Korean Job Discussion Forums

jamesy · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Location: incheon, korea

The heading says it all really. looking for akg, shure, audio technica, neumann or any other decent brands. let me know if you have one or you know a good online store that sells them

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Jamesy:

I bought a Studio projects B1 version 2 condenser mic, and it absolutely sounds wonderful. It cost about $150 (I got a small discount from $180). It sounds better than the Shure KSM27 I had (for my VO's, anyway). I bought it at the Nagwon Arcade. What a great mic!

Fabulous sound!

Trevor · Joined: 16 Nov 2005

Go to gmarket. There's a million microphones. Find the one you want. AFTER you find the one you want click 'English Shop' in the top right of your browser. The reason you click it after you find your mic is because your previous searches will display in the right hand side of your screen and many more mic's will be displayed on the Korean site than the English site. So search in Korean before you click English, then click on your previous search from the English site.

English instructions for purchasing in Englsih are pretty straightforward. If you want to use a Korean credit or bank card you have to put in your ARC number. One thing to rememberis that each field requires four digits, even if your card does not have four digits (dumb programming mistake). Put in zeros before the correct number.

I paid with Paypal, no problem. Check out the USB mics. The chinese large diaphragm condensers are surprisingly good, but not as good as the brands you named. If you are recording to computer, consider a USB mic.

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

what do USB mics use for preamps?

Michael Scott · Joined: 28 Nov 2007

usb mic's don't use pre's. they're powered from the usb.

Trevor · Joined: 16 Nov 2005

Correct answer. If you want to add more 'pre' either for volume or coloration, use a vst plugin within your audio host.

They are extremely convenient because you need no other equipment to record. Just plug and play.

ernie · Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Location: asdfghjk

check out the quality of your soundcard's mic preamp(s) before shelling out a bunch of money for a decent condenser mic. buying a $2000 neumann mic and running it through a $10 soundblaster preamp is just stupid. a USB mic might sound ok, but you won't be able to use it anywhere else.

you should buy a decent mic and a decent preamp. mics are audio gear, not computer gear!

Underwaterbob · Joined: 08 Jan 2005 Location: In Cognito

Does anyone have any experience with USB condensers? I'm thinking of buying one, but they seem like a relatively new innovation and are horribly overpriced in Korea.

A Samson C03U goes for 230-250 on Gmarket, the cheapest MXL is 270 and they have some generic Chinese "JamMate" brand that runs 135.

I'm wondering if the JamMate's worth it since I can't justify spending twice what I would back home to buy one of the others. I can't find a single review online.

jamesy · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Location: incheon, korea

thanks for all the help folks. I've found a nice mxl 900 on gmarket for 175,000 so I think I'm going to go for it.

I agree if you are using a USB mic you would need a decent soundcard. I looked at some USB mics and they were pretty expensive compared to the standard variety.

thanks again

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

NO! I had the MXL990... piece of trash!! I took it back after one day. They sell for $50 on Amazon! Very muddy mids and a bad tint in the upper range.

Seriously, get a Studio Projects B1. Fabulous mic! Built on Neumann designs. I love mine. Much better than the MXL990 I had, and better than the Shure KSM27 for vocals for sure.

If you really want a USB mic, the Samson can be had for the mid 100,000s range in Youngsan. I've seen it there.

After having tried many mics this summer, I still suggest the Studio Projects B1.

http://transom.org/tools/recording_interviewing/200508.mic_shootout.html

See the above test.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Another test:

http://testing.holmerup.biz/mic_pretest/MP3index_en.html

And a review of the B1:

http://soundstudios.blogspot.com/2007/08/studio-projects-b1.html

jamesy · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Location: incheon, korea

I will give it some thought bassexpander. thanks for the links to the sound tests. Was the Studio Projects B1 easy to find in nagwon because I can't see it anywhere on the internet

jamesy · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Location: incheon, korea

I've finally found one online for 174,000 won which seems pretty reasonable to me. I'll listen to the tests again and then make a decision.

cheers trevor

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

That's a decent price for a B1, but I think you're talking about USB mic, right?

I got my B1 at a little side shop in Nagwon, but they gave me a discount because they had opened the box and used the mic holder to display a different B1, which they'd lost the holder for.

The B3 is the same mic, pretty much, but with a figure-8 pattern if you need that to mic 2 people on either side. I didn't need that function.

By the way, there is a B1 version 1 and a version 2. The version 2 has a switch on the front with 2 positions of low cut. The old version has no switch. Both sound great.

jamesy · Joined: 24 Nov 2005 Location: incheon, korea

It doesn't mention USB on the page so I'm assuming it's the standard version. It looks like it has the switch on the front. I've pasted the link below - a place called mike mall

The tests held up pretty well against what are, supposedly, superior mics. I think you've changed my mind bass expander and I'll opt for the B1.

thanks again

http://www.mikemall.com/?OVRAW=%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%B4%ED%81%AC&OVKEY=%EB%A7%88%EC%9D%B4%ED%81%AC&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=10030058542&OVKWID=131575999542