Wow, these mics sound great! That was my first reaction to the KSM 141. They are not totally without fault, but overall these are really great small diaphragm condenser mics. They have more features and the frequency response is much more smooth and pleasing than the little brothers of this mic, the KSM 109 and KSM 137. This mic will need phantom power from your preamp to work, and it will connect with an XLR cable. The mic is normally a cardioid pickup pattern, but you can actually change it by spinning the top end. If changed, this mic will double as an omni mic. The cardioid setting is very focused, so you can really hone in on a particular source in a room. The omni setting is very useful if you are using a pair of these in stereo as room mics. That is actually my primary use for these mics - they really nail that role. You will also get a nice pad selection. You can switch from 0 attenuation to -15dB and even -25dB to ensure that you aren't going to distort on any of your inputs. There is also a low roll-off filter that is switchable. There is a steep high pass filter, and also a more gentle and gradual low roll-off that starts around 120Hz. This mic is also remarkably quiet in terms of self noise.

OVERALL OPINION

I have had a pair of these for a few years. It is definitely my favorite of the KSM small condenser lines. You might be wondering if it's worth the extra money to get the 141's instead of the 109's or the 137's. I will tell you right now that it is! The sound is definitely better in almost every respect, and you get more features such as the ability to change this tight cardioid mic into an omni mic. When you consider that, this mic becomes a great value. I definitely recommend this mic.