The BEST Microphone for Acoustic Guitar?

Thank you for watching - please subscribe to support my channel!
I am proud to announce that I am now an endorsing artist for my favourite microphone company Microtech Gefell! I have used a pair of their M300 model for the past 15 years and I have just welcomed one of their gorgeous M930 large diaphragm condensers to my studio.
What better opportunity than this to compare the two style of mic on an acoustic guitar - let me know which you prefer!
If you’re in the U.K. or Europe (same thing in my opinion but whatever) get in touch with my friends at www.sound-link.co.uk/gefell/ and tell them I sent you.
Thank you to each and every one of you for watching my videos. It means a great deal to me.
Until next time, stay tuned!
Michael
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This video was inspired by a lot of things from the Justin Hawkins Rides Again to Rick Beato and his amazing work, Tim Pierce - all those great guys sharing incredible content! I'm not a massive fan of Justin Beiber, Pewdiepie or ninja and I think Logan and Jake Paul are a disgrace but there you go...
#gefell #microphone #Acousticguitar

[@jilsky]

came for the mics, stayed for the playing

[@MichaelWatts]

Well thank you very much! I hope you’ll stick around!

[@johngraydon506]

Of course you did, ge is great ..thanks Michael

[@KaukTim]

Wow...that M930 really brought a little extra something to the recordings. On its own, I think I preferred the spectrum it captures. Would love to hear a completely mixed recording using both mics...music nerds unite! And, as always, sublime playing!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you so much Tim - I have plans to do exactly that!

[@tarakinsell6202]

You playing is absolutely beautiful.

[@AntonEmery]

Great comparison, as you know I love my M300 pair. I preferred the M300 over the M930 here, at least for fingerstyle guitar. I felt it picked up more high end and sparkle. The M930 sounded warmer and with less highs, by comparison. They are both great mics, i need to try a M930 in person sometime.

[@RaysTrack]

Of the times I've had my guitar recorded professionally, I've liked the sound produced when two large condensors were placed about a metre away (the second slightly behind). They picked up more air and gave a richer sound. I hear more depth on the M930. In a mix though, a bat would be pleased to hear the difference.

[@vincenteoppolo9025]

That m300 is gorgeous…I use Neumann Km184’s on my acoustic and a Gefell mt71s for vocals. I must say the m300’s sound a little more balanced. Those 184’s can really bring out the low end if you don’t watch yourself…. You’re playing is wonderful

[@andrewbowen6875]

Oh Michael can I just say that despite your classical training that has no doubt helped your finger style playing? It’s been a joy to hear some of your recent demos using a pick as for one it’s kind of answered something for me about my own twelve fret Brook Taw that has caused me no end of problems, albeit I think due to my limited knowledge has just been set up wrong for me. Hope you don’t mind me explaining as it was sold to me by a nice bloke from Durham nonetheless who explained to me that the dual highlander pickup system with under saddle thing and goose neck mic, while sounding great on his beautiful amp he did say the action was very low, which probably explains why the top string is buzzing and I’ve found playing with a pic very hard esp trying to hammer on it’s so low. It’s a guitar I really want to love so when I have the Highlanders removed is there a certain amount of height from the saddle and nut that would make a difference for someone like me who wants to pick and do fingerstyle? If the question is to difficult to answer in a comment box then I understand as it could be the difference between an American guitar and an English one perhaps

[@hilla42]

Again learned something: I did not hear a big difference, maybe little warmer here and more clearity there maybe. But with the comments below such videos really get me a learning curve, thank you all for sharing! Cheers, Lars

[@thehauntingmids6978]

Ha! You've had me gassing for the M300 for some time now. Now this! Although I'd like to point to a somewhat hidden gem in the artfully "relic'ed" Apogee. Talk about a stalwart.

[@TonchoBluegrass]

I think I could tell the M930 was really good at picking up more overtones, and I felt the bass was picked up better, with strumming I had a hard time telling a big difference, but my ears are no experts, cheers!

[@majapapaya7334]

I own 2 of These mics. Great on all instruments and most voices. So warm and natural. Perfect. I tried many other mics again them, but the 930s always are the winner. But the small Gefells are also great.

[@MichaelWatts]

Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@swrbassamp]

I loved the bigger one for all the fingerstyle playig... BTW, amazing take on Willi O' Winsbury, if you ever start making guitar tutorials I'd love to lean that one...

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you very much! Yes, lots of people have asked about that one - I’ll get to it!

[@WilliamJohnston]

Very interesting video! Lovely playing and lovely tone from that guitar you’ve got. In my opinion, because your fingerstyle playing is quite soft and warm sounding (playing with flesh and not nails), I think the M300s suit slightly more by bringing out a little more sparkle in the highs, though I’m always drawn to a microphone so quiet in self noise such as the M930 that you feel totally in the same room as the recording because it’s totally void of any hiss. For the strumming passages I actually wasn’t a huge fan of either mic on its own, I felt that both mics had their own hardness in the highs for this, and I feel with a fairly hard plectrum on a very clear guitar with fresh strings, it’s all favouring the top end too much. The classic combination of an SDC or two mixed to taste with a ribbon like a Coles 4038 or similar is a good combo which I’m a big fan of. I’m also a big fan of a pair of Josephson C617SET (featured on my channel), which use the Michroteh Gefell 221 omni capsule - it’s almost ruler flat in the highs eq wise, but with the most detailed and fast transient response I’ve ever heard, it’s great for detailed recordings without high frequency peaks of any kind. There’s pros and cons to omnis of course - demanding on the room, but I love that you can bring them in close and have no proximity effect to deal with in the lows, and it’s so accurate to what I hear when I’m playing that it’s very rewarding to be able to capture a true representation of what I experience when I play. Thanks again and all the best!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you William!

[@frankcousins6479]

Have you ever recorded onto good old analogue tape using these mics? Nothing against digital recordings, no old school snob, but just intrigued... both sound pretty darn good

[@Nivej8180]

Great playing and sound here! What’s your interface/mic cable?

[@philwhite1897]

Well I can confirm this. Just have my new M930 in the house. It's just amazing.

[@MichaelWatts]

Congratulations Phil!

[@bassinblue]

Hey Phil, do you find it works for most things? Is it a 'Swiss army knife' of microphones or only targeted for a few things?

[@carlosgea9542]

Hello Michael. Good microphone, the two complement each other. The arrangement of the microphones, after trying different positions, the one that works best for me is with the large-diaphragm microphone at the height of the bridge and slightly turning to the soundhole, distance more or less as you put them in the video and the small membrane microphone at the height of the 14th fret slightly inclined towards the body of the guitar, a distance of about 30 cm. Thanks for your videos.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks for watching Carlos!

[@berkeleybernie]

Love the playing, looking forward to hearing more. M300 for me on this guitar, far more clarity. M930 has more of a ribbon EQ, might be useful to tame a bright vocalist or an overly bright fiddle.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Bernie!

[@Dicquewolffe]

The large diaphragm really does a great job picking up the bass overtones, and the M300 picks up more of the bell sparkle. I don't prefer one over the other, but do think they'd make a great stereo pair, especially for open tunings.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching - I think I agree with you!

[@louiscyfer6944]

​@@MichaelWattsi don't know what you are using for monitoring, but it is way too boomy. especially the m930. your playing is exceptional. even your voice has too much proximity effect and the p's are very prominent. something is off.

[@shaft9000]

Thank you for both the comparison and for the fine playing :) M930 seems better suited for intimate and solo arrangements - so very rotund, rich and 3D !! M300 coveys a focused upper-mid suited to being heard more easily in an ensemble and/or a busy mix.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shaft9000]

p.s. try an ORTF pair config, even with two different mics the imaging is superb vs X/Y, blumlien and spaced.

[@robertnewell5057]

So did you have a preference? I find I play a preferred instrument differently, no matter how hard I try to make the approach the same. That said, the 930 really did it for me by a street in £10 earbuds! I don't think the psychoacoustic effect of personal preference on performance could account for the amount of difference I heard.

[@kingcarmichael]

Definitely preferred the clarity of the SDC. Maybe with EQ the other mic would sound good here too.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching King! I think it’s always a trade off

[@johngraydon506]

I Know why i really like Michael talent 🥇

[@gscottfuller]

Like the m930 best. More clarity and less compressed sounding. Thank you.

[@nathaneve4631]

Hi I love all your guitar playing very much. I was just wondering how you mixed the guitars here

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Nathan Very simple - both mics were right down the centre with no EQ or anything else.

[@matthewholme297]

Sounds beautiful would that also be because it's a high end guitar

[@roryonabike5863]

What did you settle on as a recording setup?

[@MichaelWatts]

I tend to use a matched pair of the M300s but recently started experimenting with the M930 in the mix too.

[@benjaminfrog]

Hi, Michael. Great video! What's the preamp you were using on the M300?

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you! Both mics went into an Apogee Duet 2 straight into Logic

[@benjaminfrog]

@@MichaelWatts Thanks for the quick response! Amazing how good that chain sounds without any processing.

[@terrywright7893]

The ‘old’ mic picks up more detail, particularly in the trebles. The new mic is warm, but I think the former gives a more accurate representation of your guitar and playing. But what do I know!

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for listening Terry! I think I agree with you!

[@mitzioden4926]

I like the m930 best. It seems to capture a warmer tone and cleaner notes.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you for watching Mitzi! I like that M930 very much too. That said it is very rare that I use a single M300 so a matched pair would add even more to proceedings. It’s all fun finding out!

[@RJVB]

@@MichaelWatts The M930 seems more sensitive too, at least in the more delicate samples. Not unsurprisingly, for a large(r) diaphragm... You didn't normalise before uploading, or is this youtube's -14 lufs normalisation playing tricks on your recording?

[@arnieg65]

Thanks for posting, great video. What strings are you using?

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you! I use Elixir 12-53 PB

[@arnieg65]

@@MichaelWatts Thanks

[@briancrews9911]

Used the matched pair and put the new one right in the middle.

[@MichaelWatts]

That is the way. I’ll have to upgrade that Apogee Duet to something with more inputs but that will happen

[@andreasgilgenberg5588]

like the m300 more..less boomy..clearer...but they sound very close

[@gianfrancoviola9868]

Overall the cardioid seems to be a tad more analytical to me, a tiny bit more informative, but the focus of the M300 appeals best to my hears. Warmer bass there, less air, more “monitor like”, more immersive overall. And the guitar itself is an unsurpassed masterwork. Thank you Michael!

[@RancourtGuitars357]

What Preamp are you using with those? Thanks, very nice demo.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you! At the time I was using an Apogee Duet II but I’ve now moved to an Apollo x4

[@RancourtGuitars357]

@@MichaelWatts Thanks Michael! Love the harmonic distortion that it brings. I've been working with a Neve 1073 lately, I love it obviously, but I'll be getting my hands on something more honest and transparent for reference purposes. A Millenia HV-32P Did some amazing recording in a Grammy award winning studio here in town and I have to say. The Millenia is the one that really brought up the closest to nature sound out of the guitar we had that day.

[@chaisondiaz]

do you think these gefells would be good as a stereo pair used for cinematic audio field recording?

[@MichaelWatts]

I’m not sure, I’d suspect that they see less use on sound stages. You could always try!

[@PhilTaylorGuitar]

Very little in it Michael but I think I prefer the new one. It has a little more clarity in bass. Cheers, Phil. Ps I can confirm the UK is still in Europe 😊

[@MichaelWatts]

Thank you Phil on all counts!

[@sharadbade]

Where have you connected the mic output to

[@MichaelWatts]

In this case an Apogee Duet II and then Logic

[@za4310]

I liked the small for a lot of the recordings until you started playing very sparsely, and then the large filled up the stereo field very nicely. While i liked the natural sound of the large diaphragm it might sound too busy for a lot of situations, it would sound a lot better for lead instruments while the small diaphragm punches through almost like a pencil dynamic mic. That being said they both sound very natural to my ears, kinda like someone sitting in front of me and playing. If you ever get a chance, you should check out the ribbon mics by sterling. Theyre cheap but good. Id recommend ribbon mics more generally because they all seem to do somewhat of the same thing, but i can personally vouch for that one specifically. They're surprisingly very well voiced and give that same huge, warm sound that fills the entire stereo field on its own like the large diaphragm but a little bit more of a natural signature that doesnt accentuate certain types of sounds to the point of harshness. Less of the electricity sound and more strings wood and air sound.

[@HIGHHOPES]

"filled up the stereo field" it's all mono. there's no difference in the stereo field between the two mics

[@za4310]

@@HIGHHOPES a mono signal in stereo still fills the stereo field and can be visualized. Like if you have a bass drum im mono it still has a "width" in terms of where it exists in space. Apparently 4 months ago i thought a large diaphragm mic sounded wider and fuller and the small diaphragm sounded narrower and sharper. Do you know what I mean?

[@HIGHHOPES]

@@za4310 you’re just making things up. All mono signals have the same “width”

[@za4310]

@@HIGHHOPES im not making it up, from a mono signal i can hear width that extends outward uniformly in both directions, like if you had a center line down the middle, each side is a mirror image. I think because we have two ears we can hear even a mono signal and place it in space visually.

[@HIGHHOPES]

@@za4310 again, because this isn't getting through to you... you said one mic sounds "wider" than the other in the stereo field. this is impossible. all MONO signals have the same width

[@mooseymoose]

I still like the sdc sound. The new one rolls off too much top for me. Seems more suited to warming up vocals imo.

[@MichaelWatts]

Thanks Moosey!

[@andrewbowen6875]

I often wonder given how you are an aficionado when it comes to using mics as opposed to pick ups? I mean to say that going back to when the likes of Tony Rice, Doc Watson ect we’re performing to a pretty high standard live using mics, that when and why did it become a thing to ditch that in favour of that awful digital pick up sound that didn’t pick up the wood, string and wind at all🤔 I know pick ups have since improved so I’ll leave another question about my own pick up system in another comment box. Just trying to think back but whatever you and Derek Gripper used in SA in a live set, sounded so good MW👍

[@shaft9000]

You mean the piezo pickups that are usually found in acoustic/electrics. It's not digital, but it makes sense that people think it is because they came along to ruin the acoustic's sound, and only slightly sooner than the digital gear showed up. The only studio record I can remember where a piezo was used instead of mic'ing was on some mid-80s Roy Harper album. It sounds predictably squashed and plink-plink-y. A mic is preferred 999/1000 times in the studio because coil-magnet pickups and piezos (in an acoustic's bridge) don't actually listen to sound - they respond to magnetic fluctuation(pickup) or pressure variance in the string(piezo). Mics can be re-positioned and combined much more easily, and are far more flexible and varying than the other two. The other two are merely stage-based 'solutions' for when mic'ing is impractical.

[@andrewbowen6875]

@@shaft9000 yes I know it’s not digital per say but that’s what I hear. I have found two really good singers doing traditional country called the Malpass Brothers well worth checking out. I’ve noticed that they won’t compromise and use a mic each for the acoustic guitar and the sound is fantastic as your hearing the guitars

[@myhauntedlife421]

What is that awesome tune at around 9.25.. I wanna say iv heard it before.. but its awesome regardless

[@MichaelWatts]

Maybe Between Streets? I play it a lot for demo videos like this

[@myhauntedlife421]

@MichaelWatts ok thanx 4 tha name imma check it out now. U got videos of u demoing that song on your page ??

[@RJVB]

Here's something I'd be very curious to hear: a comparison with the mics placed where the average/perfect listener would sit in a convert venue with appropriate acoustics (and no amplification of course).

[@goofmaster6986]

How much do they cost?(the microphones)

[@MichaelWatts]

Depends where you live - have a quick look on Google. They cost more than Neumann but less than DPA

[@uvp5000]

The M300 sounds so much more crisp than the M930. Used together and properly mixed, the overall instrument sound will be rounded with articulation and bottom end. At least, this is what my damaged old ears heard.

[@MichaelWatts]

You can certainly blend the two or go mid/side and get great results. Thanks for watching!

[@REX4340]

Your interface is making the mics sound similar

[@MichaelWatts]

I am not sure that’s true… and most people will be using a similar interface. I could have used a Manley on the m300 and a Neve on the M930 and got very different results but that’s not really what I was going for here. Thanks for watching!

[@REX4340]

​@@MichaelWattscould try using a zoom recorder😬

[@radioking]

M300 clearly the better mic in this position/application. Try moving the 930 to behind the bridge about 15" out.

[@MichaelWatts]

Ah well, that’s just it Andy, this is perhaps the most common placement for mics on acoustic guitar but doubtless doesn’t play fully to either mic’s strengths

[@radioking]

@@MichaelWatts You always put one at the body / neck joint. I like a U87 there as well. Always sounds good. I have been liking ribbons on acoustics & I'm never too worried about the stereo or the mics beiong that well matched. You have a good sounding room though. That's probably the most important thing.

[@MichaelWatts]

@@radioking absolutely right! I love the M300 for a spaced pair so I may sneak the M935 into the middle…

[@shaft9000]

@radio indeed :) :D mis-matched pairs, particularly in ORTF config _[dashes into the night]_

[@curtvahle2018]

Good job! I'm amazed at how lousy most guitar KZbin channels are at their sound engineering. The only exception I've seen and heard is The North American Guitar videos from Nashville. Check them out, along with Carl Miner who plays on most of them. He's exceptional!

[@MichaelWatts]

Yeah… I was actually a founding member of that company back in 2010 and used a pair of M300s in every video

[@andrewbowen6875]

Lol so true. Only time I’ve heard the term Ribbon Mic is on all of Cormiers videos the Pro guitar player/ singer from Canada who has helped put Boucher guitars out there but also his excellent videos of the high end Yamaha L series guitars that are well respected by finger style players? Pretty sure all his excellent demos are done using what he calls a simple Ribbon mic. Trying to get down the true sound of an acoustic wether by pick ups (usually awful) and by the use of mics would appear to be something approaching Alchemy🤯 as like you say, so few making videos have it got it down like MW who wether by trial and error seems to be able to rock up to some Luthiers workshop and showcase their work. I was gonna suggest the brilliant Matt Chulka until even his best efforts were thwarted when his Ed Sheran Lowden demo showed that even the best players and the best recording gear cannot make a poor guitar sound good imo

[@tegarundun]

02.14 what songs??

[@MichaelWatts]

It’s an original of mine called Rialto

[@michaelyolch79]

Well...no chance of getting an unbiased review here. KZbin has turned into nothing more than infomercials.

[@MichaelWatts]

I have zero interest in impartiality - I use these mics because they do the job I ask of them very well indeed. I would not make a video about anything that I didn’t feel strongly about. I get asked all the time and I decline. From that point of view this an unbiased exploration of whether an SDC or an LDC is the way forward.

[@darrylweller6143]

M300

[@RemoSforza]

Why not use both microphones? Perhaps even more interesting representations of sound could be achieved?

[@shaft9000]

For sure, but that's a different video. An A/B comparison is important for basic reasons that inform the combos later.

[@putmeinthemovies]

What kind of guitar is that?

[@MichaelWatts]

It’s my signature model by Jason Kostal in Arizona

[@luigibeat5621]

Which guitar is that?

[@MichaelWatts]

It’s my Kostal MDW model

[@luigibeat5621]

​@@MichaelWatts Super nice sound. Very protagonist and warm at the same time.

[@jozefkovac5507]

Acoustic Guitar ? Neumann sm2!

[@griffini19]

No Not near the best. Ever use a Neumann KM253? KM54, 56, 88? A Schoeps M221B? Another level. But good luck with your music. But it's so annoying when people label thing as best with little real experience. I have worked with many of the greats. Paco de Lucia, Pierre Bensusan, Michael Hedges, Alex De Grassi, Julian Lage etc etc. So I have quite a good idea...

[@MichaelWatts]

True but if you’d watched the video you’d have seen that it’s a comparison between SDC and LDCs by the same company and within a similar price bracket. And yes, I have worked with the mics you mentioned and others but that’s not the point either. This video is intended as a helpful example - not an opportunity to brag about my experience. Speaking of which - you should only use an ellipsis when dealing with deliberate omissions in direct quotations. It’s so annoying when people use them as Cliff hangers… see? Other videos are available - I hope you find one you enjoy.

[@kookieload9073]

Sorry, i dont get it. It all sounds muffled. No presence to me. Maybe something’s wrong with the basics of this. Im listening through youtube free! ( is this at all a reasonable media) , thats the first issue. Through an ipad. An d a pair of neutral DT 770 pro 250 phms.

[@kookieload9073]

I cannot edit, then i will reply this fool. Come on , youre using a 250 ohms reference headphones meant for a proff setup. Mobile devices doesnt supply enough voltage. Then again on my gaming headset this recording still sounds even worse, but loud. ;-D

[@jamesbondaygee]

Comparing two mics is ridiculous. That's no overview of the subject

[@MichaelWatts]

Dude… it’s about two styles of mic. SDC and LDC. How much overview did you need?

[@CenterThePendulum]

@@MichaelWatts Some people even complain when you play the same song on different mics…the internet for you. Don’t complain about what’s free.