As the buyer of this exact microphone, I can say that it truly is a special one!

Great video! Well done! I own a dozen (yes, 12) RCA 77s as I love them and they are incredibly versatile. But the Varacoustic is the Shure SM 57 of RCA ribbon mics as it is cheap and should good! The 77 is richer on each instrument you recorded but the Varacoustic is not a slouch! And you have to hear it in the mix as some of the differences disappear. I only own 1 Varacoustic (and an extra acoustic labyrinth as I want to compare it to the 77s acoustic labyrinth) but your video has shown me I need to keep an eye out for cheap Varacoustics and then restore them (that''s my thing).

Would be awesome to hear the snare tests with another section for bleed - another huge factor in choosing mics. Snare might sound great but the side rejection could cause other parts of the kit to sound horrible. Becomes a big factor when it goes through compressors etc.

Beautiful Tune

Wonder how do these sound on distorted guitar?

Ah shit, I was actually gonna buy it but I see it's gone now

Dude, I'm really admiring your studio setup, and the tones you're getting out of everything is amazing.

Man, those sound great. That's a groovy song you're playing there. I'm not sure if I should know it but it's cool.

They're similar but the STC sound different in a couple key areas. Listening with decent headphones it's immediately apparent that the hi-hats are crisper and easily punch through the mix. The toms have more oomph to them as well. I feel like there's more definition and separation of each component of the kit. I mean, in the end they're very similar sounding and the Coles are a reasonable replacement for the STC but they aren't the same, the Coles aren't a 1:1 replacement. If the price difference weren't extreme, I'd choose the STC, but if the Coles were significantly cheaper, I might just go with those and try to EQ out the difference, but, I do prefer the STC. Cool video, thanks for this.

that coles on the cab woooo

the acoustic and electric tones were really nice!

To me the m16 sounds a bit muffled and with a stronger bass, but the Nady sounds more natural.

I have a Melodium 76 in my locker, I haven‘t found a use for it yet, apart from being an effects mic for vocals, but I love the way it looks. One musician called it „the medieval torture device“, maybe I have to try record a black metal band with it.

underrated channel

That BM5 mount hanging upside down on the guitar recording - is that a press fit or what keeps the mic from falling down? 😅

I think a workflow of how each mic is mixed and recorded will be helpful, the whole track sounds beautiful!!

Whats the gibson guitar model you are using? J35? Thx :D

Dickens Tunnel

Sony best on drum OH, 47 FET obviously best on kick, C414 best overall on everything, Sony second best overall.

How loud was this amp? I have a 77dx and I’ve been recording with my deluxe reverb and it seems very sensitive to volume can’t get the amp past 3 even if the mic is far away. Just wanna make sure nothing is wrong with the mic

Is the U47FET an original one from the 70s/80s or from the newer Reissue Series from 2014 to now? Thx 🙏

Wow! Sounds the same!

Sounds great as overhead

That clean tone is beautiful

So many things going on here. The first thing that popped out to me was how different the hi hats are, they more prominent on the STCs. Then how dry the toms are on the STCs, yet fuller in a way that the heads are differentiated more from the shells. The Coles seem more balanced EQ-wise overall but I get more room sound from the STCs that seems to be a clearer sonic picture that is more truthful than I believe the Coles are conveying. At this age the STCs' screen material is likely super stiff and therefore more porous, its electrical components are also hardened from age and transferring higher current levels than the original spec which would suggest a higher likelihood of harmonics added to louder sources (probably in a very smooth and consistent way). Most materials tend to stiffen with age and become brittle, be it wood, paper, plastics, paper/oil capacitors, ceramic diodes and resisters, etc. Sometimes that's a good thing, like old guitar strings, piano soundboards, violin/viola/cello bodies and tops. Do yourself a big favor and never part with either pair because both of them are awesome tools and there just might be situations down the road where they will compliment each other very nicely.

Best Mic video on youtube. No nonsense, no tricks, no sales, just the love for music and vintage mics!

D20 all day. Alan Parsons go to kick mic

664 killed it on the Toms, amazing sound. Every other application was too thin for me unless you are going for that sound.

This was a great demo. Well done.

Beyer M160 <3, M260 is terrible and best for me on drum & Guitar Amp !

i use 635a all the time but usually on isolated tracking because the omni thing can be a bit of a stress

Would this work ok for vocals or speech?

Yes! These are awesome too!!

So cool!

Love these! Thanks!!

This was super cool to see and hear

Thx!

What is the make of your acoustic?

They all sound quite muffled on the acoustic guitar. It's like they all roll off at about 6000 Hz, and by 13000 it sounds like it's -9 dB at least. I think this is on purpose though, these are studio voice mic's and rolling off the high frequencies helps reduce the 'plosives', the dreaded exploding "P"''s and hissing "S";s non-talented voice actors tend to have... lol But for acoustic guitar, what's needed is a good flat frequency response with as little microphone internal resonant frequencies as possible, and good high frequency sensitivity to be able to pick up the crisp sound of new strings, the sound of the pick, or sounds from fingering etc. They all sound pretty good on the first voice test though, when you were speaking directly into the mic like it's intended use.

Nice comparison. I have the 664 and to my ears I wouldn’t spend the extra money on the 10 or 15, although all three sound really good.

Differences between these mics could very easily be made up for with a low eq cut or boost. Realizing what the mics themselves sound like is crucial but use whichever makes you happy on a particular source or in whatever way you prefer to work.

is it crazy that i preferred the sound of it before you fixed it? 😂

We already know he picks vintage.

Hi, great video. I have a BM5 myself that I use for overheads as well. I am curious about the microphone mount that you have to yours. Is it an original, because I have never seen on like that. Is it original, or something custom-made? I live in Copenhagen, so I have seen lots of these mics, but never this mount. Thanks Frederik

Yes, there are small differences (as pointed out by others) but I think from the perspective of feel you get the same thing from both pairs. And it's a great feel! Also your drum sound in the room seems to be great already!

Hey Cole! I became very interested in these BM3s recently. I am seeing many of them labeled modded, or with changed ribbon etc... Does that an inevitable part of the game with a 60 year old microphone getting the ribbon changed in order to get great studio results with it?(I am thinking low noise and stuff like that) Have you come across any 60's BM3 mics that were in perfect condition, and there was nothing to do with them in terms of maintenance? Best, Abel

AKG C414EB with brass capsule BEST allround microphone ever made to this day. Natural and sounds amazing!

There you have the best allround microphones to this day. Sounds natural and amazing!

Too close to tell. I have a modern one. I’m very protective of. I’d hate to stretch the ribbon with a sneeze.

I have at least one or more of every one of these mics plus a few other weird EV's like RE50, RE20, etc... I've always liked the 664 over the 666. People just want the 666 cause of the devil. I love my 635a's too for under snare, guitar cabs, sometimes a trashy overhead on a kit or cock mic. They sound great totally smashed by a compressor. I also have a 674 that is a great vocal and guitar mic. RE15 are cool but i cannot figure out the price lately, $350-$450 is insane. I have 3 and didn't pay over $50 for any of them. Suddenly they are through the roof. I'm sure someone said Nirvana used them or some such trash and it is driving up the price. EV mics are such strange beasts, never the obvious choice but often surprising.