Neumann Quality at about 15% the Price! (Roswell Pro Audio Mini K67x)

[@AudioHaze]

If thick syrupy dark microphones are you thing, you can grab one here and support the channel :) K67x - amzn.to/3BeT9Mt

[@gr500music6]

I liked all three mics and they all gave what sounded to me like professional, usable results. Very hard to tell differences over the net. However, I will say that my perception of how all three sounded "changed" after I knew which they were! My humble belief continues to be that A/B listening is limited by the fact that the human mind has no reset button. We can't hear the same thing twice the same way - because the second time, we've heard it at least once before. And so we are either listening in more, or tuning out more. Still, great review as always!

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks! And very good point, audio is such a subjective thing in more ways than one, not just person to person, but from listen period to listening period :)

[@Tekkerue]

I got all three mics correct based on your description of the other two mics. The K67x was my favorite by a long shot.

[@AudioHaze]

hell yeah, super smooth mic for sure :)

[@znbh]

i really recommend staying away from canon’s m50 series now because they have like two lenses for it and you can’t get very creative with that body. i think the sony a7II is a really nice upgrade, especially when paired with some good glass like tamron’s 28-75mm lens. if you don’t wanna spend so much money, maybe go for something like the sony a6400. it’s a crop sensor body but it’ll still perform beautifully for your situation. plus it has a flip screen so you can see yourself! some good cheap lenses i’d also recommend would be: - sigma 30mm 1.4 DC contemporary lens - sigma 16mm 1.4 - sigma 18-50mm lens f/2.8 - tamron 17-70mm f/2.8

[@AudioHaze]

Wow thank you so much!! Question, I’m currently obsessed with the image examples I’m seeing if the LUMIX S5, I know the autofocus isn’t supposed to be great, but I can’t get over the image quality, I love the colors of this mic. Do you have any thoughts on it?

[@znbh]

@@AudioHaze i love the panasonic lumix series cameras. a lot of wedding videographers use them because of how incredible they are for filmmaking. they’re great and all but that glass is gonna run you SOOOO much money after you get the camera. like yeah you’re getting superior quality in all aspects right out the gate, but it definitely comes with a hefty price tag. the reasons i recommended sony are that they’ve got an amazing eye auto focus system that’s lightyears ahead of all the rest, don’t cost an arm and a leg for basic performance, and the glass is really affordable. the lumix s5 is super sexy but it’s also got a leica mount-which means roughly $600 usd for a 50mm and then the next tier up is $1400 for a 70-300mm (which isn’t favorable for situations like yours anyway)

[@heman_lee]

I second this opinion, Sony's e mount series are one of the best and most versatile on the market now. Even if you start with a crop sensor body like the a6 series, you can look into buying full frame emount lenses so that when you do upgrade to their A7 series or even the fx (cinema line) series, you can still use the same lenses

[@gracenotes5379]

For voice work, I'd definitely prefer the K67x, but the relative brightness and transient bite of the other two microphones brought more life and vibrancy to the acoustic guitar, IMO.

[@DreadKyller]

Exactly the same, I preferred the sound of the K67x in all of the tests, except the acoustic guitar, where it felt like it was missing a lot. The Lewitt 440 is the brightest of the three for the most part to my ears and it was also the one I preferred for the acoustic.

[@NebulonRanger]

The one thing I wish is that Roswell would actually get themselves a distributor up here in Canada.

[@BillRayDrums]

I have a matched pair of K47s as my drum overheads. Roswell makes great mics!

[@chrisbogart687]

I have 3 Roswell mics - two mini K87s and a mini K47. I got the K87 and loved it for my voiceovers and then took advantage of the Roswell special on the mixed pair. Having the extra mics on hand is great for interviews/groups. I am sold on the quality and sound of Roswell mics. The best part is assembled here in the USA - support this company.

[@AudioHaze]

Agreed!

[@saikousocial]

I came to this channel looking to learn about microphones and now I'm sat here learning how to play the guitar thanks to how good he makes it sound xD

[@AudioHaze]

Wow I'm so honored!! Thank you!!

[@mypal1990]

I just picked another condenser when this review dropped. Somehow I'm okay with what I have. But this is a case of what could have been. Good review!

[@AudioHaze]

thanks man!

[@easternsouvenirs]

Roswell's stuff is next level. Put one of their Mic-Parts RK47 capsules into my MXL 990 and it's so smooth

[@AudioHaze]

I saw that! They make upgrade kits for them right?

[@easternsouvenirs]

@@AudioHaze Yep! Just did the transformer circuit too

[@TheRealDanji]

@@AudioHaze They do! You can get a kit that replaces the entire circuit which helps solve the noise floor issue. They also recommend putting in an RK47 capsule, but you just have pretty much a new mic at that point haha.

[@ramspencer5492]

That's a really great sounding microphone! Now I want one!

[@BojanBojovic]

In their website they say that Mini K47 and Mini K87 are both transformerless microphones. Their transformer microphone costs around 1200. When it comes to affordable transformer microphones, there is the magical Oktava MK319 that should be mentioned always. Edit: My mistake, Mini K47x IS transformer balanced. :)

[@ramspencer5492]

Yeah it's the "x" by the name that indicates whether it's a transformer design... And he's reviewing the k67x! You can tell just by listening to it that is a transformer design. The transients have that slightly soft clipped sound and the harmonic distortion definitely fits the transformer profile. I really like the way this microphone sounds on his voice. Now I want one of these!

[@stephengibson4727]

I like the K67 but the NT1 surprised me not bad at all

[@umokayig]

Funnily enough, I just changed cameras from my Sony a5100 to a Canon M50 (Mark 2) because I needed a camera I could use for streaming but also take on the go to record longer videos. The 5100 at least seemed to overheat about 20 minutes into recording and then only record for like 2 minutes at a time after that since it was still hot. The only Sony camera I'd even think about upgrading to now would be the Alpha 1 that came out last year. They have a setting where you can change how long until the camera shuts off automatically due to overheating and it's definitely worth it. If you're only recording little clips at a time and not outside, probably take a look at the Sony ZV-E10 or any of the Sony a6000 series! I've also thought about the Canon SL3 but haven't looked into how different it is from the M50. Prob not by too much.

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks! Yeah I definitely I'm looking into Sony, I love the picture quality, beaten only by the lumix stuff in my opinion, but the autofocus on those scares me. Sony may very well be the way to go, especially since I may be looking into streaming, and longer recording times in general

[@enriquekahn9405]

Nice! I've really been looking forward to seeing some reviews of this mic.

[@AudioHaze]

Enjoy! Its really different than a lot of what I've checked out :)

[@savethefails]

The blind test was obvious. There was no comparison between the warmth and pleasant tone and the others. It took like point 2 seconds to hear the difference. Every time people say "I cant hear a difference" it just reminds me that THEY cant hear the difference. But the experience is still there. Also, dude, you sound fabulous on the mini. Seriously. I've eyeballed the Roswell stuff for years and its good to see someone giving it a nice review. Now..I really want that Mini lol. My wife thanks you...

[@blnde]

I love your videos, even though I have settled on the first mic I'm gonna buy I still watch cause your vids are so entertaining and interesting :)

[@AudioHaze]

Haha wow I'm honored! Thank you!

[@larrycom]

I agree, it sounds great on your voice.

[@yourhomiesushi]

If you’re running the m50 rn, I think u should def check out canon’s r7 and r10. They’re very similar, using an apsc sensor therefore a smaller body (idk if size is something u care about). The good thing is that the R series is far from dead (unlike canon’s M series) so u will still have lots of lens options for years to come. The reason why I recommend a Canon camera is generally because u came from a canon camera. Canon’s menu system and button layouts stay familiar throughout their entire lineup, so u will be up and running asap, which might be a priority since u mainly review audio stuff and just want something that u already know how to use without too much hassle. If ur down, Sony is another brand worthy of note (imo they make better cameras for video and have more affordable lenses available) Also your reviews are great and I appreciate the budget friendly options that u recommend too!

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Excellent compsrison. What is your studio setup. It sounds great.

[@jabnls]

Cannon xa series. Depending on the model you can get a 2 XLR audio interface built directly on top of it. I actually use mine as an audio interface. You won't even need your Scarlett when making your videos

[@michaelmichael7043]

Hi audiohaze!. Thanks for very educational video. I always wondered the difference between a transformred mic And a non transformed mic. As for the mic comparisons the Roswell it has a sound that you cannot hear in the room in another words it just gives an extended sound of the guitars ,if it makes any sense. Nice one well-done.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐👍

[@AudioHaze]

Glad I could help! Thanks for the kind words :)

[@djtommykeys]

I'd rather buy an assembled mic then not have to deal with flux washing and all that teeny tiny soldering for their kit stuff. For $479 today on Amazonia the Roswell Pro Audio Mini K67x looks like a good deal. Thanks for the review.

[@AudioHaze]

Glad I could help!

[@alexforget]

The behringer C-1 and B-2 are really awesome too, and really cheap.

[@mypetdrgn]

Just stumbled onto this! Nice! I have a number of Roswell’s but not this one! Guess I’m buying it! LoL

[@ramspencer5492]

Not to end exactly like you 87... But close enough. In fact some people will prefer it. Amazing Mic. Amazing thing for buck.

[@ramspencer5492]

To put a very very simply for people... A transformer has a soft clipping effect on transients... Creating a mild pleasingly warm harmonic soft clipping... As well as adding a slight bump and the lows-low mids in particular. Interestingly different transformers, And even the same transformer can affect different circuits differently and the particularly complementary... Transients and pleasing harmonics

[@pskelton1000]

There are differences in sound here between the mics, but it's nothing that EQ can't mimic. Just goes to show that a good mic will record any source well.

[@spiritzweispirit1st638]

This sounds amazing' Thank you!🎙️🎼

[@iceprada2]

Brooklyn!! If I see you we getting in the studio bro lol

[@alisongaze]

saying it has a u87 capsule makes it so tempting to get lol

[@AudioHaze]

To me, darker than u87 none the less, but in this case, not a bad thing at all :)

[@DannyKavka]

To be fair, the Neumann capsules are hand-made using a process that’s never been replicated or leaked or as far as anyone knows ever written down. The K87 and 67 and 47 capsules that are being sold are striving to emulate the sound of Neumann capsules and match their frequency response, but they aren’t Neumann capsules in the sense that they are 1:1 clones of what you get in a $3500 U87.

[@MusicKuuda]

Try the Aston spirit . You cannot beat it for the price

[@LongPlay4u]

Great video buddy!

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks!

[@beardsandbanjos]

Sony zv-e10 would be the camera I would suggest. Very affordable and has no limit on video recording time.

[@AudioHaze]

I'll check it out!

[@luckmanbeast7461]

please do a review of OC16, it just got released 2 months ago

[@DreadKyller]

All three sounds good. I preferred the tone of the K67x for most tests (and preferred the 440 on acoustic) but all of them have enough detail that with good EQ they could all be made to sound almost the same. The K67x may have the hardest time with certain voices or EQ settings due to the fact it has far less prevalent higher-frequency information (which is the point), meaning it might be harder to regain that high-end detail if desired (but if you want lots of high-frequency detail this probably isn't the best mic to go with anyways)

[@chrisw5742]

i have a bass range voice and need a mic with a lot of highs. What do you suggest? Something REAL CHEAP that doesnt sound like crap??? I have an Aston Stealth and an EV 635n/d-b already and I need something breathier....

[@chrisw5742]

I have had a Neumann 102 and it was too dark for my voice.... I had many that were too dark....

[@PierLim]

Would u review the colares?

[@Rod-Wheeler]

The microphone sounds great!

[@AudioHaze]

I agree :) and I'm not usually into dark mics, but I'm slowly transitioning haha

[@Rod-Wheeler]

@@AudioHaze I have a mix of bright and dark in my collection. You never know what "tool" you'll need!

[@techmed-rainer]

Danke!

[@AudioHaze]

Thank you Rainer!

[@gammon2004]

How much room/background noise does the k67x pick up, relatively speaking?

[@JBarbarosa]

NT1 Still seems like the right way to go

[@davidsillars3181]

I'd considered changing the capsule in a rarely used now NT1a for a K67, or was it 47, from Mic Parts. That seemed to me to have a bit of character, particularly I thought the very cool guitar playing. Nice.

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks David! It would be interesting to see what that hybrid looked like with the NT1a x k67 :)

[@christiankairos]

Okay, I Loved It!

[@rollowarlin8450]

l like Roswell products. They are what they claim to be and then some. l found a TZ tec-zone mic in the trash and gave it to a little kid that wants to be another Elvis. He said it improved his singing even tho he had nothing to plug it into. Why did l bring that up? Because like you l can trust Roswell to be honest and that's a rare thing in the mic world.

[@mickywes3733]

Too dark for me, but that is the great thing about audio everybody hears and feels something g different.

[@garyfurlong854]

What’s your budget for your next camera? If you are looking for a video beast (that you may need to color grade) then the Sony A7siii is the way to go. That is an expensive gentleman though. If you want to stick with Canon (and the m-mount) the M6 Mkii will be a nice spec jump but the m system might be dying so it might be good to get a new system if you are going to upgrade. The new Canon R7 might be a nice upgrade. You’ll need new lenses but the body is decently priced and will get a great upgrade from the M50. Or just go full video monster with the Black Magic pocket cinema 6k. It’s a big camera but it’ll do everything you need and then some. I’m going to stick with my M50mkii for now as I’m mostly an audio person and can’t justify (beyond the gear lust in my heart) an upgrade. If you want a cheapish “upgrade” you might look at the Sigma 16mm Ef-m for the M50. It’s a stellar lens and you will see a jump in picture quality. Good luck with the move!!

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks Gary! Actually, I'm really really getting into video, and I'm ready to take a dive into a more expensive system. Budget is around $1500, but I'm in love with the Lumix S5 and its video quality, hoping to find a used example of that camera. I'm also checking out competing Sony products around that price range as well. If you have any recommendations, email me!

[@garyfurlong854]

@@AudioHaze the S5 is a great camera alright. I'd worry a bit about the autofocus. I thiiink the Sony a7III might have some decent video spec and fall into that budget but I'm not sure. The Canon Eos R or the R7 also sit around there. Best of luck with the upgrade!

[@pskelton1000]

You need to review 3U Audio mics. They make transformer mics for under 300 dollars.

[@forestcochran4196]

My feeling for awhile has been that Rode mics don't seem to have much personality. The NT-1 didn't sound bad on your Strat, but otherwise it was a bit thin to me, compared to the others.

[@AudioHaze]

Nice! Its definitely neutral, can be colored later

[@mosthatedpromotions4428]

Its not close to nuemann but its really gud mic

[@MrGreenAKAguci00]

I just found your channel. I like it. Your cat rivals Present day production flop cat. Two cool pro audio channel representative cats. Their content could help you with acoustic adaptation if you can use some in your room.

[@AudioHaze]

Thanks so much! Appreciate the kind words, I’ll be sure to check out the channel :)

[@rocktopu5]

Am I just bad at hearing or did the NT1 have more “air” than the Lewitt? It made me think they were the other way around.

[@AudioHaze]

On which test? The NT1 does have a bit of a presence boost! And I wouldn't say its dark to be fair, just mid forward. It also have a lot of detail in its audio image, so it may very well have a crispier quality (especially on acoustic if this is where you heard the difference)

[@rocktopu5]

@@AudioHaze on the blind spoken word test. I feel like the instrumentals were more clear cut in terms of which was brighter but at the same time the names were on the screen so idk how much I trust myself there lol.

[@SpirusFilms]

Mic sounds great but the NT1 still holding strong

[@AudioHaze]

For sure! Can't argue with that

[@9FMovie]

LOL Fanboy

[@MusicKuuda]

Highly disagree 😂😂😂

[@PottedJam]

I like the Roswell better.

[@peterwalsh5068]

NT1 is the classic example of too much top end and too much bottom. I got shot of that mic sharpish!

[@vloggingpractice8077]

Rode NT-1 was the best-sounding mike on your voice.

[@WeaponsRemorse]

GOOD KITTY PROTECT YOUR MANS

[@isnerdy]

I don’t know what it says about me that I liked both the K67x and the 440 for different reasons, but I just didn’t enjoy the sound of the NT1.

[@AudioHaze]

Gotcha! Yeah two different mics but both equally valid, I think it’s an understandable conclusion :)

[@easternsouvenirs]

Yeah, it's nice to have two mics on the opposite end of the spectrum

[@Godzillah]

If that mic have the same capsule than Neumann been ripping us off for years.

[@benoittissier58]

Now you said it : what we call color is actually a defect, usually harmonic distortion . So why don't we use the least defective microphone, that would be an SDC according to Neumann, and add the color through software ?

[@AudioHaze]

thats certainly an approach! It depends on how you'd like to work, you could say the same thing about always using a flatter microphone. Sometimes you don't want to add color in post, some thing it sounds more artificial, you could also make the argument that a tastefully colored microphone could inspire a better performance or spark inspiration.

[@TC_Conner]

My brain hurt after watchin this. One of the downsides of not being learned in mic audio techno geek speak. At 9:46 in, that’s my studio too! Let recommend a Canon EOS R or RP for a new camera, and yes, there are newer, more expensive mirrorless cameras out there. But I don’t know your budget. (My inky cat, Shadow, doesn’t enjoy being in the studio with me.)

[@AudioHaze]

Thats not out of budget! I'll look into them :) and Bly doesn't have a choice, my studio is my apartment, bedroom, living room, kitchen, all in wow haha

[@raphaelward1711]

Number of coils not density if copper

[@sirnigelcogs]

It's far more common for condensers to have transformers than you think, including plenty of sub-$200 models.

[@larrymarso4492]

Why are you playing music during a mic test?

[@AudioHaze]

Did you read the comment I added before the music started? A portion of the test was processed and had background music to test how it sounds in a produced context, wanted to give it a try for this test. It only took up a few minutes of the review though.

[@brenthandycts131]

The title is erroneous. Those are not the same capsules. The Roswell is made in the style and topology of the Neumann. It's not THE Neumann capsule.

[@techmed-rainer]

Well, listening to those three mics, I ike either the 440 or the Roswell, though sooo different. NT1 is just ok, but boring.

[@AudioHaze]

Nice! Yes worlds apart for sure :)

[@RedBeardedRabbit]

Man I hated the Lewitt 440 on everything! Too much ear-piercing HF boost.

[@eliotball655]

😘

[@AudioHaze]

[@JohannesLabusch]

Check out the new Fujifilm X-H2 for video. I'm a Fuji fanboy, and don't understand the technical aspects that well. But the nerd professor of photo and video gear, Gerard Undone, has given the X-H2 a very favorable review. Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqiwnpx3r9mefrc

[@AudioHaze]

Will do!

[@JohannesLabusch]

@@AudioHaze Cool! If you consider Fuji, for "talking head" stuff that doesn't require crazy fast AF, the X-T3 or XT-4 might also be contenders.

[@badmiddens]

they source their capsules from China, not the same one, but a decent sounding mic. a bit overpriced.

[@benzotd]

help

[@AudioHaze]

A classic, I hope Kenny is okay