Dear Professor Boyk,

I have tried to follow your suggestions for recording and playback equipment to assist my practice of the piano using the techniques in your book. I wonder if you could suggest an update concerning the mike, as the Beyer M260 ribbon mike ($400 street) has been discontinued. Alternatives are the two-ribbon Beyer M130 (figure-8; $650 or so street) or the one-ribbon Royer 121 (figure-8; $995 list), or the one-ribbon Coles 4038 (figure-8; $1200 street). In your opinion, is there a significant step-up in quality from, say, a good-quality condenser mic like the AKG B4000C ($460 street) and the Beyer M130? Or do you have other alternatives to suggest?

Regards,

Peter Moll

-- Peter G. Moll (pmoll@worldbank.org), September 09, 2002