The IM 164L is so small that it would be difficult to see if it weren't for its full-body windscreen.
GONE ARE THE DAYS when small instrument microphones were either costly or of poor quality. Now, miniature microphones designed for live performance, such as the Countryman Isomax 2 and the Crown GLM-100, sport specs rivaling all but the best studio mics. Carl Martin's IM 164L Micro-Mic has joined their ranks, but does it deserve to be mentioned in such distinguished company? That's a simple question with a complicated answer.
Danish company Carl Martin has made quite a name for itself producing high-end effects pedals. The IM 164L, a miniature condenser microphone, is Carl Martin's first foray into mic manufacturing, and the company is clearly aiming to produce a product that stands out from the others in its class. Has it succeeded?
PETITE PACKAGE
The IM 164L is so small that it would be difficult to see if it weren't for its full-body windscreen. The tiny capsule is attached to an ingenious clipping mechanism with heat-shrink rubber tubing. The clip is really just a piece of copper wire wrapped around two rubber circles, but it is simple and flexible enough to adapt to a variety of applications — from the end of a boom stand to the side of a table.
This is a refreshing contrast to the alligator clips on the Countryman and Crown mics, which are too small for anything except lapels and can scratch an instrument's finish. Just how long the IM 164L's clip will last is difficult to say; one of the circles came off the first time I set the mic up. Although the circle fit back easily enough, it's hard to tell how long it will stay put.
WHAT'S UP, DOC?
Small microphones typically have a slight spike in their high-frequency response — for example, the GLM-100 has a 3 dB boost at about 9 to 12 kHz — whereas the IM 164L provides a slight rolloff at the upper end of its frequency range. Except for that deviation, the IM 164L's frequency response is essentially flat.
The IM 164L also has good dynamic response, making it especially suitable for percussion and other instruments with sharp attacks. The accompanying literature claims that this comes from the titian-foil pickups, which upgrade the dynamic linearity to create “a more natural sustain of low and high frequencies, subtones, and overtones.”
Unfortunately, that's about all the literature says, except for supplying graphs and pictures of several close-miked instruments. That gives the misleading impression that all you have to do is clip the microphone to your instrument to solve your amplification problems.
The documentation doesn't mention that the IM 164L is omnidirectional — making it vulnerable to stage monitor feedback and bleed — nor does it indicate that because the mic has such great bass response, it's likely to overamplify the bass frequencies when used for close miking. (The manufacturer plans to post additional information on its Web site.)
BIG BOTTOM
I tested the IM 164L on acoustic guitars, folk harps, pianos, and percussion, and I got too much bass in every application. That doesn't mean the sound was muddy or indistinct — the high frequencies were definitely there. For example, high single notes played on acoustic guitar sounded great, but as soon as I played full strums, there was an unnatural swell in the volume.
Strictly speaking, that's not the microphone's fault. Close miking always overboosts the low frequencies — a result known as the proximity effect — and the microphone simply amplifies the existing sound. But tiny microphones are supposed to make it easy to do close miking in live applications. So why would anyone design a small microphone that has a bass response too good for close miking?
A case could be made that because the IM 164L gives such good overall sound, it provides more flexibility than a mic equalized for specific types of instruments. Every cook knows you can't make a satisfying meal without quality ingredients; similarly, you can't get a good live sound without microphones that deliver the full range of frequencies. This microphone won't necessarily hand you good sound on a silver platter, but it gives you the potential to get good sound when used on nearly any source. (The IM 164L can also be used on brass and reed instruments, but I didn't have an opportunity to test it on those sources.)
BACK OFF
The more I worked with the IM 164Ls, the better the results were. The first thing I did was to move the mics away from the instruments. I felt pretty silly clipping the diminutive mics onto boom stands, but the resulting sound was quite good. Another way I dealt with the bass response was to close mic, but as far away from the bass sound of the instrument as possible. For example, I received good results when I miked a piano's high strings, supplementing it with another mic on the floor for the bass strings.
I achieved good results when I clipped the mic near my acoustic guitar's pick guard, just a few inches from where I was strumming, though I still had to cut some low frequencies (around 200 to 250 Hz) to get a balanced sound. In contrast, placing the mic inside the guitar's sound hole produced unpleasant rumbling sounds.
What doesn't work in one application can work well in another, and the IM 164L is well-suited to bringing out the limited low frequencies of higher-pitch instruments. For instance, clipping the mic on the top of a cymbal generated good results. The mic captured the underlying bass shimmer of the cymbal's sustain and the high percussive attack, with a good balance between the two. Speaking of cymbals, the mics worked well as drum overheads when they were placed about a foot above the set on boom stands.
SMALL CONCERNS
The Carl Martin IM 164L microphone works best in the hands of a skilled live-sound (or recording) engineer. You shouldn't purchase one and expect it to sound great on all sources right out of the box. The mic can deliver the full range of frequencies, and, if used carefully and intelligently, can sound good on a variety of instruments. However, positioning is the key to its use.
That said, if you're willing to experiment by using your ears — and perhaps a good equalizer — the IM 164L will reward you with a nice, clean, and clear sound. At $199, that's a great deal.
