Pair matching mics. How close is a pair?

[SDC]

I recently bought 2 Earthworks M23R.

They advertize +-0.5 for all their M23Rs and this is the two ecf file I got.

It is +-0.45 but to me more like -0.9...

Bit disappointed as I expected more from the price (it is much more expensive than matched isemcon in S.Korea)

Any other M23R or pair matched mic users willing to share ECF file? I'm curious about the tolerence of these mics


edit: added M50's ECF

 

[staticV3]

I don't understand. Both of these compensation curves are within the ±0.5dB spec...

 

[SDC]

I don't understand. Both of these compensation curves are within the ±0.5dB spec...

yes that is true... but greens mid-high drops deeper reaching -0.9 compared to the red's mid.

Thanks too members of another forum I've seen ECF files for M30s and M50. There is almost no advantage for this reference line...

So what I was thinking is

1. Earthworks is too perfect R line is not needed
2. I'm being extremely picky looking at very small deviation
3. Earthworks pair-matching is worse than others

1 and 2 yes true.

But 3 I have no data and buying quad-matched Isemcon just for this is waste of money.

So I am asking if anybody has experience with pair matching.

 

[MRC01]

My matched pair of Rode NT1A mics have a max difference of 1.5 dB, based on my measurements. Apparently that's less than the variance of randomly selected mics of the same model. It's for music, not measurement, so their variance may be higher. They both sound good, but the difference is audible if you listen for it.

 

[SDC]

My matched pair of Rode NT1A mics have a max difference of 1.5 dB, based on my measurements. Apparently that's less than the variance of randomly selected mics of the same model. It's for music, not measurement, so their variance may be higher. They both sound good, but the difference is audible if you listen for it.

Thank you! So pair matching for mics are not like pair matching in speakers...

 

[SDC]

This is comparision with the M50 earthworks...

 

[SDC]

Thanks for all the help from OOinside.com!

All these mics will be reviewed by Nuy, this is the ecf file collection before starting!

M23 : +0.5 /-0.26
M23R : +0.0 /-0.53
M23R_2 : +0.0 /-0.8
M30 : +0.0 /-0.42
M50 : +0.278 /-0.239

edit: 0.32 to 0.42
edit2: m50

 

[kemmler3D]

I think the variance specified in pair matching refers to the maximum difference at a given frequency, not maximum difference between two frequencies. That would mean the mics also need a baseline FR of +/- 0.5 to begin with.

 

[SDC]

I think the variance specified in pair matching refers to the maximum difference at a given frequency, not maximum difference between two frequencies. That would mean the mics also need a baseline FR of +/- 0.5 to begin with.

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Infinitely Matched​

Every M23R has the same frequency response and sensitivity – matched to within +/- 0.5dB across the entire operating frequency range (3Hz to 23kHz).


this is the what earthworks offer. so... what baseline we don't know 2.3 to 1.4 is 0.9 so the limit should be there somewhere

 

[kemmler3D]

FREQUENCY RESPONSE​

3Hz -23kHz ±0.5dB​

this is the spec earthworks offer. so... what baseline we don't know 2.3 to 1.4 is 0.9 so the limit should be there somewhere

Oh, I see. Yeah the green trace does vary more than 0.5. But the differences between the two seem to be less than 0.5. Anyway I guess you could return it for being out of spec if you really want to, but after correction I think you will have good results either way.

 

[SDC]

Oh, I see. Yeah the green trace does vary more than 0.5. But the differences between the two seem to be less than 0.5. Anyway I guess you could return it for being out of spec if you really want to, but after correction I think you will have good results either way.

the last point is

24493.24

so the mic is in spec... barely

There are cheaper options and earthworks 'infinitely matched' might not suffice ones requirement without ECF.

 

[AnalogSteph]

For grins, this is the 0° cal file for my fairly inexpensive Sonarworks mic. You will notice that it is nowhere near as flat across the band (likely correlating with a change in directivity from omni to cardioid as well), so doing measurements without calibration is pretty much out of the question. Even the worse of your M23Rs is within about 0.8 dB across the entire band.

I think your mics are within spec. All Earthworks are promising is that the responses of any two mics will be within a 1 dB tolerance band at any given frequency, and that frequency response is within 1 dB, 3 Hz - 23 kHz. Worst-case mismatch for your two is about 0.45 dB, and frequency response deviation is about 0.8 dB for the worse one. Without knowing what the average M23R looks like, it's a bit hard to tell how well you did with these.

 

[SDC]

View attachment 251410

I recently bought 2 Earthworks M23R.

They advertize +-0.5 for all their M23Rs and this is the two ecf file I got.

It is +-0.45 but to me more like -0.9...

Bit disappointed as I expected more from the price (it is much more expensive than matched isemcon in S.Korea)

Any other M23R or pair matched mic users willing to share ECF file? I'm curious about the tolerence of these mics


edit: added M50's ECF

I finally got reply from EW through SKorea dealer.


Perhaps explain to the customer that the total deviation of +/- 0.5 would be 1 DB of deviation?


I want to write a sarcastic ending but my head just stops so I'm done with infinite matching BS.