beyerdynamic MC 930 Stereo Set (2023)

I had a problem with XLR cable not fitting properly and crackling noise from the first pair, but the replacements have caused no issues so far.

The build quality is excellent and I can't imagine how you'd break them. The included shockmount system is excellent, really compact compared to a normal shockmount but still very effective. I would recommend getting a stereo bar as they work well in XY and ORTF configurations.

Soundwise, the mids are very full. It can be a bit overwhelming sometimes depending on your room and the instrument being recorded. They don't seem to suffer from proximity effect as much as other SDC's I've tried which is great for picking up a full kit sound with just overheads. I've found them to work best on stringed instruments as opposed to percussion, but I tend to prefer LDC's on drums for my taste.

Overall, great mic's which definitely have they're own unique voicing. I'd recommend trying out the competitors in this price range and deciding what you like best.

Beautifully made, the MC-950 feels solid and has switchable LFA and a pad which puts it in the territory for location recording to reduce handling and wind noise.
It sounds accurate and slightly warmer than the Sennheiser 8050 and seems less sensitive to handling noise, even with the LFA set to flat..
However, it does suffer from a high degree of self noise, more so than a microphone of this pedigree should. In a normal domestic room, this noise is very noticeable at voice levels.
Its possibly not an issue in an environment with high SPLs but would be with quieter solo instruments.
This is the second one I have tried. The first had such high self noise, I could barely hear a signal while speaking normally and there was no room atmosphere, just hiss.
I'm surprised that a professional microphone from a such an established and well-regarded company should fall short of the mark. A shame since, on paper it looks perfect.