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Rating And Reviews: Shure MX393 Boundary Mic

Includes a programmable membrane on/off switch, an on/off indicator LED, and detachable XLR connector.

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Shure MX393/C Microflex Cardioid Condenser Boundary Microphone

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"Should you get a PZM to use in your studio?" submitted June 24, 2010

By a customer from yahoo.com

Overall

Sound

Features

Ease of Use

Quality

Value

The Wow Factor

Musical Background: professional musician, studio owner, no day job. Just music.

Music Style: Classic rock, original, pop, country rock,

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Sound: I purchased this mic really out of curiosity. I wondered if it would pick up a drum set in the studio as a room mic. placed maybe 4-8 feet away from the kit. An ambient mic. I had read this HAD to be placed on a large flat surface to work. Not so Kemosabe'. I even held this upside down and spoke into it as a announcer does at a boxing match and it recorded just fine. I did perform a mic shootout test with this and a AKG 414. The standard! Both were very quiet. But it is like comparing oranges to apples. Different functions for different mics. I set them up about 2 feet away from me at the same height placing the shure on a music stand(for the flat surface) They were also about 24" from each other so they could easily record my voice at the same time. (Imagine reaching out your arms to hold two mics. that's the set-up). I ran both through a 2 channel tube mic preamp and a Drawmer 241 compressor then into a recorder. I spoke at a distance of 24" slightly turning my head toward each mic to get a front on signal. I then moved within 6 inches of each mic switching between the mics as I spoke continuously. This was for about a minute. The result was: (drumroll) The AKG 414 was a better mic! lol Seriously though I knew it would be BUT what the Shure mx393 is/was a little more detailed and not as much bottom end warmth. Wasn't as mid-rangy as a Sm57, and was very quiet. This mic would work great for a room mic to gain some ambience. Place it about 6 feet from a drum kit, tilt it slightly (the best angle is a 45 degree, place it at Tom or Cymbal height. you should get a really great "add-in" mixed signal. I am also going to try it inside the bass drum laid flat and see how it blends with my Audix d6. I will also use it as a 3rd mic on acoustic guitars, (once again, try it 3-5 feet from the cabinet and I might just hang it over a drum kit as an overhead, just to see. however I have a pair of Neumann KM184 i use, so that experiment won't last long I'm sure. I think these PZM mics might actually catch on a an extra mic. I will say the it edged out the AKG 414 in this dept. From a distance or more than 3 feet, there is definitely more information to use coming through the XM393. The signal from the 414 seemed to get too warm, lose highs and crispness the further away you get. But once again, that's not what the AKG414 is designed for. The Shure Xm393 was created to pick up sounds at a distance. Go ahead and try to get one used first. But get one, you'll find some really cool uses for it. Btw, I also have 4 Groove Tube mics, a Manley, Rode NTK, a Bock, Audio Technica 4050 and an onslaught of 58' and 57's with a bucket full of Octava, Golden Age projects and others. But this is still a cool little mic. Feature: I bought my used and it didn't come with the omni capsule. I may buy just the capsule, which is avaiable, to see what happens. I also had to get the cable. So I was out $80 total for this mic. Not bad at all. Ease of Use: Just plug it in Quality: It's shure quality. Value: great value used. Good value new. It's really a luxury piece so that's why I can't rate it higher than 7. You can live without it, but I'll try not to! Manufacturer Support: Once again, It's Shure... The Wow Factor: It's cool to have around Overall: If it works good for overheads, i may get another to use as overheads in stereo.

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