Superlux D112C
Hi Greg, I am looking at dipping a toe into the world of amplified harp and after looking at David's Mic Reviews I am thinking of starting with a Superlux D112-C. Obviously not a professional mic, but does get a reasonable review for beginner mic. And a great price.
When looking online, most adds I see are for a D112, occasionally seeing them labelled D112-C. I cannot find any information to differentiate between the two.
Are these in fact the same microphone or are they two different models?
I purchased the Superlux mic a few months ago and so far, it is serving its purpose which is to give me experience playing with a mic and amp. I don't know that I will ever play on stage, but if I do, If money is tight, I would not hesitate to use the Superlux mic, even on stage. If I ever start to make any real money playing music, then I will upgrade my mic and amp.
Here is my non-profissional opinion of the mic.
Sound is good, maybe not the best and certainly not a vocal mic.
I wish the grill was flat instead of dome shaped as my harmonica hits the grill sometimes with my small hands.
The volume control has a detent at the halfway point which I like, however, no other positions have detents allowing the volume to change if my hand rubs against the knob.
Mic cord is fixed to the mic. I wish it was detachable to make it easier to pack.
The mic is heavy (good or bad I don't know)
Due to my small hands the mic’s diameter is a little large for me.
The finger groves are not that deep, and the mic does not fit very deep into my hands, so I don’t think the finger groves are that important.
Overall I’m not disappointed in the Superlux mic. I think it is a great mic to learn on.
Hi, brshoemaker
The most important thing is that you're happy. What other mics have you played that you're comparing it to?
Cheers
Sound advice Greg (sorry) Harmonica is a hobby of mine and I try to make the most of it with the best equipmrnt that I can afford. I have one of your Bullitini Mics and love it.
Hi Greg, Thanks for the great advice. At the moment I'm just looking to get a feel for playing amplified and playing through a mic, never done this before but looking forward to the experience.
I'm not looking to jam or play on stage any time soon so will probably look at entry level equipment for now, just to have a bit of fun. I'll possibly look at upgading down the track if my needs change and may well find a smaller mic would be more suited for me. But for now...
Cheers Glenn
brshoemaker,Thanks for sharing you experience with the Superlux mic, it's great to hear from someone who has started off with this mic. I'm just looking to get a bit familiar with amplified paying at the moment so think I will also give the Superlux a crack.
Hi, Glenn
I'm afraid I don't know any difference between the D-112 and D-112C. I do think it is a decent mic for the money. I like the ridges that should make it a little easier to hold than say, a Shure 520DX. If money is tight - go for it. But if you see yourself going to jams and playing out and really improving your craft - you might consider spending more on a top quality mic right from the start.
In the "My two cents" department: Having gone through this myself- I know I wasted a lot of money on gear when I was starting out and wished I had gotten more advice. The single most important reason I feel the money was wasted, in retrospect, was that I managed to convince myself that my lack of amplified tone was precisely because I had bought cheap gear. TODAY I know I could have gotten better results from it - but blaming the gear was easy (and not without some foundation) - so I was insufficiently motivated to learn what it was REALLY about - my own technique.
Good gear not only made me sound better immediately, but because I knew pros whose tone I admired were using the same amps and mic elements, really helped me to sound better immediately AND motivated me to learn what the differences in technique were. Cheap gear can work against you. Developing good mic technique is a long journey - but the right gear can really help you sound better from the start. My Bulletini mics, for example, are considerably smaller and therefore easier to hold and learn to cup - AND they naturally roll off high frequency response and increase bass which will give you a more pleasing tone. A larger mic with a good vintage single impedance CM or CR can provide some of those same benefits - the elements are simply less harsh than modern elements like the one in the Superlux.