Have there been significant improvements in microphones?

ack said:

I have to admit I am in complete darkness here... What's changed and improved in the last 2-3 decades?

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The main things I have seen are:

1. Prices have come down

2. Guys from the larger manufacturers have branched off to do their own thing.

There are still the name brands like Neumann, Royer, Sennheiser, Shure, Earthworks, dpa, Audio-Technica, AKG, Schoeps and others.
The boutique ones that stand out are Blue, Bock, Mojave, Cascade, Oktava, Beesneez, Lauten and Peluso.

The 'boutique' mics are just trying to do what Neumann has done for decades. Nicer packaging though.

I like Neumann for some things but they are overpriced tone controls for others... IMO!

Here's my shot at it given I have not done more than slightly dabbled for some time:

Improvements include much better manufacturability and quality control, better membranes/spiders that provide more dynamic range and greater frequency response, better transformers and preamp electronics (built-in or not), companies like Royer bringing back high-quality ribbon designs, and companies like earthworks bringing out omni instrument and measurement mics with better specs and performance than the much of the revered old models. On the lower end a lot of manufacturers have introduced low-cost medium- and large-diaphragm mics that sound pretty good for their price, and sometimes compare to mics costing much more. There are also several decent measurement mics that are very inexpensive and yet, with a calibration file, rival the more expensive earthworks, Sennheiser, and B&K measurement mics.

Bruce is in a much better position to comment, natch! - Don

I like Schoeps best for live on location recording...

DonH50 said:

I like Neumann for some things but they are overpriced tone controls for others... IMO!

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We have several Neumanns in the recording studio and tried a lot of the modern ones. No question the U67s have some foibles but if you know what they are its easy enough to use them in nearly any application in the studio or on location without coloration.

As old as they are though I have had to replace the tube socket and number of resistors in the mic body, plus had to rebuild the power supplies....

The right one in the right place is magic, I agree. Just wish they didn't cost so durn much! And these days there are a lot of good choices. The AKG 414 variants are still among the flattest mics and much cheaper (assuming we can call $1k - $2k for a mic "cheap"), or even a Shure 81, though for measurements I still go to my earthworks M30. And kick myself for selling my wicked-expensive and super-flat B&K special.

Microphone and mic pre selection has always been a matter of taste. There will always be some "standards" that most people use, like a SM57 and 121 on a guitar cab or two 57's for snares or 7b/Re20 for VO work. Most folks like a 67 for upright bass. It's just like choosing IC's, speaker cables or even speakers. It's all just a preference. The magic happens "IN FRONT" of the mic!!

I've heard some good field recordings made with both Oktava and ADK, brands I wasn't familiar with 15 yrs ago.

Still, nothing beats the Calrec AMS Soundfield for location recording, if you can find one and afford it.