Must have microphones?

[Wonks]

[Hugh Robjohns]

And the Sharks with the frickin lasers....

[Aled Hughes]

Hmmm... that would be a tough call.

A Shure Beta57 can do pretty much everything tolerably well, doesn't need phantom power, and would survive desert island conditions...

This is interesting. You'd take it over dynamics like a Beyer M201 or M88, or a Sennheiser MD421 / 441, for instance? I've never used the Beta57 much, only on a few live gigs, and never given it much consideration... but now I'm intrigued!

[Hugh Robjohns]

The M201 is a fabulous mic indeed,, but I'd be upset by seeing it get scratched and ruined by the sand, and the MD421 is a great mic ruined by a stupid clamp that annoys and frustrates me every time I use it! I just think the 57 (orig or beta) would cope better, and I'd be less upset if it got damaged!

[John Willett]

... the MD421 is a great mic ruined by a stupid clamp that annoys and frustrates me every time I use it!

Actually I LIKE the clamp on the MD 421.

It locks in and holds the mic. safely in any position - if the mic. is hand-held there are no protruding bits. It's a much more elegant solution than having a big fat traditional type of clip that would not hold the mic. safely when pointing downwards (eg: for a saxophone).

It's easy to put on and remove and I like the design very much.

But my mic. body and clip do come from the 1970s (or 80s) and they may have made them better back then.

[twotoedsloth]

I'm really surprised that you like the mount for the MD421.

We have four MD421s and I rarely used them because I would get frustrated with the mount, so I'd go and grab something else, usually a Beta57 (for drums) or a 441 (for trumpet or trombone).

We got some new Rycote mounts, and I've rediscovered the MD421s, I use them on most of my Jazz recordings these days.

Back on point, my must have microphones would probably include an AKG c422, or pairs of DPA 4006s and Neumann TLM 193s.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Actually I LIKE the clamp on the MD 421.

I knew somebody must!

It locks in...

...and most struggle to figure out how to release it!

if the mic. is hand-held there are no protruding bits.

There aren't on any other handheld mic either.

It's a much more elegant solution than having a big fat traditional type of clip...

I get what they were trying to do, but the fact that no other manufacturer adopted a similar idea suggests it wasn't really that elegant or practical...

...that would not hold the mic. safely when pointing downwards (eg: for a saxophone).

I've used lots of other mics on saxophones, and can't think of any that have fallen out of their clip! I take the point in principle, but I've never found it a sufficient problem to make me wish every mic had a 421-style clip! Quite the reverse in fact...

I like the design very much.

That balances my loathing of it nicely, then!

[John Willett]

[
...and most struggle to figure out how to release it!

Really? I'm very surprised ???

The first time I used it (back in the 1970s) I found it very easy to clip in and remove.

Removing is a doddle - press the button with your thumb and slide the mic. up with your fingers.

I got it instinctively the first time I used it and thought it a great idea then.

But - remember - this was invented in the days before Hytrel and mic clips were stiff plastic and did not grip the mic. at all. So - when it was invented - it was actually an excellent way of securely holding a mic.

The original clip for the MD 441 also had a sliding button to hold the mic. in so it would not fall out when pointing down.

When Hytrel came along manufacturers redesigned their clips with Hytrel so they hold the mic. tight at any angle. Shure redesigned all their clips and I do not think that any are now supplied with the hard plastic clip that were supplied when they first came out - horrible clips that did not hold the mic. firmly enough and could scratch the mic. with use.

Nowadays mics come with Hytrel clips - even the MD 441 now has a Hytrel clip. It was only the design of the MD 421 that made a large Hytrel clip a bit unsightly (though I think one is available now).

When it was invented, the 421 clip was actually an excellent idea and certainly worked very well originally - but the original 421 clips were made of metal and were better than the modern ones made of plastic.

[Wonks]

I find it all too easy to knock the clip button on my 421s and the mic fall downwards when they've been set up for miking toms.

[ore_terra]

It looks like there’s a market for NOS or reissue MD421 metal clips

[Wonks]

Or a better locking version.

[twotoedsloth]

The Rycote Invision mount works great with the MD421. In fact, it is probably superior to the stock mount as it is not as prone to vibration and you can use the mount on other microphones if you're not using the 421.

[Wonks]

I do have 4 Invision mounts.

[Hugh Robjohns]

[John Willett]

I do have 4 Invision mounts.

Only 4 ?

[Sam Inglis]

I like the InVision mounts, but the best one I have is one that came with an obscure Pearl stereo mic. The part that attaches to the stand has a ball-and-socket mount that lets you instantly point the mic in almost any direction and lock it securely in that position. I don't think I've ever seen another one quite like it.

[Humble Bee]

K&M (who else?) makes an accessory that does just that. It goes between a normal mic clip and the stand and has a lockable ball joint.

K&M 19695-300

Doesn't save you from a crap mic clip tho...

[Sam Inglis]

Of course they would! Neat. Does it rotate in any direction or just up and down within the slot?

[Humble Bee]

They are a bit limited to the slot direction but they add a good bit of flexibility to the setup... the ball part spins freely tho. I think it was €15 and well worth the money.

[Bob Bickerton]

And if you’re looking for excellent mic stands and accessories, it’s hard to beat Triad Orbit http://www.triad-orbit.com - absolutely astounding quality and a price to go with it.

I took the plunge and have been well pleased, but I’m poorer for it!

Bob