From: "Bruce Wilson" <>
>
> A month ago I bought a Marantz PDM670 from Bayview Pro Audio
> (bayviewproaudio.com) and got two Cascade XT1 studio instrument mics toss=
ed
> in for free.
>
> These are, I think, very similar to the CAD 177 Mics you mention, and are
> probably made at the same Chinese factory (along with Studio Projects, AD=
K,
> MXL and maybe Blue or Groove Tubes; micguys.com has a nice selection of
> these cheap mics). No one makes an end-on supercard or a single diaphragm
> figure 8, so I guess MS is out with these cheap mics.
I doubt it's the same internals. Your XT1's are rated 18dBA self noise,
the CAD M177 is rated 10dBA. It was that very low noise rating that
caught my eye.
The CAD M179 includes in it's multipatterns figure 8. Looking at the
photos it's hard to tell if it could be used as a side. At worst might
have to machine a new housing for the internal works.
That is actually why this mic is interesting. The combo of low noise,
figure 8 and cheap is extremely hard to find. If it will just stand up
in the environment, it may be a way for folks to get into M/S a lot cheaper=
.
> At low volumes (and high recording levels) I get a lot of noise. To give =
you
> an idea, as I know no numbers to express this, when I turn up high enough=
to
> hear a faint whisper at 30 feet, the noise is about equal to the whisper.
> It's a little better if I cut the treble on the recorder.
Due to your inexperience, this may sound bad, but it's actually fairly
good. No mic will stand up to endless amplification without showing
noise, and you are using a lot of amplification to pick up a faint
whisper at 30 feet. Sounds about right for mics rated at 18dBA self noise.
> The 48v phantom power sucks the recorders internal batteries (8 AA) down =
in
> a couple hours so I use sealed lead acid now and don't worry about runnin=
g
> out during a day of recording.
Yes, this looked like a down side for the CAD. The 8ma current it
requires is a lot for a portable to supply. In contrast my MKH mics are
drawing only a couple ma.
Note, if you are using alkalines or nicads in your recorder you should
really switch to NIMH rechargables. Far more power, the most recent AA's
I bought are rated 2250mah.
> Carrying mics on a stereo bar and the windscreen is a pain. Not for porta=
ble
> use.
This is a important consideration for nature recording. I rule out any
setup I cannot hand hold to record. That is, of course, one of the
advantages of my M/S and SASS setups, both reasonably compact and portable.
> Hope this helps. If you'd like to know something more specific, please as=
k.
> I'm happy to return the gift of knowledge I've received here.
As always with nature recording, how do your mics do with outdoor
conditions, particularly humidity.
Walt
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