Can you have too many microphones?

[ManFromGlass]

I am going through my CD and music book collection giving them away to a younger generation. It does feel good. Soon I will do that with my percussion instrument collection as I rarely use some of them anymore.

I don’t have many mics and rarely have the chance to use them so they will be next, but I suspect I will sell them except for a few faves. I like to take care of everything that passes through my hands. I even keep original packaging when I purchase new. I notice that I tend to place more value on something I have purchased, except for those few free things that have great memories attached to them.

[John Willett]

.... you'd have to have a damn good reason to ditch the MKH's.

You're not wrong -- they're absolutely superb microphones. I actually have ten altogether -- 4x20s, 3x40s, 2x30s, and 1x50 -- and I use them all the time for all sorts of things.

I think you probably can have 'too many' mics, But that threshold will obviously vary enormously depending on what you need/want to do with them. I think I've got over 40 mics in my collection at the moment, covering all the bases from the venerable SM57 up to a Soundfield ST450mkii, with (mostly pairs) of all sorts of high-quality mics in between -- SDCs, LDCs, ribbons, and dynamics.

But I think that's the point, and I agree with Bob and JW here, that it's well worth buying the best you can because then you won't outgrow them, they'll last your whole recorsing career, and they will hold their value well for when you finally decide to downsize.

I have a policy where I review my equipment each year, and if I haven't used something for a couple of years I seriously consider disposing of it. And on that basis I did sell a couple of Neumann TLM103s last year that I wasn't using. They were/are very good mics, but I just found I always preferred using other LDC mics in my collection, and I no longer do the kind of big jobs where I needed the extra pair of mics.

I have 14 MKH mics - 2x20, 2x30, 2x40, 2x800, 2x8020, 2x8040, 2x 816F.

I do have a TLM 103 that I want to get rid of - used it only once and won't use again since I got my Gefell M 930 pair - just like Hugh I suppose; it's an excellent mic., but I have others I use instead.

[John Willett]

I possibly have one or two more mics than I need...

I think I have just basically acknowledged that my urge to collect things needs to be channelled somewhere! They're more useful than china figurines and smaller than cars. And since I bought nearly all of them second-hand, I hope they'll keep their value.

Buying seccondhand is good, it's the only way to loose as little money as possible. Like, never buy a new car, same thing. But getting a good mic used can be a bit dodgy, you have to be very careful.

You have to be *very* careful when buying s/h LDCs that have been used for vocals - especially if they have been used by a smoker as the diaphragm(s) are likely to be contaminated and would therefore need cleaning or replacing.

Especially with Neumann U87s and the like, a studio may sell of an old mnic and buy a new one as replacing the capsule would cost more than selling and buying new - so be careful.

[ConcertinaChap]

But getting a good mic used can be a bit dodgy, you have to be very careful.

You do have to do due diligence, of course, but the majority of my mics are second hand. Especially when you're talking about up-market condensers (sorry, capacitors) I think the majority of people have the sense to care for them and treat them well which, in my experience, tends to make them a lower risk and better than average second hand buy.

In the early years I went through a lot of second hand mics, buying and selling. It was a great way of finding the mics I liked and had a use for without losing that much money.

CC

[hobbyist]

I am going through my CD and music book collection giving them away to a younger generation. It does feel good. Soon I will do that with my percussion instrument collection as I rarely use some of them anymore.

I don’t have many mics and rarely have the chance to use them so they will be next, but I suspect I will sell them except for a few faves. I like to take care of everything that passes through my hands. I even keep original packaging when I purchase new. I notice that I tend to place more value on something I have purchased, except for those few free things that have great memories attached to them.

That is the hazard of growing old. I look back and cant believe how much stuff we got rid of when we downsized and moved out of our house. Looking at the apartment I wonder how I accumulated so much in the first place.

[Arpangel]

I am going through my CD and music book collection giving them away to a younger generation. It does feel good. Soon I will do that with my percussion instrument collection as I rarely use some of them anymore.

I don’t have many mics and rarely have the chance to use them so they will be next, but I suspect I will sell them except for a few faves. I like to take care of everything that passes through my hands. I even keep original packaging when I purchase new. I notice that I tend to place more value on something I have purchased, except for those few free things that have great memories attached to them.

I notice a lot of people lately who are "giving" stuff away, including myself.
First of all it was built in obsolescence, now it's so cheap new, and not worth it to repair that giving it away seems the only option. Who buys CD's, or books? You might get 20p each if you're extremely lucky. Seccondhand book and record/CD shops are thin on the ground these days.
Apart from really desirable vintgae or high-end industry standard stuff, you can forget about the rest, it's almost worthless.

[Mike Stranks]

Who buys CD's, or books? You might get 20p each if you're extremely lucky. Seccondhand book and record/CD shops are thin on the ground these days.

I'm buying books - new, secondhand, charity shop all the time. Probably two or three a week.
For general stuff - and the odd specialist gem - charity shops are a happy hunting ground. Usually '3 for £1'. Then when you've read them you just take them back... a 'charity' library!
Much less often, but similarly I'm buying CDs like that - especially jazz and classical.

Apart from really desirable vintgae or high-end industry standard stuff, you can forget about the rest, it's almost worthless.

Err... no. I'm regularly buying and selling good shallow-end kit via EBay all the time. 99% of the time it's good quality and well-cared for. Concertina Chap has already made this point. I'm regularly selling in the high tens and low hundreds of pounds.

[Arpangel]

Who buys CD's, or books? You might get 20p each if you're extremely lucky. Seccondhand book and record/CD shops are thin on the ground these days.

I'm buying books - new, secondhand, charity shop all the time. Probably two or three a week.
For general stuff - and the odd specialist gem - charity shops are a happy hunting ground. Usually '3 for £1'. Then when you've read them you just take them back... a 'charity' library!
Much less often, but similarly I'm buying CDs like that - especially jazz and classical.

Apart from really desirable vintgae or high-end industry standard stuff, you can forget about the rest, it's almost worthless.

Err... no. I'm regularly buying and selling good shallow-end kit via EBay all the time. 99% of the time it's good quality and well-cared for. Concertina Chap has already made this point. I'm regularly selling in the high tens and low hundreds of pounds.

Books/CD's etc......and the words "charity shop" says it all.
Sure, I buy CD's and books from charity shops, but I also give them to those shops too, because I can't sell them. I'm also very sad seeing secondhand book shops close, left right and centre. I don't see the internet as a good thing in this respect, it's destroyed a a lot of good things, like browsing in secondhand book/record/equipment shops, meeting people, making friends etc etc. The internet really is a double edged sword.
I'm also selling, like you, what I consider to be useful, "valued" items, but I'm having real trouble doing that, I'll probably end up giving most of it away at the next Sosage meet!
I've sold a few high end items with no trouble at all, they've gone within the first week of advertising, but the other stuff hangs around forever, unless you take a massive loss on it, TBQH, I'd rather give it away.
As for EBay, well, their commision rates make you feel like you've just been mugged.

[CS70]

Who buys CD's, or books?

If you're mixing, CDs are great for reference, so I have bought the occasional one over the years

[Mike Stranks]

I also buy a few books each month - new - from Amazon or second-hand from EBAY. I was addressing the point, "Who buys books?" I do!

As for the old 'Ebay costs too much' argument... You usually have to pay to advertise if you want a good constituency. 10% seems not unreasonable for the marketplace you can access.

It's the only place I've found where you can be sure of finding purchasers for audio gear. Price it realistically and it'll sell.

[Arpangel]

I also buy a few books each month - new - from Amazon or second-hand from EBAY. I was addressing the point, "Who buys books?" I do!

As for the old 'Ebay costs too much' argument... You usually have to pay to advertise if you want a good constituency. 10% seems not unreasonable for the marketplace you can access.

It's the only place I've found where you can be sure of finding purchasers for audio gear. Price it realistically and it'll sell.

I used to sell books on Amazon, quite regularly, but even that petered out in the end. I started selling for pounds, and ended up selling for pence. I still buy from Amazon though.
I guess a lot depends on your situation, I don't like posting things, and that limits your market, also my location isn't good, when I lived in London it was a lot easier to sell stuff.

[Wonks]

I've sold a few things (well two) on Facebook Marketplace recently. Remarkably hassle-free experience. No fees and a wide audience. No fees means that you can price items more competitively over something with a BIN or reserve price on eBay.

[Arpangel]

I've sold a few things (well two) on Facebook Marketplace recently. Remarkably hassle-free experience. No fees and a wide audience. No fees means that you can price items more competitively over something with a BIN or reserve price on eBay.

Do you have to get involved in actual Facebook to sell though? Or just use Marketplace?

[Wonks]

Well, you'll need to join Facebook to access marketplace so people can contact you. But you don't have to connect/make friends with anyone else of you don't want to. And you can hide almost everything from anyone else.

[CS70]

However it’s worth saying that part of the appeal of Facebook is that you can access people’s profiles and get a feel about them. People with an empty profile, no friends and no activity at all come off as real odd and It wouldn’t really appeal to me we’re I to buy something.

[ManFromGlass]

On the other hand do you want strangers and tire kickers knowing about your personal life? Depending on how personal you get on your page.
And who your friends are. Friends may not be so discreet about your gear collection, when you plan your holidays and leave your key under the doormat etc. (yes I know, Mr Paranoid here)

[Sam Spoons]

However it’s worth saying that part of the appeal of Facebook is that you can access people’s profiles and get a feel about them. People with an empty profile, no friends and no activity at all come off as real odd and It wouldn’t really appeal to me we’re I to buy something.

Me too, though I prefer to buy from FB groups. Often in this case, if somebody rips another off the offended party will post in the group to the effect that the offending party should be avoided.

[CS70]

On the other hand do you want strangers and tire kickers knowing about your personal life? Depending on how personal you get on your page.
And who your friends are. Friends may not be so discreet about your gear collection, when you plan your holidays and leave your key under the doormat etc. (yes I know, Mr Paranoid here)

No of course, but it's all about what you mean by "personal". People read about celebrities in newspapers and think they know them People see fb profiles and do the same.. they're both mistakes. But having a face to relate to, and a few hundreds faces that claim to have the pleasure of your acquaintance kinda helps giving the feel that you're a real person, it's your real name, living in a real place and being what you say do and you're not a scam identity

One may like it or not and it's a novel way of dealing with people, but it's now a reality of our times...

[Wonks]

You simply manage your profile, so you only put on what you want to put on. So if you want it music orientated, then put up a few pics of kit and a few 'been recording today' posts. You can make most of it up if you want (within believable reason) and simply create a public persona.

[ManFromGlass]

Exactly. So a professional scam artist could do that in a heartbeat.

I would guess that we all have FB friends who aren’t as security savvy and who will post things that are best kept private. I know there have always been scammers throughout the ages but the internet seems to have made that all so much easier. In spite of my views here I am still an optimist and assume the best of the human race and that we like to treat each other fairly, especially when it comes to gear! And because of these postings I will definitely consider selling gear through FB but perhaps under a different persona. I can’t imagine mine would be the only customized alter ego on FB.

[Julian_M]

You can certainly have too many C1000s.

Just having one really oversteps the mark.

That's not absolutely accurate . . . . I've made very good use of the case and wouldn't mind another . . . case that it is

I blush at the memory of just how utterly ignorant I was when I allowed myself to be convinced that a c1000 was, I quote, 'Just perfect for you because it can record acoustic guitars and vocals'

Thankfully that was over 20 years ago and as that's the only purchasing decision I really cringe about , I got off pretty lightly

[Arpangel]

You can certainly have too many C1000s.

Just having one really oversteps the mark.

That's not absolutely accurate . . . . I've made very good use of the case and wouldn't mind another . . . case that it is

I blush at the memory of just how utterly ignorant I was when I allowed myself to be convinced that a c1000 was, I quote, 'Just perfect for you because it can record acoustic guitars and vocals'

Thankfully that was over 20 years ago and as that's the only purchasing decision I really cringe about , I got off pretty lightly

Isn't there a box, or a piece of software that claims to "make any microphone sound like a U87" If it works with a C1000 then they deserve the Nobel Prize...

[Drew Stephenson]

There's things like the Slate: https://www.slatedigital.com/virtual-microphone-system/
but they're starting with something a bit better than the C1000

[Arpangel]

There's things like the Slate: https://www.slatedigital.com/virtual-microphone-system/
but they're starting with something a bit better than the C1000

What's that? an SM58?