Freesound Forums

Anyone using those?
I once bought an OKM - II professional. It's stereo capabilities & strength is simply amazing. hock:
What do you think about the Soundman mics?

I'd love to have a pair... In my opinion the most important part is that - paired with a small recorder - they're perfect for making recordings without anyone seeing. But, listening to your files on headphones, I must say I'm amazed by the "it's almost real" feeling. Do you have any files where the sound circles the listener? Can you hear it passing front => behind if listening with headphones or does it lose that information?

Perhaps you could make a test by having a sound in front and slowly rotating on your feet!

- bram

Bram
Do you have any files where the sound circles the listener? Can you hear it passing front => behind if listening with headphones or does it lose that information?

Perhaps you could make a test by having a sound in front and slowly rotating on your feet!

- bram

Hi Bram,

about that front => behind movement I have to check. Will do that today in the evening and will come up with new samples (showing that slow sound movement around your head).

One can imagine some interesting recording scenarios (the mic has 2 plugs which you can put/move
anywhere you can imagine). E.g. put/move the plugs in an empty glass or bowl while making any noise outside.

The usage possibilties, as can be found at www.soundman.de.

Rondomat
The usage possibilties, as can be found at www.soundman.de.

Rondomat, how sensitive to wind could be these mics when recording outdoors? I 'm planning to purchase a pair but can't see how a windscreen could be used (?)

Dobroide,

the mic seems to be sensitive to wind to a certain degree. ops:
I guess you can't avoid that, even using any other mic. Even professionals in TV must count
with wind when reporting somewhere outside, unless they use some wind protection (walls, etc.).

Dobroide,

anyway, you have to listen to some recording examples, before purchasing. I bet you did it, right?

yes, of course I did and the spatial feeling was impressive.

I asked about sensitivity to wind because, as you say, there's always some wind when one records in nature (the foam tube likely has got stuck to my mic by now...) Shielding the OKM looks difficult, perhaps more than regular stereo mics, am I wrong?

Yes, the OKM has foam tubes too. These are similiar to the ones used for simple ear plug headphones.
Did you see some close up pictures of the OKM plugs? They have foam tubes on both side (meaning the side which you plug into the ear and the opposite site).

Anyway, the sensitivety to wind is not that much as with regular (reportage) mics, because the 'working surface' is alot smaller, and you usually don't hold the mic with you hand. Instead you plug it into your ears or stick it on to your clothing. Yet therefore the wind has less chance. :wink:

I added 2 more samples demonstrating the spatial capabilities of the OKM mic. Enjoy listening!

I finally got my OKM pair and had time to use it. In short here's what I think: great sound, zero ergonomics!

Using it was a real torture at first because, despite the foam hood that covered the capsules, they tended to fall very easily from my ears (thus causing noise). It was nearly impossible to keep stuff in place as I walked. Was this a problem caused by me having odd-shaped ears or something, wasn't I normal? After some thinking I concluded that a star-shaped structure with ten or so corners simply cannot fit securely inside a human ear!!! Anyway, I *loved* their sound and the ease of use, so I decided to fix that little problem of being 'unstable'.

I bought a pair of cheap earbuds, clipped the cables away, emptied the buds, opened a hole in each of the shells, then inserted the capsules therein (actually just half capsule, the other half remains outside to record). For still more comfort I re-covered each bud with a thin foam hood and I was ready to go. Now the mikes won't fall even if I jump, so I'm quite happy

I use a pair of sub miniature condenser mics bought on ebay for about £20.

dobroide
yes, of course I did and the spatial feeling was impressive.

I asked about sensitivity to wind because, as you say, there's always some wind when one records in nature (the foam tube likely has got stuck to my mic by now...) Shielding the OKM looks difficult, perhaps more than regular stereo mics, am I wrong?

Im going to try to get a pair of these soon, im thinking that a modified winter style earmuff or earwarmer could be used as extra wind shielding and will try this out.