Neumann KM 184 Condenser Mic Review / Test

Today I review an industry standard small diaphragm condenser, the Neumann KM184. This is well regarded for acoustic instruments, but I really enjoyed it for spoken word, singing, and acoustic guitar. It offers more of a neutral and smooth sound signature, so if you're looking for a hyper detailed modern sounding mic, this will not offer you that. But if you're looking for a more natural and realistic sound, I think it's a great option to consider.

Buy the Neumann KM184 (Affiliate Link)
Amazon: https://geni.us/km184
Sweetwater: https://imp.i114863.net/km184

Buy the Focusrite 2i2 (3rd Gen)- Same Performance as 18i20 (Affiliate Link)
Amazon: https://geni.us/2i32rd
Sweetwater: https://imp.i114863.net/k6g4d

NOTE (FULL DISCLOSURE): As an associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info check my FAQ page links below.

00:00 - Intro / Price / Disclaimer 
00:20 - Setup
00:41 - What’s in the Box
01:00 - Build Quality / Walkthrough
01:19 - Specifications
01:45 - Polar Pattern Test (Tone / Rotation)
02:04 - Plosive Test
02:28 - Distance Test / Proximity Effect Test
02:51 - A Few Mic Position Tests
03:25 - Background Noise Test 
03:46 - Untreated Room Test
04:19 - Shock Rejection Test
04:37 - Mic Resonance Tap Test
04:52 - Windscreen Tone Test
05:14 - Intro to Comparison
05:37 - Rode M5 Comparison
05:57 - Sennheiser E614 Comparison
06:16 - sE Electronics sE8 Comparison
06:37 - Oktava MK012 Comparison
07:01 - Beyerdynamic MC930 Comparison
07:25 - Neumann KM185 Comparison
07:53 - sE Electronics RN17 Comparison
08:22 - Neumann U87 Ai Comparison
08:48 - Music Test
10:03 - Pros & Cons
11:40 - Overall Thoughts
13:57 - Recommendation
18:08 - Outro

Bandrew Scott

Bandrew Scott is the founder and host of the youtube channel Podcastage, where he posts reviews of audio gear, and shares tips and tricks to improve the audio of your Podcast, YouTube Channel, or Live Stream.

He also founded the Geeks Rising podcast network, which is home to amazing education, wellness, and pop culture podcasts such as Tourette’s Podcast, Sunshine & Powercuts, and On The Subject.

Bandrew also runs his own show titled the Bandrew Says Podcast. On this show he analyzes the latest news to determine how it affects the content creation ecosystem, and shares that to help creates remain aware of how the platform they use is changing.