Lauten Audio LA120 (and other omni SDCs)

[Aled Hughes]

Hello,
I'm looking for a pair of SDC with cardioid and omni caps. I had pretty much decided a few months ago that I'd buy a pair of Rode NT55 when I had the cash, but they seem to have gone up a bit in price, and I'm looking at a few other options. Obvious contenders are the Oktava MK012 and the new Lauten Audio Black LA120, of which I can't find many reviews a positive one in TapeOp though - what do we make of their reviews?). The Oktavas and Lautens are a fair whack cheaper than the Rodes (almost half price in some places), but that's no good if they're also a fair whack poorer.
Lauten seems to be company with a decent reputation built over their short existence, and seem to be a cut above the usual cheap stuff - any experience of the new 120 SDCs?

Thanks,
Aled

[Mike Stranks]

No experience of these and obviously the sound is key... but the published freq resp for the omni caps shows a significant boost in the upper registers...

Does it have to be one body with interchangeable caps? Do you have any SDCs at the moment?

Reason for asking is that I rate very highly the Line-Audio OM-1, but, of course, it's omni only. Superb mics which are ruler flat and give a beautiful sound. You'll find my mini-review elsewhere in the forum.

[Aled Hughes]

No experience of these and obviously the sound is key... but the published freq resp for the omni caps shows a significant boost in the upper registers...

Does it have to be one body with interchangeable caps? Do you have any SDCs at the moment?

Reason for asking is that I rate very highly the Line-Audio OM-1, but, of course, it's omni only. Superb mics which are ruler flat and give a beautiful sound. You'll find my mini-review elsewhere in the forum.

Yup, it does look like a diffuse field omni, but might the mic's hi shelf EQ take care of that?

Omni-only is an option, though I wouldn't mind a better paid of matched cardioids. I'll have a look, thanks!

[Aled Hughes]

I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a pair of the Line Audio OM1 and Rycote mounts now... in fact I was seconds away until I remembered I owed my wife the roughly the same amount...

It makes sense to go for omni only, as the studios I work at have very good cardioid options (a good handful of Sennheiser MKH40 in particular), so my own microphones are rarely used for anything critical. I have pairs of sE1a and Rode M3s at the budget end of things, that do a perfectly good job for non-commercial location recording and all the workshops I find myself doing with kids etc. This way I'll also save money in the short term (I'm also twitching over a Beyer M201... but like the cardioid SDC situation, there's plenty 201s already where I need them!), and can kill the cardioid-upgrade bird with a different stone in the future (Line Audio's CM3 are tempting...)

Still holding out a bit longer in case the new Lautens are a proper bangin' bargin' though...

[Mike Stranks]

I thought you'd find the CM-3s...!

Just be aware that they're what's generically called 'wide-cardioid' and that they perform to their best in the near-field... but they are cracking little mics too!

A lot of us here like the NT5s at the 'economic, but not rubbish' end of the market... I got mine second-hand and they've been fine... no problems whatsover.

(And I feel your pain about credit/debit balances... I'm allowed an allowance for tech-stuff which is currently overdrawn ... I'm currently selling some redundant gear to try and get into the black... )

[Aled Hughes]

Hmmm... those Karma Silver Bullets are stupid cheap. A world of difference between them and the Line Audio?

Also, on the subject of omnis, are diffuse field (ie treble boost) and flat omnis inherently unsuitable for the other's uses, or does some after-the fact EQ mostly sort it out?

[Mike Stranks]

Hmmm... those Karma Silver Bullets are stupid cheap. A world of difference between them and the Line Audio?

Also, on the subject of omnis, are diffuse field (ie treble boost) and flat omnis inherently unsuitable for the other's uses, or does some after-the fact EQ mostly sort it out?

I've owned some Silver Bullets in the past... good but not in the same class as the OM1. I don't know what they're like now, but when the SBs were 'discovered' and became big sellers, for a while consistency between units was a problem.

I guess it all depends on what you want them for. I use/need mine for critical semi-classical and choir work.. for room mics or drum OHs I guess the SBs would be OK. I know of a few people who use them for that.

I'm using my OM1s up until Christmas, but you'd be welcome to borrow them in the New Year if that would help. Usual stuff about 'you break = you pay', but I'd be happy to loan them to you for a couple of weeks...

As for near-field, diffuse field issues... I like to have a flat-ish mic as my starting point and then EQ in post if necessary/desirable... but Hugh and others will be able to advise on potential issues... (Of course, most of the time I'm not using mine near-field anyway...)

[The Elf]

those Karma Silver Bullets are stupid cheap.

Well worth picking a couple up for the price. I've had some great results with them as room mic's and other non-critical uses.

[ConcertinaChap]

A lot of us here like the NT5s at the 'economic, but not rubbish' end of the market... I got mine second-hand and they've been fine... no problems whatsover.

Same here. Buying mics second hand (while exercising some due diligence, of course) is a pretty safe bet on the whole because people tend to take care of good mics.

CC

[Bob Bickerton]

Also, on the subject of omnis, are diffuse field (ie treble boost) and flat omnis inherently unsuitable for the other's uses, or does some after-the fact EQ mostly sort it out?

Omnis designed for use in the diffuse field can be usually adapted for the near field by pointing the capsule at 90 degrees to the source. Not sure about the Lautens but my Neumanns are 'flat' at a right angle!

Or as Mike says use EQ, which omnis generally take just fine.

Bob

[Aled Hughes]

I'm using my OM1s up until Christmas, but you'd be welcome to borrow them in the New Year if that would help. Usual stuff about 'you break = you pay', but I'd be happy to loan them to you for a couple of weeks...

That's very kind of you Mike, thank you. I'm holding out a while longer to see if more reports and review on the Lautens surface. Otherwise I'll be going for a pair of OM1 unless an used pair of NT55 come up at a good price.

Aled

[Aural Reject]

Not exactly answering your question directly....but personally I expect you'd maybe get more mileage out of having a pair both of OM1s and CM3s rather than looking for a pair of used NT55s.

I recently took a punt on a pair of CM3s when I was physically after numbers of mics for a multitrack job I was doing...but before I used them on that I stuck them up just as an NOS-like pair just to see how they performed and was very impressed with them....much more so than I ever was with the admittedly older NT5 - and this is an opinion shared by others that I'd trust implicitly. OK, they're not full on replacements for my Schoeps or Neumann wide cardioids but they certainly performed very well.

I've not personally used the OM1s but if they perform to a similar level....

Given that the current price of 'new' NT55s is about £570....and you can get four physical Line Audios for about £396...I know which way I'd be leaning.

[Aled Hughes]

Two OM1s have been ordered (alongside a pair of Sennheiser HD25)!

I haven't yet gone for the Rycote mounts - am I right that omnis are less susceptible to mechanical vibrations than cardioids? I've got some super cheap small mounts that I'll try first, but I'm sure the Rycotes would be a good investment regardless.

Happy days!

[Hugh Robjohns]

- am I right that omnis are less susceptible to mechanical vibrations than cardioids? I've got some super cheap small mounts that I'll try first, but I'm sure the Rycotes would be a good investment regardless.

Yes, much less susceptible... But certainly not immune -- and the extended LF of omnis means that deep rumbles coming up the mic stands will be captured. So Rycote InVision mounts would be a good investment when funds allow.

H

[Mike Stranks]

The OM1s come with clips... That's all I've used thus far... no known issues on stands with circular bases that have very thick rubber shock surrounds. But I will try the Rycotes when I have a mo...

Used the OM1s to record the village carol service on Sunday. Positioning was not ideal as, understandably, the needs of the service had to take priority over the needs of the recording!

Nevertheless, I was very pleased with the resultant sound... open and unhyped with some very nice bass extension from the organ. Some judicious spot-miking with Beyer 201s for the spoken bits... Much from those who've heard it...

.... and I'm starting to think about a pair of CM3s... !!!!

[Aural Reject]

...and I'm starting to think about a pair of CM3s... !!!!

Just do it

I tend to shockmount everything just as a matter of routine unless I'm hanging them or using extension tubes...but it's not exactly a cheap habit (though the Rycotes are much cheaper than some of the Neumann and Schoeps own kit!!)

[Mike Stranks]

...and I'm starting to think about a pair of CM3s... !!!!

Just do it

Hmmm, yes, but.... I already have some hypocardioids which I like - Audix SCX1 - so I need to think carefully about what I'd sell if I was going for the CM3s. I've rationalised my mic set over the past year so that everything now in the box is used, has a use, and isn't just more of the same...

It'll wait for the new year anyway....

[Aled Hughes]

Well, I'm not regretting buying the OM1!

I plugged them in briefly when they arrived to check, ond I've never thought a stomach rumble could sound so clear!

I have a band in the studio this week, and so far the OM1 have done good work as room mics and on a grand piano. The piano was barely 1.5m from a full drum kit so they had to be moved in very close, but they sounded great and, crucially, the 'spill' also sounded great.

CM3s soon, I'm sure!

[John Willett]

- am I right that omnis are less susceptible to mechanical vibrations than cardioids? I've got some super cheap small mounts that I'll try first, but I'm sure the Rycotes would be a good investment regardless.

Yes, much less susceptible... But certainly not immune -- and the extended LF of omnis means that deep rumbles coming up the mic stands will be captured. So Rycote InVision mounts would be a good investment when funds allow.

H

And I would also recommend Rycote's thin and flexible XLR tail to help decouple the mic. from the main cable.

[Mike Stranks]

Well, I'm not regretting buying the OM1!

I plugged them in briefly when they arrived to check, ond I've never thought a stomach rumble could sound so clear!

I have a band in the studio this week, and so far the OM1 have done good work as room mics and on a grand piano. The piano was barely 1.5m from a full drum kit so they had to be moved in very close, but they sounded great and, crucially, the 'spill' also sounded great.

CM3s soon, I'm sure!