Neumann KM 184 - Still My Top Mic For Acoustic Guitar?

[@vincenteoppolo9025]

after hearing this vid last night I tested my Schoeps cmc64’s which I’ve been using for 2 years against my old 184’s and I was floored by the Neumanns once again. The Schoeps sounded so stark in comparison to the lush color the 184 delivered. So it’s back to the 184’s for me. My tastes have reverted

[@geej12]

You're right, it sounds fantastic, but I've just seen the price! Guess I'll have to stick with my SM57 or start selling my organs... 😉

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Haha! Yeah I know it is a big investment! And an SM57 will definitely do a great job! A small diaphragm condenser will pickup a more detailed sound than the sm57, so for a soft fingerpicker like myself it’s ideal, you can also find some cheaper small diaphragm condensers from other brands that also sound great! But this Neumann is definitely at the higher range when it comes to quality and sound, and with all Neumann mics they’re worth there weight in gold, they last a lifetime and will always keep their value.

[@geej12]

@@FabianHollandGuitar I'm also a fingerpicker. I must admit I'm quite tempted by the Rode M2 that you showed in one of your videos. Should give more detail than my SM57, and is more within my price range!

[@karimasanti]

Thank you for sharing! Found one available to rent, can’t wait to test it out

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, no problem. Thanks for watching! I hope you enjoy using it as much as I do🙂

[@Acducec]

Best for Over head and Acoustic I worked with top producer in Nashville with over 100 songs in top 10 and that’s what he uses insane good with Paiste cymbals every crash a shimmer of glass breaking Best period IMHO

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks, yeah i've heard a lot of people use these mics for drums!

[@leftofcenter4]

Yep I have made up my mind I know this mic is killer on acoustic guitars…you can always eq, compress and change up the pre amp to Taylor your tone. I’ll be selling some retirement stock funds to buy this bad boy, I figure I can’t go wrong micing my acoustic with a U87 and the Km184 using a Neve 1073 pre/eq, Universal Audio 6176 or my SSL xrack alpha channel pre along with the ssl eq and compressor, I can even mix up all flavors of those 3 combinations.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the comment. Oh yeah! U87 and km184 into a Neve 1073. Now that's a nice combo!! 🤩 What are you recording? Acoustic guitar and vocals?

[@leftofcenter4]

Yep, I wrote a killer love song back in 1996.. but I never did anything with it.. beyond a Scratch demo on a Roland VS recorder. Thus far it is just acoustic guitar and vocals.

[@oggiemarinski]

Hey, I m curious to know what happened. using the 184 and the U87? I m at the moment thinking: shall I buy a matched pair of 184s or just one 184 and one TLM 103. I tried them combined, and it sounds great. But if I pan them left and right for a stereo image, it sounds weird. Sounds good only in mono to me..

[@JuanNungaray]

KM184 is my goto for acoustic guitar as well, I think that mic is a perfect match for acs gtrs imo.

[@oggiemarinski]

HI Fabian, I love your channel :)I ve seen many of your videos, and you never used a matched pair. For example, you use the 184 plus a ribbon mic. I tried a 184 plus TLM 103 and they sound good together but only in mono. If I pan them left and right, sound weird.. two very different sources. How do you manage this? And is it better to use a matched pair than a small condenser plus a large condenser? Also, have you tried to use the 184 and the CC8 as a stereo pair ?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your question, sorry for my late reply, it takes me a little while to get through all the comments but I really try to reply to everyone! Yeah you’re right I don’t use matched pair, one main reason is because I don’t actually own a matched pair 😂 I just have the one 184 so I’ve just been using that for so long. I have recorded with matched pairs before and I do really like that wide stereo sound although I’m not sure I would want it for every recording, using one mic has a more focused subtle sound which I also like and works great for specific songs. There’s also something to be said for the simplicity and ease of use when using one mic. Maybe this could be an idea for a video? Comparing the sound of lots of different mic setups of acoustic guitar! It’s probably been done before but I’d like to create it just for the fun of doing it. Glad you’re enjoying the videos and the channel. 🙂

[@julianpedro3215]

Make a video of vintage km84 vs km184. Regards!

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Oh yeah I'd like to do that. Need to get my hands on a vintage km84 :-)

[@iobeid87]

great video ! I see you keep the foam while recording , does it change the tone ?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Thanks! Not really no, I use it because when I'm performing in the moment I sometimes breathe down towards the mic by accident and this just helps with that. Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@davidhellegouarch1622]

Hi ! Do you denoise your tracks when you play quiet parts ? My SEelectronics SE8 inttroduce noise in my recordings

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, I do add a little bit of EQ but that’s it. Do you have your gain particularly high? Try bringing your mic closer to the source and bringing your gain down

[@digiman57]

Just curious of the brand and model of acoustic? Thanks, Jeff

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi Jeff, thanks for the question! It’s a Lowden O10 Jumbo acoustic guitar with mahogany back and sides and cedar top.

[@billa6348]

You got my attention. Is one enough or do you use a matched pair? Okay, back to add that I just bought two KM 184s. Thanks for your informative video.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for your comment. Do you have the 184's yet? I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the stereo pair. I've tried the stereo pair a few times and it sounds great! Definitely gives a bigger sound to just one.

[@billa6348]

@@FabianHollandGuitar Yes, I got them two days ago and mounted them in the x/y config. yesterday. I'm still working on distance and setup so I don't need to fiddle with it when I need/have the urge to record, but I auditioned them yesterday and I am so happy I watched your video and spent the bucks on the microphones. As a side note, I'm in the middle of listing two vintage Neumann KM 86i microphones I inherited and had reconditioned by Tom Onofrio (a former Neumann tech.). They are phenomenal mikes but are much too cumbersome to get into the x/y config. for acoustic fingerstyle. Anyway, thanks for the video. I'm going to look for someway to "tip" you for taking the time. I'm a fan!

[@mous3y490]

is the 185 only if you have more than one instrument recording?

[@GarretRoomStudio]

I watched the video where you compare the Austrian Audio CC8 with the KM184 and I'm not sure I can tell the difference, but I am really interested in your opinion. Which do you prefer? Or to put it another way, if you didn't already own the Neumann and someone gave you the CC8 would you still be tempted by the KM 184? You don't have to give a reason. I'm not sure I could justify the extra cost of the Neumann over the CC8, as the two microphones sound so similar to my ears. Then again, I'd probably think differently if I'd being using the KM184 for a decade and besides what's a few hundred quid when it's a tool of your trade? I only started recording my own stuff a couple of years ago and it's taken me that long to realise just how versatile a small diaphragm condenser mic can be. If I were starting from scratch, I think an SDC would be my first purchase, so in hindsight (half-a-dozen mics later) buying a Neumann might have actually saved me some money.

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Hi, thanks for the question. Yeah that's a hard one! I think if money wasn't an option I think i would still go for the 184 simply because of how versatile and clean the sound is. The CC8 is also really great but to me it picks up a little more low end and slightly less high detail than the 184. We're talking ever so slightly differences here though. For the price the CC8 is really great and you're still going to get a great sound out of whatever you put infront of it. Hope that helps?

[@GarretRoomStudio]

@@FabianHollandGuitar Yes, thanks, that does help, especially your comment about the high end detail because that's the sort of difference that can't really be compensated for in the mix. I'll listen to your comparison video again and see if I can hear it for myself. Minor differences apart, though, both mics sound great!

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

@@GarretRoomStudio yeah exactly, little differences can make a big difference. It all depends on what you're going to use it for and what kind of sound you're trying to get I guess?

[@GarretRoomStudio]

@@FabianHollandGuitar Your ribbon mic videos encouraged me to go back to basics - just me, a guitar and a microphone. There's a coherence about a mono recording that really appeals, plus the results are more consistent because I only have one microphone to position and no phase issues to worry about. I'm not trying to record an album just demos of my songs that don't sound too awful - at the stage I'm at I should be more concerned about singing in tune and playing the right notes rather than obsessing about gear! That said, I'm experimenting with different microphones to find the most balanced sound and from what I've heard so far an SDC works best. When I think I deserve it, I may 'invest' in a CC8 or a Neumann (or even a ribbon mic) but for the moment I think the limiting factor is my performance rather than the microphone - and that isn't false modesty!

[@anatol1204]

Most people like 84 more i wonder why they dont try remake it?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

Oh yeah the KM84 is an absolute classic! I guess the 184 is the modern version of that but with a slightly different response.

[@mous3y490]

how is this compared to the km185?

[@FabianHollandGuitar]

The Km185 is a hypercardioid polar pattern so it’s even more tight and focused than the 184. I think they’re very similar in sound but the 185 would be even better for live performance applications for example.

[@hermetech]

Try a KM84 and you'll never go back to the 184!

[@billa6348]

Well, probably because you can't afford to go back. Those sucker are pricey!! I only wish my Neumann KM86 i mics could be oriented like pencil mikes