RODE K2 vs NEUMANN U87 (Matching EQ on K2)
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 чер 2019
- Excuse my performance, it was recorded within 20 minutes. All tracks in one take.
The purpose of this video is not to make the Rode K2 sound the same as the Neumann, the point is to show that with a little work with EQ you can achieve the same sound, in other words I want to encourage musicians that you don't need to buy overpriced microphones to get a professional result.
If you use Rode K2, you can download my Neumann U87 presets for Fab filter Pro Q.. However it works quite ok with Rode NT1 as well. I will create more presets of differents microphones soon. Download link: www.dropbox.com/s/0fqde4fzmiv...
Image of the EQ settings: i.ibb.co/XCF34Mf/EQ-matching.jpg
I have now decided to reveal the truth about this video. And the truth is that I used these two RODE K2 and Neumann microphones in the test however I swapped the microphone names in the video. Because I assumed that some people would be influenced by the reputation of the Neumann brand which would affect their objectivity.. And that's what happened. I shared this video on several discussion forums and many listeners commented that Neumann is more 3D, has more dynamics, better highs or louds frequencies. :) So where the name Neumann appears, you actually hear Rode and vice versa.
Hello Jirka, I really like your voice while singing this song. Is there a big difference in sound between the Rode NT1 and the K2?
Maybe Mic A and Mic B would be enough ;) :D However I do really like the real K2 more.... but tube mike for my home usage? :D Just a dream, but I wish that piece to all good music creators ;)
instant sub for your excellent sneakiness
Genius, thank you for the comparison!
Jirko super, tiez som sa nechal ovplyvnit, Neumann mi znel "teplejsie" tie nadpisy naozaj ovplyvnuju.. Pekne si so vsetkymi vypiekol, GOOD JOB !
Skvěle! Děkuji. Mám lampový Rode K2 a točil jsem předtím téměř vždy na "klasiku" U87. Z Vašeho videa jsem rozdíl nepoznal. Jsem nadšený, protože U87 jsem považoval za top standard. Věděl jsem, že K2 je super. Ale že je téměř k nerozeznání je úžasné. Díky za srovnávací video.
Wow! The fact that you could do that in 20 minutes, with each track in one take, just blows my mind. Great track, through and through!
Thanks a lot :)
Beautiful. Thank you for the comparison!
Thank you:)
Thank you for the presets, apparently quite a few to sort through. Your video helped me make at least a semi-final decision, in other words, I ordered the K2 to try it out. I was also looking at the CV-12 but I think the CV-12 would need some upgrades (better capsule, circuit and tube), but then it would be comparable to U87 for sure. However, without mod, the K2 seems already to be in that league. Thanks again.
Rode microphones are solid sounding. Nauman microphone are a little soft and airy.
Try STC 20 too.
I'm going to be honest, this is one of the greatest comparison videos ever. Wonderful job!
Thank you so much for this and also thats some great playing ...dont even mention that its all one take
Thank you :)
Wow, sweeet track, man! And, yes, perfect match with the u87.
Thank you René :)
Thank you for the presets. Thanks to you, I changed my mind about selling k2=)
I love this recording so good and I love my Rodes classic
Fantastic demo and musicianship
very well done ---- excellent production qualities ----- That U87 looks like it has had a hard life.
Never. Naumann has its own characteristic sound.
It’s really really great!
Thank you :)
Great video and the only real difference I noticed was some sibilance on the vocal near the end on the K2...though you didn't play that phrase with the U87...so it might be just as prominent?
Very nice sound and interesting comparison, which acoustic guitar have you used on it?
Thanks. I will try it.
Amazing video and the Rode K2 is an unbelievable bargain for its price
Good work! I could use some more info on eq presets? Can we have a brief explanation ?
K2 ❤👍 This test is so brilliant after reading your text! 😆
both the song, recordings and the match are superb. Makes me wanna get K2, or perhaps I should get RODE NTK ? I hear it's also a good tube mic but with cardioid only. Hmmm..
i have an ntk. if it helps you make a decision, here is the video I tried to make comparing with nt1
ua-cam.com/video/jl9q0w8VO90/v-deo.html
On a blind shootout it would be almost impossible to tell which is which! Good shootout.
Two excellent microphones.
Really cool sounding song.
Wow love the playing and the track! The comparison is so close to my ears it's maybe not 5 times better vs price for the u87. any chance of a screen shot of a couple of the eq settings I don't have that eq plugin 🙈 great work!
Thanks. Good idea. I'll do a screen shot when I'm in my studio. :)
@@JirkaMucha I'd really appreciate that 😎
@@cfboneslum I'm sorry for my delay.. I totally forgot to reply. Here is the image of the eq setting if it helps i.ibb.co/XCF34Mf/EQ-matching.jpg :)
@@JirkaMucha really hard to tell which is u87 or K2 , good guitar and vocal recrod!
@@JirkaMuchaI don't really understand the EQ is it only the wide one based around 444 Hz? thanks for the video!
Wow, Nice Demo, Both Mics sound quite nice, The Neumann has a bit deeper and sweeter sound to my ear, but is negligible, with a tiny but of EQ , I think the K2 is right there. Since I own the K2 and a NT-1a it gives me inspiration. The K2 is MUCH deeper and richer sounding when I mic my acoustic, the K2 also has much deeper vocals, but the NT1-a works well with drums and percussion
I felt the same, but It's just a tiny bit. I wonder if changing the EQ from zero latency mode to linear phase would make an improvement.
The NT1a is junk. But the black rode NT1 is 👍
I'm not sure if you noticed my desciptions below the video. Actually, wherever the Rode K2 sign appears, Neumann is playing and vice versa. This was by intention, as I expected people to react in a way that made the Neumann sound deeper, more 3D and so on, which is what happened.
Hi, I wanted to test you eq settings to see what will I get since I own a K2 and not a Neumann U87, but download link is not working, ".ffp files can't be previewed", whatever that means? I use Macbook..
Great Video.
Could you by any chance provide the eq values so we can use the manually on our eq's?
Thanks!
agreed, that would be very helpful.
first level the gains filtering from 800 hz to 2k when they give the same level of gain you do the correction and it will come out more precise, I do it using pink noise.
sounds good
Thank you
RODE FOR LIFE
BANG FOR THE BUCK
I really liked it, congratulations. One question, what kind of guitar sounds, acoustic or electro-acoustic?
Actually it is a cheaper acoustic guitar manufactured in china. I don't own it anymore and unfortunately I forgot the brand name.
Absolut TOP
Hi, Jirka, I've just bought the RODE K2 and I really like your comparison, proving what I already knew - t.m. that this mic is really on par with the big guys...
Two questions here - did you change the tube, or the capsule (or the caps inside, perhaps)? Could you maybe hint a little bit about what pre did you use for this recording, and what was the processing chain (de-esser, compressor, EQ, etc.)?
I vaguely remember someone like you (guess it really was you) mentioning somewhere on the forums, you routinely use Culture Vulture. Is that correct?
Please elaborate....
I have a project requiring a very similar sound in one piece , and I am really curious how you managed to achieve it 😊
Thanks for any insight shared.
And keep uo the good work - your songa really sound fantastic! M.
Hi, I've experimented with other tubes but original seemed the best. However, some tubes I wanted to try I unfortunately couldn't get on market here. In this test everything is original Rode K2.
I confess that I don't remember the processing chain I used here. The whole recording was made and mixed in no time. If I had taken more care, I'm sure the production and sound would have been much better. I even used a very cheap guitar that didn't have a perfect sound.
I'm glad you like the sound. I definitely used a standard CLA classic compressor, probably valhalla reverb and fab filter eq. As a de-esser I use R-desser from waves, which is an old plugin. maybe they are better, but I am used to this one. Rode K2 has more pronounced highs. I cut some frequencies on some vocals if they are too harsh... However, I didn't put too much work into this mix and maybe I didn't equalize it too much.
Thanks for the insights. Apreciate it.
Could you please also share which hardware did you use for the recording!? Mostly I am interested to know which audio interface was utilized, and then - if any - which HW compressor/other processor was in the signal chain. I find it to be truly extraordinary, despite what you wrote, and I am currently shopping for a new audio interface - since this is very insirational when it comes to final sound, I wouldlike to achieve something similar (not same, slightly different, but similar) in my studio as well. Thanks heaps! 😊😅
What is the name of the song? BTW wonderful song!
Are you able to share the frequencies you boosted and cut? I can't afford the $179 odd that the Fab Filter Pro Q will cost
Thank you Simon. There is a link of the EQ screenshot in the description. Download it.
Too bad on this video you always switched to the U87 on the higher notes of the chorus, I was hoping to hear each mic capture the same frequencies
U87 had slightly better high freq clarity or maybe just loudness.
@@TravisTellsTruths 87 has its own vocal texture. It sounds sweet too.
Thank you for the presets. After they are downloaded, how are they used?
Thanks. These are presets for Fabfilter Pro-Q plugin. If you have that plug-in just save the preset to your harddisk and open Pro-Q and go to default settings - option - open other presets. That's it. The only thing is that the volume of the presets are bit low.. But you can easely increase the volume leve by using output volume knob.
Hi I have a Rode NT1 going into a Universal Audio Apollo Twin interface. My question is how much input gain are you giving the mic?? I'm struggling to much with this
Look at how much impedance (in ohms) you need to power your mic.
Any information on the guitars used? Incredible sound.
I actually used pretty cheap, less quality guitar - Tanglewood, made in China :) Already sold that guitar and bought a better one from Sigma company. :)
Thanks! I'm about to try it on a BlueBird Mic right now! I'll come back with the results. I don't expect it to be close to the U87 BUT I'm No where near a fan of this MIC. So lets transform it to something else! Blue87?? lol
I bought a K2 today because of this video!!! OMG!!! Best $650 AUD I have ever spent on any (good) shit!!! I recorded a couple of Nat King Cole songs immediately. Check out the detail and how it captures a middle register of a male baritone!
can someone share the eq value settings here for us?
Use your correction files and it's awesome! Thank you man!
suena hermoso
Thaaaaankssss!
jai eu un ntk pendant longtemps, et c'est un tres tres bon micro.
They both sound great. Not the same, but honestly you could use both in a singer-songwriter situation. Pick and choose what gets the more open airy u87 versus what gets that tighter more focused Rode sound. Either way you cut it, both great mics.
So what you're saying is k2 more airy open sound and neumann more focused sound
@@thetruth3316 Absolutely
Where can I get this song? I love it.
Thanks, glad you liked it. it was just a random session. I didn't release this song. However my album with this kind of music is available here: jirkamucha.wixsite.com/jirkamucha
Quick question: does the K2 have its original tube, or has it been modded with a different tube? I’m just wondering as I know it’s popular to do, and I just want to understand the microphone you used. Either way, I’ll take the K2 over the Neumann as it’s a better sounding microphone.
I tried experimenting with different tubes, but in the end I went back to the original tube that sounded best to me.
Jirka Mucha, thanks for letting us know!
@@JirkaMucha I actually just bought a second K2, because I wanted to be able to use them in stereo and rode have such precise QC that even bought years apart, they're going to be close enough to be practically a matched pair.
My first, I swapped the tube out for a Russian NOS tube - I forget exactly what it was. The second bought about two years later sounded perfect and almost identical out of the box, and it turns out that it had an EHX rebrand Russian NOS, so it looks like Rode have gotten hold of a bunch of really nice tubes that meet their spec, rather than the mass manufactured Chinese tube that was in my original. Chances are, if you get a new k2 now, you'll get one of the great sounding EHX tubes.
Edit: that was supposed to be a reply to Gabriel!
I love the K2, and use it with nearly every client over much more expensive mics that I almost feel like I've wasted my money on... Occasionally I'll get a client it doesn't work with, but the vast majority, it's just perfect, so long as you give it long enough to warm up first! I find about an hour is perfect.
I see, these are for FabFilter Pro Q. That is about 150 Euro. Yes, it is for professional use, but not professional studio use. I am a guitar maker setting up to make high-quality video and audio recordings on my instruments as a marketing method after Corona interrupted many exhibitions. SO if you get this, I wonder if you could tell me about that plugin, if it is really worth it for my purpose. I am using Reaper, mainly with its on EQ plus EQ from Focusrite and from Steinberg. I find that those do not really give me a sound I like, it is +/- between the two. How would this EQ compare? Really appreciate any comment you can give me, either here or via msg. Thanks so much.
Wow
I chose the rode why? A 2k difference.
U87 is a tiiiiiny bit more spacious, a bit more airy presence that sounds expensive. Which it most certainly is. On guitar the I had zero preference- the K2 was wonderful. On vocals the 87 added a little depth and dimension or something.
You realise the k2 is the neumann
@@thetruth3316 Wow that is very interesting! I swear- I never judge a mic upon its "reputation" or its brand name. Believe me when I say I listen to shootouts HOPING to hear a more affordable mic sound better than an expensive one! When I listen, I listen for the objective differences in the mics, and also how well the sound fits into the music/mix being presented as an artistic work. The K2 is not a cheaply made mic either, so it's not as surprising as this revelation may seem. It sounds great on your voice. The U87 is not infallible- pros often accuse it of being a little "boring" in comparison to mics with more character. So I'd say the K2 is just a really nice character on your voice for this piece of music. Cool results!!!
@@thetruth3316 Where does it say that?
Man what should I buy rode k2 or something else
I would recommend Rode NT1-A. K2 is a great mic but it's a tube microphone and sometime I had issues with the tube that I had to replace for new one. NT1 is just perfect.
@@JirkaMucha How would say the NT2-A is compared to the NT1-A?
dobry den , ako sa vola ten song ? to spievate vy ? dakujem
Dobrý den, je to Find Ther Cost Of Freedom od skupiny Crosby, Stills Nash and Young.
Ano, to zpívám já ;)
@@JirkaMucha a kde sa daju vypocut Vase skladby , respektive nahravky prosim ? Velmi sa mi to paci ..
The rode rocks really hard
Who is singer?😍
Thanks, I'm the singer. You can check my UA-cam Channel.
You can tell the U87 has a little more range than the Rode K2. But only after listening hard for a little bit. At first they sound very similar
You realised the neumann is the k2 in the video
U87AI sounds pleasant.
Rode K2 sounds tighter
Hmmm...the rode sounds like the neumann to me
No CM can beat U87Ai.
k2 300€ occasion :)
no difference!
That’s awesome. But now I’m bummed haha. I liked it when I thought the Rode sounded better. I was thinking of buying 4 of them for the price 🤣🤣🤣 😑🫠