Dayton Audio EMM-6 as good as UMIK-1 for someone who already has an audio interface?

[Sam Ash]

That's not surprising. Even if the housing wasn't so similar, there are not that many mic companies who make their own capsules. That's true for any type of microphones. Two companies I know of that make high-end measurement capsules are Brüel & Kjaer and Microtech Gefell, and those are orders of magnitude more expensive than the mics we're discussing.

I have read reports recently about another manufacturer of expensive and well-regarded measurement mics who does not manufacture their own capsules, but purchases them wholesale like the cheap mic companies do. I'm not going to say who it is until I can verify those claims, because it would be a bit scandalous given their prices.

@voltronic - do you know of any other reasonably priced mics apart from Dayton EMM-1 and Behringer EMC8000? Any Chinese solutions that are reasonably priced and do the job well?

 

[Blumlein 88]

@Blumlein 88 - can you kindly elaborate on this procedure. How does one create a cal file that can be used with the newly calibrated mic?

I'll get back to you in a day or two.

 

[voltronic]

@voltronic - do you know of any other reasonably priced mics apart from Dayton EMM-1 and Behringer EMC8000? Any Chinese solutions that are reasonably priced and do the job well?

No; I'm pretty new to using measurement mics, even though I have decent experience with recording mics. I bought the EMM-6 because it didn't seem to make sense to buy a UMIK when I have a perfectly good MOTU M2 interface.

 

[Blumlein 88]

@Blumlein 88 - can you kindly elaborate on this procedure. How does one create a cal file that can be used with the newly calibrated mic?

Here is a screen shot where I have opened the mdat file of my Umik 1 and an uncalibrated omni (an Avantone CK1). Switch to the ALL SPL tab.

Next I align them for displayed SPL level. Open Controls with the little gear emblem. And then select Align SPL, and you'll get this.

Next choose Trace Arithmetic and it will open a box. You'll have to choose your two files. It will open with the same file in both positions. Then use the drop down menu to perform A/B. Then select Generate.

This will generate a 3rd file which you can save. If you scroll down to 0 db on the graph you'll see the difference in response.

Follow all the steps I outlined above. When you get to this point you can export the A over B mdat file at this point by choosing File, then choosing Export and then choosing Export Measurement as Text. This will save the MDAT info as a .csv file suitable for using as a calibration file. Here is the result of that calibration. There are still small ripples in it (probably from smoothing), but the result is pretty close. Using less smoothing during this process gives better results. Here I used the new cal file for the Avantone microphone and the remaining difference is shown below.

@Sam Ash

 

[Sam Ash]

@Blumlein 88 - Thank you very much indeed for such clear and concise step by step instructions. I really appreciate you taking the time to put this together. I am looking for decent but cost effective analogue omni condenser mics for measurement purposes.

Have you any experience with Dayton EMM-6 and Behringer EMC8000, they are very similar and I think the most cost effective option is the EMC8000. I think EMC8000 mics will be fine once calibrated against a UMIK-1 which I have.

 

[Blumlein 88]

@Blumlein 88 - Thank you very much indeed for such clear and concise step by step instructions. I really appreciate you taking the time to put this together. I am looking for decent but cost effective analogue omni condenser mics for measurement purposes.

Have you any experience with Dayton EMM-6 and Behringer EMC8000, they are very similar and I think the most cost effective option is the EMC8000. I think EMC8000 mics will be fine once calibrated against a UMIK-1 which I have.

I've used the EMM-6. I used a ECM8000 once, but it was long ago and they are made differently according to some. So I cannot give any help on that. I wish they had specs at Behringer for noise and max SPL. Probably would be fine.

 

[Sam Ash]

I managed to find some information online pertaining to the ECM8000:-

Behringer ECM8000 | RecordingHacks.com

ECM8000, Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone , aka: ECM-8000 - detailed microphone profile, specifications, manuals, reviews, frequency-response graphs, self-noise data

recordinghacks.com

https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/1056371-behringer-ecm8000-deteriorating-quality.html

Have a look at the attached document too.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I've seen all that info. Some of it is 8 years old. So try the ecm 8000. Check it against what you have. If it doesn't work well for you, you can send it back. Then try the Dayton.

 

[Sam Ash]

I've seen all that info. Some of it is 8 years old. So try the ecm 8000. Check it against what you have. If it doesn't work well for you, you can send it back. Then try the Dayton.

That's a good suggestion, do you think the Dayton EMM-6 is a better mic or a safer option than than the ECM8000?

 

[Blumlein 88]

That's a good suggestion, do you think the Dayton EMM-6 is a better mic or a safer option than than the ECM8000?

Don't know. Almost any small diameter electret condenser is fine to 2 khz and not bad even higher. So calibrated they'll be fine for our purposes. Many have a capsule in them when purchasing in bulk that goes for $1. I'm not in a position to choose any better.

 

[Sam Ash]

Don't know. Almost any small diameter electret condenser is fine to 2 khz and not bad even higher. So calibrated they'll be fine for our purposes. Many have a capsule in them when purchasing in bulk that goes for $1. I'm not in a position to choose any better.

Tried checking alternatives or similar on Alibaba but no success. If the capsules in bulk are $1 each then decent mics should cost around $10 to $15 each. $20 at most.

Forgot to ask, when doing the manual calibration procedure to obtain a 90 degree file, is it a must to do the measurements at 1m distance or less assuming both mics will be in the exact same position.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Tried checking alternatives or similar on Alibaba but no success. If the capsules in bulk are $1 each then decent mics should cost around $10 to $15 each. $20 at most.

Forgot to ask, when doing the manual calibration procedure to obtain a 90 degree file, is it a must to do the measurements at 1m distance or less assuming both mics will be in the exact same position.

Well, it just means that the capsule is far cheaper than the metal wand they are mounted in I think.

If the speaker is a small to moderate size 2 way 1 meter is probably good. If it is a larger 3 way speaker maybe more like 2 meters is better. Just have to play that one by ear.

 

[Sam Ash]

Well, it just means that the capsule is far cheaper than the metal wand they are mounted in I think.

If the speaker is a small to moderate size 2 way 1 meter is probably good. If it is a larger 3 way speaker maybe more like 2 meters is better. Just have to play that one by ear.

Interesting - I wish there was a company out there that offered quality omni mics and individual 90 degree cal files for a reasonable price.

Thanks for the useful suggestions, it makes sense.