<< do members have some ideas of which mics out there have the strongest si=
gnal with the least noise ? I've used most of the usual suspects but i'd be=
interested in knowing if there are any not so obvious ones out there that =
deliver a hefty level & are quiet in terms of self noise.>>
Overlooked here often are large diaphragm mics, which, all other things bei=
ng equal, have an inherently better noise performance than small diaphragm =
mics. If you could deal with the added size & weight a good way to gain abo=
ut 6 to 8dB noise improvement over the usual Schoeps & Sennheiser MKH model=
s would be a pair of Neumann TLM103s. They match extremely low self noise w=
ith an exceptionally high output. The downside, beside the bulk, is that la=
rge diaphragm condensers are not as flat in frequency response as the best =
small diaphragms, although the rising high end characteristic of the TLM103=
could certainly be compensated in post. I see these listed for sale used e=
very week in the Los Angeles Craigslist for around $700. For several years =
this was the quietest mic on the market until a new Rode model bested it by=
a dB.
Scott Fraser
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