condenser mics mostly for drum overheads (acoustic instruments, maybe). Anyway, I'm eyeing a pair of Rode M5, the cheaper cousin of the NT5. I wish I could test them before buying, but in my country that's not feasible.

I own a pair of Shure SM81 and they're my go-to overheads, but I intend to use them to close mic hi-hat and ride cymbals. Then I need a pair of OH and I can't afford another pair of 81s. I once bought a matched pair of Samson C02. They were horribly brittle and harsh sounding. I gave them up by the week. Will I have the same experience with the Rode M5? Does anyone have experiece with them?

Last thing, would you prefer the Rode M5 to a pair of SM57 that I already own and could try as overheads?

Any opinions will be valued.

 

Copied from an overhead mic showdown,only the best 5 chosen.
Personally,my vote would go for CAD M179 for versatility, sounds great on TOM drums as well.
Sounds good for acoustic gtrs and vocals as well.
The Best $200 Condenser, Revisited

By now we’ve heard most of these mics in Aaron’s test of vocals, guitar cab, and acoustic, and all of them in my voiceover/podcast roundup. Let’s summarize.
Two mics were picked as standouts in all three tests. This is a remarkable testament to these mics’ versatility:
The

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AKG Acoustics Perception 220 sounded good on every source we put it in front of. That makes it a genuine workhorse mic, at an extremely reasonable price point (currently $130 at Amazon; click the image at right to see current sale prices on this mic).
The

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Studio Projects LSM was a surprise performer. Given its onboard ADC, USB output option, and built-in desk stand, it seems Studio Projects has targeted new home recordists rather than established studios. But overlooking the LSM for these reasons would be a mistake, because it is a unique little mic that I think would see frequent usage in any studio. It isn’t the most neutral mic of the bunch, but it’s one of the most exciting. I think Studio Projects has a real winner with the LSM.
Many other mics here turned in strong performances, and remain solid choices:

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  SE Electronics X1 – a top pick in the VO/podcast test, and a strong performer in the drum OH test
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  CAD Audio M179 – a top pick in the VO/podcast test, and a strong performer in the drum OH test. It’s the only multipattern mic here, and IMO is a fantastic bargain.
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  Audio-Technica AT2035 – sounded great in the podcast/VO test and on drum overheads.

For my $200, I think any of these five microphones would be a reliable addition to the mic locker. They’re not all interchangeable, of course, but we’ve given you enough real-world usage notes to make an intelligent decision about which might serve you best… and even some ideas about how to use them to get the most out of each.

 

SM57 is a dynamic mic, so I wouldn't use those as overheads. But there are no rules.

I live in Sweden and we have a Line Audio Design CM3 which is a really good mic. I use it for overheads, piano and sometimes acoustic guitar.

 

Last edited: Feb 22, 2016

The Perception 220 is a very popular mic and it carries the AKG lineage. I'll consider it. As for Studio Projetcs, it's very unlikely I find one of these in my local market. You usually can only find the big name brands, though I have seen CADs around the place. I'll look into them.

I wouldn't bash the 57s just because they are dynamic mics. Of course, they will turn out to be dull, but i don't like too bright OHs anyway. That's why I love the 81s.

The Rode M5 sell at US$168 the matched pair. I can't go wrong, can I? I paid $120 for the Samson C02s and it was a waste of money. For reals.

 

I've never tested them, but try Google the Takstar CM-60, they are dead cheap and seem to be replicas of the AKG 451's, cheap Chinese mic's seem to have that brittle high-end but hey it could be worth a shot.

"Kidvybes" on Gearslutz recommended it:

" Another great option on the cheaper side is the Takstar CM-60 (much better quality than the price would imply)...these were also marketed under the "Prodipe" brand...my associates all love these for acoustic guitar and overhead duties:
Takstar Professional CM60 Small Diaphragm Condenser Microphone Anti Humidity | eBay "

Link to thread: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/low...one-know-about-m-audio-pulsar-ll-capsule.html

Specs: http://img.takstar.com/en/manuals/20130608090858272.pdf

 

Last edited: Feb 22, 2016

yo, SM57, that's for almost anything, but the limited frequency range would be a severe problem (amongst others). Rode is usually a super-fine brand,but the M5 series is not really a mic that would convince me. NT4 and NT5? Any time!

In the same price range you will also find the Oktava mics, a set that I would prefer over the Rodes (I have the NT4 and the Oktavas; latter ones are "smoother", "warmer" which does not mean "better").

If you are really on a tight budget, check out the Samson C02 series. 2 pieces for around $130 and they are remarkable, considering the price. You can listen to various samples of all those mics e.g. on thomann.de site. They have little audio-snippets for all mic brands (apologies ahead, in case posting links to commercial is doo-doo here

check out the player underneath product image ...

Rode NT5 matched pair:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/rode_nt_5.htm?ref=search_rslt_Rode+NT5_154595_0

Oktava matched pair set (damn, look at that fancy box and the extra capsules! where's my credit card ...
http://www.thomann.de/gb/oktava_mk_01201_mkiimatched_pair.htm?ref=search_rslt_Oktava_165104_0

Rode M3 (bit cheaper, but quite ok):
http://www.thomann.de/gb/rode_m3.htm

and finally one that I bought recently to play around a bit and that was surprisingly good as well: Joe Meek
http://www.thomann.de/gb/joemeek_jm27s.htm

unfortunately they are out of stock for the Samson-mics that I mentioned.

 

I totally agree. It's merely a matter of taste. And there are no rules.
Both condensers and dynamics (like SM7B) sound good on vocals. So do ribbon mics on drums, and they don't go too high (most of them).

 

I can't seem to find distribution in my country.

 

+ 1 on the CAD. I don't think you can get much better bang for the buck than CAD mics.

 

The problem with SM57s is limited dynamic range. A pair of small diaphragm condensors will give more range and depth.

A pair of large diaphragm condensors will give even more range and depth.

A mid priced range range from Audio-Technica the AT4033 (around $895 US), really did well in the last studio I was seriously involved in. Worked for evrything from Overheadsand Accordian to instruments amps.

Peavey had a refernce mic for their digital EQ measurement funtion that worked great for live club gigs used for drum overheads. Discovered while working at a music retailer as service manager
where I also consulted on pro audio gear. I'm sure they still have something for this purpose and priced around $200.00 US

 

Last edited: Feb 23, 2016

I have used and still use Line Audio Design CM3 with great results! Highly recommended on OH as well as on acoustic guitars and also on recording a choir.