Prepackaged matched stereo pair of mics vs pair of same mic bought individually from one another

[omzzz]

So..this may be a silly question - besides convenience, is there a difference between using a prepackaged matched stereo pair of mics vs two of the same mics bought separately?

I’m looking at purchasing a couple AKG 451b to use for drum overheads, and it seems to be more affordable to buy them separately.

[BertKoor]

Yes. If you buy them separate they will sound different. How much different? Hard to tell, it's literally a lottery. If you intend to use them as a stereo pair, me thinks that's not what you want.

Even things produced in one batch will have minute differences. All within tolerances, but perceivable if you pay attention. With the hand-matching procedure a manufacturer sorts them out and puts items with similar aberrations together, to minimise their differences.

[jordan_io]

In a perfect world, you would not want to buy the mics separately if you intend to use them as a stereo pair. As BertKoor mentioned, they are matched for a reason, even if the reasons might not be noticeable to an untrained ear.

[cryophonik]

I'd put it in this context: if you're a hobbyist working in a home studio, there are probably a dozen things right off the bat that could have a bigger effect on the differences in signals you'll record with two unmatched mics (of the same make/model/age), including your room's acoustics, placement of the mics, your recording chain/preamps settings, the source material, etc. If you're a pro working in a controlled studio environment, then having a pair of matched mics is a real consideration for recording in stereo. But, if you're just recording yourself in your own bedroom or living room, or garage, it probably won't make much, if any, audible difference in the final mix.