onsdag 26 augusti 2009

The Grateful Dead

Richard Links of California has been kind enough to share some information about The Grateful Dead and their use of the Milab LC-25. I'll repost his email here (with Richard's permission of course):

---------------------

My curiosity began when I recently picked up a video of The Dead at Alpine Valley (1989) and in it, you can see that nearly each vocal is captured by identical microphones on stage. This got my curiosity and I felt I had seen that distinct pick-up structure previously. Then, when I Googled further, I found out that Dan Healey, the former sound engineer for The Dead, commented about their use of the LC-25 for vocals. BTW, I have actually met Dan in-person, since he is also a member of our local California Historical Radio Society. He has a massive collection of antique radios!

Here is just one of numerous clips (Not Fade Away), in which these very Milab microphones are visible:





Richard Links
Links Sound

tisdag 25 augusti 2009

SDC shootout in Tape Op Magazine

There is an extensive SDC (Small Diaphragm Condenser) shootout in the latest issue of Tape Op Magazine with as many as 92 microphones included - very stiff competition indeed with AKG, Neumann, DPA, Josephson, Gefell and many others.

21 jury members selected 15 mics each and all models that received more than 7 votes made it to the "most picked" category. The test was only made with acoustic guitar.

Two Milab models were in the shootout (DC-96B and VM-44) and both were selected as "most picked". Neumann had 9 models with only 1 selected, AKG 9 models - only 1 selected, Schoeps had 6 models - only 1 selected, Josephson 3 models - none selected, DPA 3 models - 1 selected, Shure 5 models - 1 selected, Gefell 4 models - none selected etc...

Mics in the shootout:

3 Zigma CHI
AKG Blueline 391
AKG Blueline 393
AKG C 1000 S
AKG C 480 B
AKG C451b
AKG C451EB
AKG C451EB
AKG C460B
AKG D224e
AT 4021
AT 4031
AT 4041
AT 4051
ATM450
AT-Pro 37R
Avantone CK-1
Avenson STO-2
B&K 4011
Beyerdynamic M201
Beyerdynamic MC930
CAD GXL1200
Charter Oak M900
Crown CM-700
DPA 4006TL
DPA 4011TL
DPA 4099
Earthworks QTC40
Earthworks SR30
Earthworks TC30
EV RE15
Fouxman MCA SP-1 mod
Fouxman MK012 mod
Fouxman MXL 603 mod
Gefell M296
Gefell M300
Gefell M70
Gefell M94
Heil PR-35
Jim Williams MCA SP-1
Josephson C42
Josephson C617
Josephson e22s
JZ BT-201
Kel Audio HM-1
Mercenary KM-69
Milab DC-96B
Milab VM-44 Classic
MXL 604s
MXL V67N
Naiant X-M
Neumann KM 130
Neumann KM 143
Neumann KM 184
Neumann KM 83
Neumann KM 84
Neumann KM 85
Neumann KM 86
Neumann KM 88
Neumann TLM50
Nevaton MC49
Oktava MC012
Oktavamod MC012
Oktavamod MCA SP-1
Oktavamod MXL 603
Peluso CEMC6
Rode NT5
Samson CO2
Sanken CO-100K
Schoeps CMC5 with MK5 capsule
Schoeps CMC6 with MK4 capsule
Schoeps CMT 30 FNU M 934 b
Schoeps CMT 30 FNU M 934 c
Schoeps CMT 30 FNU MK241
Schoeps CMT 341
Schoeps/Strasser CM60
SE Electronics SE1
SE Electronics SE3
Sennheiser 421
Sennheiser 441
Sennheiser e914
Sennheiser MKH 8020
Sennheiser MKH 8050
Shure KSM141
Shure SM137
Shure SM57
Shure SM7
Shure SM81
Sony C-535p
Studio Projects C4
T.H.E. KA-04
Violet Finger

Most picked (in alphabetical order):

AKG C451 EB
AT 4021
B & K 4011
Beyer MC 930
Charter Oak M900
DPA 4099
Jim Williams-modded AKG C 460 B
Mark Fouxman-modded Octava MK-012
Mercenart Auio KM-69
Milab DC-96B
Milab VM-44
Neumann KM 184
Nevaton MC49
Rode NT5
Sanken CO-100K
Schoeps CMC/MK5 omni
Shre KSM141
Sony C-535p
Violet Design Gold-Finger

----

I have not seen the actual article - I've only read about it in forums - but I will try to get a copy of the magazine.

torsdag 13 augusti 2009

Back at the office

I apologize for my lack of blogging the last few weeks. I'm back at the office now after my vacation and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the year.

There are several exciting things happening in the near future: We are launching some very promising distributors (USA, Singapore and Sweden) and there are some interesting magazine reviews in the pipeline. We are awaiting the first reviews for the BDM-01 - and the SRND 360 will be reviewed by an american magazine for the first time.