You guys may find this interesting - SP1 with Hemisphere vs my vintage KM

[Matt Hepworth]

So, I have a wonderful sounding vintage KM85, which is a Neumann KM84 with a gentle LF rolloff starting at 200Hz.

I have been doing some testing and recording with the SP1 pair that I bought vs my 451s and KM85. Incidentally, the Hemisphere plugin offers a 200Hz LF rolloff filter, which turns the KM84 into a KM85.

The red line in this is my actual KM85.
The grey is my SP1 with Hemisphere KM84 model and the 200Hz rolloff.

Audibly, they're close enough I'd feel comfortable punching in with the SP1 on a KM85 acoustic guitar part.

Incidentally, one of my SP1s is just a little closer to the KM85 than the other, but both are close. One is just extremely close...

 

[JamesNorth]

Wowsers Matt!

So that's the SP1 with a Neumann emu in Hemisphere applied?

That is pretty much as close as I'd expect two mics of the same model to be...

 

[Matt Hepworth]

Wowsers Matt!

So that's the SP1 with a Neumann emu in Hemisphere applied?

That is pretty much as close as I'd expect two mics of the same model to be...

Yes. Hemisphere plugin on KM84 mode, then the 200Hz filter, which effectively makes it a KM85. Given the variance you typically see in vintage mics I'm super impressed and pleased that it's so similar to my lovely sounding KM85.

 

[chrisso]

Good to know.
I'm more concerned with matching the tone. I have a few km84's and would be happy to add a modern equivalent.

 

[bellows and brass]

So, I have a wonderful sounding vintage KM85, which is a Neumann KM84 with a gentle LF rolloff starting at 200Hz.

You should get a sales commission with a post like this one!

 

[UniversalAudio]

Another sign that the Standard Series in general, but especially the SP1 and SC1, punch WAYYYY above their weight.

 

[A.C]

This is extremely cool. I think I need to get some SP-1's!

 

[Wiz]

Do the same test off axis….thats where km84s reveal their magic…….nit saying this doesn’t sound great on axis and work really well…..but do the test off axis and post the picture


cheers


Wiz

 

[hotspot]

test off axis

Would be interesting if Hemisphere is still able to catch that.
That's what makes the "Kleine Mikrofon 84" so ingenious.

 

[Matt Hepworth]

I'll give it a go. Full 90 degrees?

 

[bellows and brass]

 

[bigshinyT]

So, I have a wonderful sounding vintage KM85, which is a Neumann KM84 with a gentle LF rolloff starting at 200Hz.

I have been doing some testing and recording with the SP1 pair that I bought vs my 451s and KM85. Incidentally, the Hemisphere plugin offers a 200Hz LF rolloff filter, which turns the KM84 into a KM85.

The red line in this is my actual KM85.
The grey is my SP1 with Hemisphere KM84 model and the 200Hz rolloff.

Audibly, they're close enough I'd feel comfortable punching in with the SP1 on a KM85 acoustic guitar part.

Incidentally, one of my SP1s is just a little closer to the KM85 than the other, but both are close. One is just extremely close...

Yup, matches my experience using them and its why I have two pairs

 

[bigshinyT]

Do the same test off axis….thats where km84s reveal their magic…….nit saying this doesn’t sound great on axis and work really well…..but do the test off axis and post the picture


cheers


Wiz

Ooh, didn't think to test this

 

[Matt Hepworth]

Looooooong time in the making, but, thanks to @shatzer the in-depth comparison and testing is finally available.

 

[chrisso]

Ooh no (more in a minute).
Loved the guitar comparisons. Very detailed and complete. The only thing I could decide is that I didn't like the KM85.
Hard to hear any difference between km84 and SP1 in 84 mode.
I have my vintage km84's on drum overheads and hi-hat. I was waiting with baited breath, hoping for a mid-tempo groove with medium volume kick, snare and hat, then ride. That's where the 84 excels IMO.
I had to stop listening almost straight away to very fast toms and bass drum. Toms and bass drum are not the main ingredients that I judge drum overheads by.
Thanks for taking the time, anyway.

 

[shatzer]

I use my SP-1's almost exclusively now for overheads and acoustic guitar. They are some amazing little mics.

 

[eaygee]

You did a lot of work thanks for that. I actually played the entire video not watching it at all the first time just using my ears through my NDH-30's(Sipping on Matcha & Partaking in Tree's, standard listening setup... lol.) I'm impressed. I could here subtle differences but they where very close.

 

[UA_User]

My picks, for the directly miced shootouts.

(I will be ignoring the fact that a quick EQ move would make some of these examples indistinguishable in a mix, and just rating them as they are in the context of this test.)

1st guitar test:
RawSP-1 wins, for solo guitar like this. The un-hyped highs of this mic are good here. For strummed background noise filler in a full mix though, that situation could change.

2nd guitar test:
I greatly prefer the boomy/wooly lows of the KM84 here on solo guitar, though in a busy mix context, thats likely going to get cut. Hemisphere84 was nice and balanced.

1st snare test:
The extra hi-mid bark on the Hemisphere451 was more flattering in this application.

2nd snare test:
KM85 and Hemisphere85 win. When I use an SDC anywhere near a snare drum, it's to get crisp snare rattle, not extended lows.

Great video!

 

[Philomyth]

Great job! Lots of what I was waiting to see. I've been on the fence; this may have tipped me over.

 

[Matt Hepworth]

Ooh no (more in a minute).
Loved the guitar comparisons. Very detailed and complete. The only thing I could decide is that I didn't like the KM85.
Hard to hear any difference between km84 and SP1 in 84 mode.
I have my vintage km84's on drum overheads and hi-hat. I was waiting with baited breath, hoping for a mid-tempo groove with medium volume kick, snare and hat, then ride. That's where the 84 excels IMO.
I had to stop listening almost straight away to very fast toms and bass drum. Toms and bass drum are not the main ingredients that I judge drum overheads by.
Thanks for taking the time, anyway.

Hahaha! There're a couple seconds of regular beat in there on each after the toms.

I actually DID do a regular rock beat overheads and even rooms, but cut it. Would have been closer to an hour if I left it all in. Yikes!

Maybe I'll make some files available.