Anybody not like the CAD M179?

msum 🎙️ · 13th December 2009

Hi all,

Seems like everyone loves the CAD M179 as a a great "bang for the buck" mic or maybe even in some cases as a very good mic fullstop. I'll be ordering some later this month or next month (thanks to Warren from Zen Pro Audio; he's great to deal with).

I think I've only ever read one bad comment on GS about the M179s. Which led me to wonder, who here on GS dislikes the M179? If so, why?

Don't be shy. After all, people always seem to be more likely to mention things they like rather than ones they don't.

Cheers,
Matt

Danner · 13th December 2009

Beware of Internet lore

Chrislpp · 13th December 2009

For the polar patterns and FR I can't see a reason not to like it.

dannygold · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danner ➡️

Beware of Internet lore

So.... you don't like them? Have you used them? I have and I think they're pretty great.

lynyrd · 13th December 2009

I have a pair of M179s and for toms they absolutely rule but that is the only thing I use them for. I don't think they sound particularly good on vocals for example.

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

whats there to like about them?they dont compliment your drum sound in any way.
sounds like a cheap radio shack mic.
because of the the nasty frequency boost they are unusable for me.
why would you put a condenser on your floor tom for ex?
hats and cymbal wash all over the place if comp it...
a lot of the posters here sells it by the way...

dannygold · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dag Elias ➡️

whats there to like about them?they dont compliment your drum sound in any way.
sounds like a cheap radio shack mic.
because of the the nasty frequency boost they are unusable for me.
why would you put a condenser on your floor tom for ex?
hats and cymbal wash all over the place if comp it...
a lot of the posters here sells it by the way...

Lots of of engineers use condensers on toms, and besides "I don't like condensers on floor tom" is not an argument against the M179!I mean you might as well say 414s suck because you don' t like condensers on toms. Jeez.

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

well,thats my opinion about it.
and my experience of it.
so what's yours...?

biggator6 · 13th December 2009

Quote:

why would you put a condenser on your floor tom for ex?

Ask Butch Vig.

I have one 179 right now - will order a few more. They sound amazing on toms and as overheads - haven't tried it on vocals or much else besides drums yet.. but it's a fairly un-hyped sounding mic. It reminds me a lot of a 414 on some sources.

Quote:

because of the the nasty frequency boost they are unusable for me.

which frequency boost are you referring to? where does it have a major bump in the response - and using which pattern?

Not picking on you - but if you're hearing a nasty frequency boost, there may be something wrong with yours.

Tom Hakala · 13th December 2009

I usually go for dynamics (sm57, md421, e504), but condensers are nice on toms too. You can reduce cymbal bleed with a figure 8 (414, at4050..).

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

why would you put a condenser on your floor tom for ex?
Ask Butch Vig.

I have one 179 right now - will order a few more. They sound amazing on toms and as overheads - haven't tried it on vocals or much else besides drums yet.. but it's a fairly un-hyped sounding mic. It reminds me a lot of a 414 on some sources.

Yes,mine must have been broken if its supposed to sound ANYTHING like a 414!

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

If your liking condensers on drums,try the octava mk 012!

fiddler59 · 13th December 2009

What is there not to like about M179's. There cheap and while there are better mics out there, the M179 will hold its own. Especially for the price !! The main thing is they don't suck !!

David Blackmon

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

because there are better (in my opinion)cheap mic's out there for drums.
like the sennheiser e604 for ex...

rackdude · 13th December 2009

When I pick up a mic just to play with, it's an M179. Why not?

Digital Black · 13th December 2009

Does anyone know where I can find some audio samples of the m179? If not please post some. I mainly want to hear how they sound as overheads, on guitar, and on vocals.

xhavepatiencex · 13th December 2009

My biggest complaint is they are really ugly. They do sound great on toms, and I think they sound great as room mics too. They don't tend to get used for much else though.

Tomer1 · 13th December 2009

For the price they are great, I heard they use the same 797 capsule as SP choose for their B series mics.
Only down size compered to other Multipattern mics suce as the SP B3 for example is that the PCB is entirely SMD so in 5 years if it ends up sitting in your closet since you have upgraded to more blingy mics its gone be hard/impossible to make something new out of it other then replacing the capsule for a difference color.

Ol' Betsey · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannygold ➡️

Lots of of engineers use condensers on toms, and besides "I don't like condensers on floor tom" is not an argument against the M179!I mean you might as well say 414s suck because you don' t like condensers on toms. Jeez.

I know. I like condensers AND 414's on toms.

R.

erosconpollo · 13th December 2009

I've found these to be quite nice on piano, especially in live performance. Might not be the first choice in the studio but they would do a credible job.

joelpatterson · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by erosconpollo ➡️

... a credible job.

I carry around two 179's as "extra safety" backup mics on each and every gig. Like for the cases when you arrive at the hall and they hit you with, "oh, hey, at the last minute we persuaded a conga player/marimba/chorus to join us-- isn't that great!"

In addition to being excellente on close-focus things, the off-axis capture is always really, really fine-- uber reliable. So now I keep waiting for the "279"-- whatever that will be.

Ol' Betsey · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelpatterson ➡️

In addition to being excellente on close-focus things, the off-axis capture is always really, really fine-- uber reliable.

Haven't tried the 179's yet (it's on my utility to-buy list) but that's what I've always liked about 414's.

R.

BFSound · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dag Elias ➡️

because there are better (in my opinion)cheap mic's out there for drums.
like the sennheiser e604 for ex...

While i have never used an M179 on Ftoms or any toms. I love our E604's i think for lower priced senheisers they have a good sound to them.

What do you think about them Dag?...

RTR · 13th December 2009

I have a CAD M37 , it is supposed to be like the m179 but cardioid only..I think it sounds very good!

Dag Elias · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by BFSound ➡️

While i have never used an M179 on Ftoms or any toms. I love our E604's i think for lower priced senheisers they have a good sound to them.

What do you think about them Dag?...

the e 604 sounds great on toms up to a size 14"
the placement is important! i like them facing flat against the head about 2inches up!
if you like more of a jazz sounds with lots of presence go for the oktava mk 012!
not to many people probably ever tried them on toms....

if you want to master the sound of your drums read the "drum tuning bible"
theres 80% of the sound right there!

GZsound · 13th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dag Elias ➡️

well,thats my opinion about it.
and my experience of it.
so what's yours...?

I'd be real interested in what "nasty frequency boost" you are talking about.

Have you ever seen the frequency chart on the M179? And in what pattern are you talking about?

gehauser · 14th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by GZsound ➡️

Have you ever seen the frequency chart on the M179? And in what pattern are you talking about?

See attached image for frequency pattern

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueSG96 ➡️

Does anyone know where I can find some audio samples of the m179? If not please post some. I mainly want to hear how they sound as overheads, on guitar, and on vocals.

CAD M179 samples (cheap LDC shootout on guitar):
http://ffts.com/music/shootout5.htm
(Levels don't match in this shootout but you can get an idea)

Bell Head · 14th December 2009

Wow that looks like a 8db boost at 15K on the chart for the omni pattern. Kind of sus though, like I'm gonna believe that the pattern is perfectly spherical like that.

Bell Head · 14th December 2009

[QUOTE=gehauser;4884313]See attached image for frequency pattern

CAD M179 samples (cheap LDC shootout on guitar):
http://ffts.com/music/shootout5.htm
(Levels don't match in this shootout but you can get an idea)[/QUOTE

Sounds good man. Like the playing like the Cad best then the B3

Chrislpp · 14th December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dag Elias ➡️

so what's yours...?

Condensers and shit sounding rooms don't mix.

That's not my opinion on them.

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