Gerhard Westphalen said:
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Don't mean to derail the thread but have you tried the Michael Joly modded Oktavas? They're made specifically to sound like the KM-84 and seem to go a great job. I'm thinking of sending mine in for the mod.
Not really derailing, I think.
I've listened to quite a few demos of both his modified Oktavas and his from-scratch MJE-384s. He was in Philly a while back, but I was unable to attend that meeting. Bummed, because I like Michael a lot, and I think he is quite good, and getting my hands on his microphones could have made a decision a little easier.
So they are certainly under consideration. BUT, as with every other microphone I tried they are not a replacement for the KM-84. At least not based on any demo I've listened to. They are close, but so are the Peluso, and the Mitek, and the Telefunken, and so on, even the Oktava - there is a certain range of sounds one expects from a transformerless FET design small capsule condensor, and they are all in that ballpark. And yet the are all different! Throw in the Schoeps, DPA and Sanken offerings and you get three more takes on it.
Equally important, and an absolute deal breaker, if I can't use them in my studio, on my instruments, then I'm not considering them at all. Actually if I can't use them I'm not considering them, my place, my instruments is a bonus<G>!
No, if I were able to justify the expense I'd get a pair of KM-84s. I'm done looking for a replacement, at least for now. I don't believe it exists.
Since I'm not there now I'm working with what I have, and I did pick up a pair of the Telefunken M60s. They are not a replacement, but they did provide a very nice sound that I could not get with my other microphones. In fact I'm thinking about selling off a couple of the other pair now. The M60s are really quite good.
All of which plays right back to the original question. For some only a Bricasti will do, for others a plugin version of the Bricasti will do, for some it has to be a Lexi 224 or 480, others like the plugin versions of these.
It's a two part question, every time, and the frustrating part is that the two parts are pretty well isolated. You find the solution that works for you, then you figure out if it makes good business sense, or if you can afford it without the business justification.
To the rest of your post - improving my work, or my work flow is not a sufficient justification for me to spend $3K on outboard gear or even microphones. The audible differences will not improve my bottom line, and since I am not selling my services it won't help me make a sale. On the other hand, better monitors, or a better room will improve my work, and stands a chance of improving my ability to sell my work. Still a difficult business decision, but at least I've identified the question!