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TOP ENGINEERS’ PREFERENCES AND PRACTICES: LARGE-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICS SMALL-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICS • DYNAMIC MICS • RIBBON MICS
ADVERTORIAL
TELEFUNKEN ELA M 260 MICROPHONE elefunken Elektroakustik is pleased to offer our version of the ELA M 260, our first small-diaphragm, tube condenser model. While the microphone bears the “ELA M” designation, it is part of Telefunken Elektroakustik’s “R-F-T” series as it is not a historically accurate reproduction of the original Telefunken GmbH ELA M 260, which employed a different tube and output transformer. The current “R-F-T” ELA M 260 system affords unparalleled versatility, astounding audio quality, all for an affordable price consistent with all R-F-T Series product offerings, and was the 2008 TEC Award® winner for Microphone Technology. The ELA M 260, features a NOS (New Old Stock) Telefunken EF-732 vacuum tube, and custom-designed output transformer. In application, the ELA M 260 has been found to be an excellent-sounding transducer, which many engineers and producers have enjoyed in widespread application over many varying genres of music. The Telefunken Elektroakustik ELA M 260 system is supplied with a set of three interchangeable capsules (the 260 cardioid, 261 omni, and 262 hyper-cardioid), as well as a custom adaptor designed by our friend and fellow audio enthusiast, Chip Machokas, that permits the use of any of the AKG “CK” series of capsules, as well as capsules made
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by other manufacturers with the same thread and has an available adapter that will accept Neumann/Gefell bayonet-style capsules. As with all small capsule mics, the ELA M 260 excels for the recording of acoustic instruments of all types. Acoustic guitars, drum overheads, percussion and strings are typical signal sources that sound excellent through the ELA M 260. Even more impressive than our TEC Award are some of the testimonials we have received from actual users. Bil VornDick (Allison Kraus, Bela Fleck, Bob Dylan) gave us a shout after trying them: “The 260s have a nice smooth texture, so if you are working with an instrument that is a little harsh or too bright, it gently smoothes it out.” Bil then added, “If you’re not careful when recording a mandolin, you get undesirable overtones between the bridge and the tailpiece that have nothing to do with the tempered scale. I put the 260 about six inches away and got a perfect sound. I’m looking forward to using these mics on a hammered dulcimer, which, in my opinion, is the hardest
instrument to record. “Next up, I was recording Charlie Haden’s standup bass in a room with Jerry Douglas, Brian Sutton, Bela Fleck, Pat Metheny and Bruce Hornsby, I switched to the hyper-cardioid capsule and put the mic near the top side of his bass because I wanted to target his sound and minimize leakage from the piano and other instruments in the room. An engineer’s hardest battle is making the musicians feel on playback that the instrument sounds like it did when they were playing. Charlie listened back and wanted to take the microphone home with him, so I scored a home run with him.” The Telefunken Elektroakustik ELA M 260 comes complete with microphone, cardioid, hyper-cardioid and omni capsules, power supply, Gotham Audio cable, wooden mic box, and when registered, a one-year warranty on the capsules and tube and a 4-year amplifier and power supply warranty. All you need to supply is the talent!
LEARN MORE ABOUT TELEFUNKEN AT WWW.TELEFUNKEN.COM
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OCTOBER 2009 Each link of the recording chain is critical, but without the first link, the microphone, the rest of the chain is rendered dysfunctional. Microphone selection is as important as skill in their use. Gear Guide: Recording Microphones surveyed leading engineers on their microphone preferences and application practices.
Condenser microphones are noted for their sensitivity, clarity, and often when their onboard amplification stage utilizes a tube, their warmth. The two general classes of condenser microphones are based on the size of the diaphragm. LARGE-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICROPHONES . . . . . . . . . 5 SMALL-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICROPHONES . . . . . . . . . 11
GEA R GUIDE MICROPHONES For Live Performance PUBLISHER JOHN PLEDGER
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ART & PRODUCTION NICOLE COBBAN SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Dynamic microphones, the common parlance for moving coil mic designs, are the rugged workhorses of the transducer world, basics of any microphone collection. While they typically exhibit less sensitivity and less transparent transient response than their condenser kin, those very traits can be part of their allure, imparting a characteristic sound often equated with the “standard” recorded sound of instruments like the snare drum.
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DYNAMIC MICROPHONES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 COPYRIGHT ©2009 NEWBAY MEDIA
Transducers in the second class of dynamic microphones, ribbon mics, are by contrast very sensitive. Ribbon microphone designs are attributed with a natural sound and modern ribbon mic designs, unlike their early predecessors, are robust enough to be favored for
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Gear Guide is published by NewBay Media L.L.C. All product information is subject to change; publisher assumes no responsibility for such change. All listed model numbers and product names are manufacturers’ registered trademark. The publisher does not take responsibility for any of the products advertised within. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
applications like guitar amp miking. RIBBON MICROPHONES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
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Recording Microphones:
ENGINEERS
BY CHRISTOPHER WALSH
LARGE-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICROPHONES art of an engineer’s job, says Robert Carranza (Jack Johnson, Ozomatli), is microphone shootouts. “That’s based on trying to get away from routines,” he explains. “But if you compare certain microphones, you end up saying, ‘Well, this one still sounds good!’ I have a few that are staples: the Telefunken U-47 and the
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Eshy Gazit, house producer/engineer at New York’s Cutting Room Studios, sets up an AEA R84 ribbon and Shure SM57 dynamic mic on the front, and a Sennheiser MD 421 on the back, of a guitar amplifier.
Telefunken ELA M 251. I can’t get away from them. “The 251, to me, is a little more aggressive sounding than the U-47,” Carranza observes. “Throw it up, and it sounds great on everything. Put the 251 on an acoustic guitar and forget it: It gets the classic acoustic sound. I’ve actually been using it a lot for overheads—not too close, far
enough where you get the overall picture of the drums—and vocals, too. It’s a great vocal mic.” Carranza places the 251 about a foot above the drummer’s head, facing the kit at a 45-degree angle. “So much sound happens right there, most of the time. It varies; sometimes there, but always a foot or two over the guy’s head and at 45 or straight
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ADVERTORIAL
AUDIO-TECHNICA INTRODUCES 2 REVOLUTIONARY RIBBON MICS output transformer, providing natural low-frequency response and extended dynamic range. The AT4080 and AT4081 are enclosed in rugged housings and feature stabilized internal components. An ultra-fine “pop-stopper” inner mesh helps protect the ribbon elements in both models against damage from wind and plosives. Both microphones benefit from Audio-Technica’s meticulous attention to detail. Each is handcrafted—including ribbon corrugation, imprint and assembly—and individually inspected for 100 percent quality assurance.
sing proprietary revolutionary technology, Audio-Technica has introduced its first-ever ribbon microphones. With these handcrafted microphones, AudioTechnica delivers the coveted sound of a classic ribbon microphone while solving the problems of fragility and low output that have historically plagued ribbon mics and limited their use. With 18 patents pending, Audio-Technica’s innovative ribbon transducer advances the evolution of ribbon microphone technology, combining remarkable durability and high SPL capability with smooth, rich audio quality. A significant breakthrough in ribbon cartridge design, Audio-Technica’s innovative MicroLinear™ ribbon imprint minimizes ribbon distortion for durable performance and accurate reproduction of the sound source.
U
AT4080 AND AT4081 BIDIRECTIONAL ACTIVE RIBBON MICROPHONES The AT4080 and AT4081 are side-address active ribbon microphones with bidirectional polar patterns, which make them equally sensitive to sounds originating in front and back of the mic. The AT4080, whose footprint resembles that of a classic Audio-Technica large-diaphragm condenser, is recommended for vocals, horns, strings, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, orchestras, ensembles and guitar cabinets. The AT4081, with an appearance more like that of a pencil condenser, is optimized for strings, saxophones and other horns, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, orchestras, ensembles and guitar cabinets; its low-profile stick design maximizes placement options. Both mics excel in recording studios as well as in live-sound settings. While the application of phantom power was prohibited for old-school ribbon
FEATURES
microphones, Audio-Technica’s ribbon microphones require 48V phantom power for operation. The phantom power is used—not for each microphone’s dynamic ribbon transducer—but for its active electronics, which bring its output to near condenser microphone level. This higher output and stable impedance offer maximum compatibility with microphone preamplifiers. Extremely powerful N50 rare-earth neodymium magnets provide high output levels, and the mics’ innovative dual-ribbon construction offers increased sensitivity and SPL handling capability. Audio-Technica’s MicroLinear ribbon imprint minimizes lateral flexing for durable performance and accurate reproduction of the sound source, as well as freedom from distortion. Both microphones feature extended frequency response for natural audio reproduction, and the AT4080 uses an acoustic baffle system and an extra-large
■ Smooth, warm and natural sound with precise, articulate detail ■ Groundbreaking Audio-Technica ribbon design with 18 patents pending ■ Proprietary MicroLinear ribbon imprint for superior durability and freedom from lateral flexing and distortion ■ Innovative dual-ribbon construction for increased sensitivity ■ Extremely powerful N50 rare-earth neodymium magnets for high output level ■ Ultra-fine mesh helps protect against ribbon damage from wind and plosives ■ Classic bidirectional (figure-of-eight) polar pattern picks up sounds equally from the front and back of the element ■ High-SPL capability for exceptionally versatile performance ■ Extended frequency response for natural audio reproduction ■ Handmade production, including ribbon corrugation, imprint and assembly ■ Phantom-powered active electronics provide stable impedance and higher output for maximum compatibility with microphone preamplifiers
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUDIO-TECHNICA RIBBON MICROPHONES AT AUDIO-TECHNICA.COM 6
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on-axis, depending on how hard the guy hits the drums. You throw a U-47 in front, about six feet away from the kit, midway between the toms and kick. That’s another go-to, where it’s just, ‘That’s the sound.’” Carranza uses his U-47 almost exclusively for vocals. “I’ll use it on drums every once in a while as a mono overhead,” he allows, “and as a faraway room mic. There’s just something that happens with the U-47 that’s way below—octaves below—what I hear with the 251,” he continues. “It’s almost like natural EQ. A lot of people use the U-47 for acoustic guitar. You’ve got to be careful with them, though—there’s a body buildup that happens, so mic placement is probably the most important thing with the U-47.” Chris Dugan (Green Day, Iggy Pop) is also a fan of the U-47 and ELA M 251. Like Carranza, the Telefunkens fared well in a shootout, this one to select microphones for Green Day’s 21st Century Neumann Breakdown. The U-47 U 47 was chosen as Billie Joe Armstrong’s vocal mic; the 251 was the go-to choice for drum overhead. “There’s always one mic that’s right for the application,” Dugan observes. The U-47, he adds, “was absolutely perfect for [21st Century Breakdown]. I’ll go on record and say it was the perfect mic for Billie to sing into. We did a shootout, and Billie specifically came in and said, ‘What’s that one? That’s the one I like.’ To be honest, I had just heard all these awesome mics, and I was saying, ‘These are all great.’ But there was something really good about that U-47 with his voice. It was nice and thick, and it wasn’t too hyped. He
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Shure SM57
has an interesting voice, and it was the perfect handshake.” Dugan used the U-47 as a mono drum mic on another Green Day project, as well. “It’s one of those mics that has this nice big, warm and somewhat flat response. It’s one that I would stick in front of a drum kit, immediately. The way we tracked [21st Century Breakdown], we pretty much had everything set up at once, and I only had one [U-47], so it remained in the vocal booth. I’ve used other mics, but when we’re just tracking drums or something, that’s definitely a mic I would put in front of the kit, about five feet back, kind of pointed at the kick drum. It captures that really nice, warm sound.” A conversation with any professional engineer about microphones will inevitably be peppered with references to some of recording history’s most famous models, such as the Neumann U 47, U 67 and U 87. “Give me a decent tube U 47, and I’m generally very happy,” says Eric Liljestrand (Lucinda Williams, Corinne Bailey Rae). The classics—U 47s— are always a great choice,” agrees Ed Cherney (Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt). “I think the U 67 is the most underappreciated microphone
ever made. Put the fader up and it’s clear, [it] captures air. If it’s clear, I feel like I can do anything with it. A lot of times, with acoustic instruments, you don’t want any artifacts. You really want to capture the instrument.” “For vocals, it’s either a U 47 a U 67, depending on the voice,” says Michael Frondelli (Crowded House, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy). “For piano, I like the M 149. For room, the M 50—or, if it’s a rock ‘n’ roll drum kit, the Shure VP88. For strings, I’ll use U 67s, if I can get them. For a big band, again, U 67s, U 47 on the upright bass, U 47 on the baritone sax. I can use condensers on brass as well: I’ll use U 67s if I have them.” “I am a huge fan of the Neumann U 47 for vocals,” says Eshy Gazit, house producer/engineer at New York’s Cutting Room Studios. “The Neumann SM 69 is a great stereo mic. The U 47 FET is the best bass, kick-out and double-bass mic ever; and the U 67 is very ‘vibey’; I use it with care, though.” For guitar amps, says Frondelli, “it’s a question of color. I find that a U 67 gives me the flattest response. I’ve used 67s and 87s in conjunction with [Sennheiser MD] 421s and [Shure SM] 57s on the same amp.” Tucker Bodine, owner and operator of Playback Recording Studio in Santa Barbara, CA, is a fan of Neumann’s U 87 Ai, which he uses for vocals, guitars and as a room mic. “The one I have is not from the old school; it’s the U 87 Ai, but it’s right on the money. It’s a great all-around mic. It can handle anything you throw at it.” By virtue of its dynamic microphones, Shure is perhaps the best-known brand in the world. But the manufacturer’s KSM series of condenser microphones launched a new era, as recording engineers took to them in a very big way.
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“I’m using the Shure KSM 27 for instruments, overheads and stuff like that, says Nashville-based Randy Poole (Take 6, Hezekiah Walker). “It’s probably my favorite for overheads, because it has a little bit of that smiley-face EQ curve. Some people use it on vocals. If I have to mike a choir and I want it to be more of a medium room mic, not right up there one or two feet away, the smiley face helps it not sound thin or distant. It’s a great choir mic, from that standpoint.” “I’ve been using the KSM 32 on toms a lot,” confides Nashville-based Bil VornDick (Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas). Sometimes I would use it on bottoms, before, but I’ve flipped that to the top and the 421 on the bottom. The initial attack is a little more present, getting better overtones on the whole top than I was before.” “In terms of newer microphones,” says Carranza, “I’ve become a big fan of the Audio-Technica [AT]4050. I have a couple of them. I like them a lot on guitars, because they can handle a lot of SPL. A lot of microphones have some weird honks sometimes, usually around 1k, when they get a little too close to something. They have resonance
from the capsule; it just vibrates Audio-Technica a little more. With the 4050, I AT4050 seem to be able to get it close and it’s warm. “A friend of mine who does sound for the Rolling Stones was using them for guitars,” Carranza adds. “Later, I was at the studio doing guitars, they had a couple pairs there, and said, ‘Let me throw those on.’ I was really surprised. With [the 4050], that was all I needed. It had the warmth and the realness I was looking for, and the clarity and details of the amp. You can get real close if you want that sound. If you pull it back, it gets even better. The pickup patterns are different, and if you put one of those in bidirectional in front of a bass amp, it sounds great too.” “I have a pair of AudioTechnica [AT]4033s,” says Frondelli. “I use them in stereo. I’ve used them for vocal, I use them on guitar, percussion. It’s phone where you push up the fader and it’s interesting—depending on the kind of perthere. I’ve been using the ATM25 on toms, cussion you’re recording, thin confor the most part.” densers like a 4033 might work. It’s AKG, it goes without saying, is another bright enough, it’s got a small tube in oft-mentioned and revered brand of conit that makes it sound warm. For perdenser (and dynamic) microphone. “I’ve cussion, generally I’m using a widealways liked AKG C12s for overheads,” says diaphragm condenser if I have a Cherney. “That’s just a wonderful microroom [in which] I don’t have to use a tight pattern to keep isolation. But if phone. I’ll go to 414s on toms—that’s you’re recording timpani, or a real another go-to for jazz sessions and stuff low-end drum, I’m happy using it, that’s a little more sensitive.” depending. If it’s a single recorded “I am a huge fan of the C12 for vocals, drum as an overdub, I’ll use a wideor the stereo version, the C24—an amazing diaphragm condenser, but in an room mic,” says Gazit. “A few others that I orchestral situation, you can use a love: AKG 451 [small diaphragm condenser] [Sennheiser dynamic MD] 421 five to or 414—very good definition mics for six feet above the timpani and it will strings and acoustic guitars. I love it espework. The low end needs time to cially as stereo XY.” develop.” “I really go for the C12 A on the toms,” “Audio-Technica made the adds Dugan, “and 414s on the bottom. Real ATM23 HE—I’m not sure they make C12s for piano, with a [Neumann] M 50 at the bottom, at the base of the piano.” CAD Audio E60 cardioid condenser placed under it anymore,” says Cherney. “I’ve been using it on snare drums. For “I also love AKG C12-A mics,” says a tom. rock snare, it’s the kind of microLiljestrand. “Not the C12, which somehow I
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don’t have good luck with, but the 414-looking tube mic. I find them incredible on toms (only if you trust your drummer) and overheads, as well as other acoustic instruments. I have some very old AKG 451-E mics (once part of the RCA Studios collection), which are a great contrast to my Schoeps if I have multiples of the same instrument.” “I love C451s on the overheads and hi-hat—all the cymbals,” confides Frondelli, who has recorded many performances for high-definition television broadcast in recent years. “When I recorded Norah Jones for the Gram Parsons tribute [Return to Sin City], we taped an AKG C414 and a [Neumann] KM 184 with a special break mount across the piano—that’s with the lid closed—so I could get an angle down and keep the body of the microphone parallel to the soundboard. I used them both together, and it was quite an interesting combination—low and high end.” The aforementioned manufacturers are perennial favorites, many decades after their founding. But as any observer knows, competition is fierce, from inexpensive mics mass-produced in China, for example, as well as high-end, boutique models built in smaller quantities. “My favorite largediaphragm condenser that I own is the Soundelux ELUX 251,” says Lynn Fuston of Franklin, Tennessee-based 3D Audio regarding the latter category. “It offers a very flattering interpretation on most voices. I just made a record for an older gentleman, and it captured the resonance of his baritone voice and made him sound like Bing Crosby, showing off a warmth and depth that other mics missed. At almost $5,000, it’s not for everyone, but it’s worth every cent. “On the more affordable side,” Fuston adds, “my two new favorites are the Advanced Audio CM-47 and Mojave [Audio] MA-200. The CM-47 works on everything.
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I’ve used it on French horn, percussion, tympani, voice—I haven’t found anything it doesn’t sound good on. It’s warm but not unnaturally so. The MA-200 is a little more selective. It offers an enhanced top and bottom and, for some singers, that is great. On lead and background vocals I use it quite a bit.” “I’ve been using the Mojave MA-200 as well,” says Liljestrand, “which makes a fabulous drum and percussion mic and—the real payoff—about four feet in front of an electric guitar cabinet, combined with either a Sennheiser 409 or 609, or a Royer ribbon close to the grille. This mic has saved me from having to find working U 67s for the guitars, and at the price AKG point it is very attractive C414 indeed.” Los Angeles-based Joe Barresi (Matisyahu, Queens of the Stone Age) is a fan of the Mojave MA-201 FET, as well as “anything by Violet [Design]. All their stuff is killer. The Globe is standard, and the Amethyst as well on anything: overheads, acoustic guitars, even electric guitar with a pad in front of it. Kick drum outside, drum kit mono rooms, bass guitar— pretty much anything.” “A buddy of mine is a producer that does a lot of vocals, more than anything,” Poole shares. “He uses a Korby Convertible. You can pop the capsule off and put different ones in. “The new mic I’m loving that doesn’t cost a lot is the Equation F.20,” Poole adds. “That is a good one. It’s like an [AKG] 414; not quite so much proximity effect, but it doesn’t have that midrange bark, I would call it, that a 414 has sometimes. That’s really one of my favorite go-to mics for
vocals mainly, but piano, overheads, bass cabinet, and I’m using it on the top of my B3 right now. “The only thing I don’t like it for is those places where you go, ‘I need to close-mic a drum, I like a lot of proximity effect,’ so your drum sounds bigger than it really is. But for everything else, especially if I have a strident female vocal or something, I know that I’m getting a nice, pure tone and no accentuated weirdness or anything like that. “For vocals,” he continues, “I also use the MXL V69. That’s still a great mic. I’ve compared it to many expensive mics, and it still works pretty well, especially with a new tube in it. It’s, like, 300 bucks!” Liljestrand also employs a number of boutique models: “David Bock is making some great large-diaphragm mics again. I was using a [Bock Audio] 195 recently and really enjoyed it. I own a Brauner Valvet, which I like but doesn’t work on everyone’s voice. Some singers just completely crap it out, even if I back way off. Corinne Bailey Rae, yes; Jane Carrey, no; Lucinda Williams, sometimes; Susannah Hoffs, yes; Robert Hunter, no no no! It sounded like he broke it! I’m working with an English baritone right now, and the thing loves him. This is a great instrumental mic, too, though—it shines on stringed instruments and woodwinds.” “A lot of times, woodwinds like a condenser, like a Sony C37 or something like that,” Cherney adds. “I love the C37,” Barresi agrees. “I am a huge fan of the Sony C800,” Gazit adds, “especially when it comes to female singers. The C800 has a strong mid and it cuts through very nicely when used on the right vocalist. I used this on Lisa Loeb’s LimeWire Store EP [Live at Lime with Lisa Loeb], and Ida Maria. “Another great mic that I would use,” he adds, “is the Manley Reference, especially if I don’t know the vocalist. The Manley is an excellent condenser,
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very natural-sounding. Its big advantage (and sometimes disadvantage) is that it doesn’t color the sound too much. I used it on Chrisette Michele’s last album, the Roots and Phoenix.”
SMALL-DIAPHRAGM CONDENSER MICROPHONES As with large-diaphragm condensers, competition has really heated up in the smalldiaphragm category. Higher frequencies— cymbals, acoustic guitars, for example—are captured by a wide variety of both trusted and upstart models. In this survey, many respondents note the startlingly high quality of many new models, often comparing them favorably with the most trusted mics from the most revered manufacturers. Says Frondelli, “In making choices for microphones, my concerns are one, the (Above) Equation VS-10 supercardioid dynamic in a vocal position. (Left) A Shure SM57 cardioid dynamic paired with a CAD Trion 7000 dual element ribbon mic on a guitar amp.
instrument and how it’s played; two, the room that it’s in, whether it’s an overdub or an ensemble; and three, how much isolation I need. I’ll always go with a wider pattern if I don’t need isolation. I’ll use a tighter mic with good front-to-back rejection in an ensemble situation if I don’t want to use the spill.” That said, Frondelli likes the Neumann KM 84 on acoustic guitars. “I like the new KM
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184—I use it in X-Y. I also like U 47s and U 67s on acoustic guitars, depending on if I’m doing a live vocal with it. For a tight acoustic guitar, a picked piece or something, it depends on what’s around it. If I’m recording it live, how tight a pattern do I need to get isolation? For a big dreadnaught guitar that you want to jangle,” he adds, “you want a wider diaphragm. With a really big Martin or
jumbo Gibson, you want to get it to thrash a bit more, so I use a U 67 or U 47.” “I’ve been using KM 184s a lot for overheads and for acoustics,” says Bodine. “It’s just got a super-flat response; it basically gives me exactly what I’m hearing in the room, which I like. It’s my go-to for anything that has high-frequency response, like cymbals.” “My all-time favorite acoustic guitar mic is a Neumann KM 140,” says Barresi. “It’s crystalclear and a very natural, beautiful-sounding microphone. The fact that it’s got a pad on it is amazing, as opposed to the 184, which has no pad. It’s got switchable capsules as well. It’s just a great mic; I love it. Although Mojave is working on a small-diaphragm condenser— we just did some beta testing on it—that sounded unbelievable, on snare drum, too. It can handle the power.” A great stereo pair, says Gazit, “is the Neumann KM 84s—I love them on piano. I was recently working with a new artist— Misty Boyce, we’re producing her debut album—and I recorded pianos using the
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KM 84s as close mics and the C24 as room, which sounds so warm that you will need to lower the temperature on your AC!” “I still love my favorite mic of all time, the Neumann 582, which is a tube,” Poole shares. “I use it on acoustic guitars, strings, piano, all that good stuff.” Poole also favors the Schoeps CMC 64 for acoustic guitars. “Something inexpensive: CAD makes the [equitek] e70. That’s a really good mic for acoustic guitars and wherever you’d put a small-diaphragm condenser.” “I like Shure SM81s for hi-hats and such,” Liljestrand notes. “They have a very pronounced midrange (in the 1-2 kHz octave), which I feel gives me the sound of the tip hitting the cymbal without too much 4-6 kHz ear fatigue.” VornDick provides a working example of the widening array of high-quality small-condensers. “There is a new mic called KEL [Audio], out of Canada,” he confides. “This guy is making mics for acoustic instruments, and he’s got some smaller diaphragms called the HM-1 and HM-2D. They’re really good on dobros and mandolins. I was very impressed. I used the two on a lap dulcimer—you know how whiny those things can get. I would typically use a KM 84 or 64, or something like that. But this thing really made that lap dulcimer sing. I don’t record lap dulcimer a whole lot, but on this occasion, I just couldn’t find a mic, grabbed that and put in on there. It was just transparent, and more focused. The more I’m using those microphones, I’m finding how flat they are, not hyped.
“I was in Ocean Way [Nashville, Studio] A doing drums,” he adds, “and replaced two 87s with the KEL HM-7U, and the room just became transparent. I was with a bunch of people, and they went, ‘Whoa, what are those?’ And these things are under $400. “This is going to be a shocker,” VornDick continues. “Someone told me about the Sterling [Audio] ST33. I’ve been using it on snare. Instead of using a [Shure SM] 57 and a 451 or 452 combined, I can put that Sterling there and get the side stick if I need it, for those kind of songs, without having to turn on the 451. But I get a fatness, too, on a 57.” A self-described “KM 84 nut” for acoustic instruments, VornDick recently discovered the new Miktek Audio line. “The main thing is, you can’t get KM 84s anymore,” he explains. “I heard an 84 A/B’d with [Miktek’s] small-condenser, a little bit bigger than a KM 84. We were miking an acoustic guitar, and I didn’t get the proximity effect off of the Miktek that I was from the KM 84. For people looking for KM 84s, this would be an extremely good choice.” Finally, VornDick also likes the Telefunken ELA M 260: “That’s one of my new secret toys. I use it a lot on upright bass and acoustic instruments.” “My hands-down favorite [small-condenser] is my Schoeps stereo set,” Liljestrand says. “Both the MK-2 omni capsules and the CMC6 U bodies are matched. The MK-2 capsules are the
DPA 4041
medium high-end rise model (they make a flat capsule and one with a more pronounced rise for distant placements like concert halls and so on), and they are the most transparent mic I have heard. I’ve used them on just about everything, and they always satisfy. Even the sound of someone entering the room and sitting down sounds like Foley—amazingly present and detailed. I’ll be adding figure-eight and cardioid capsules soon. “I am a big fan of DPA omnis, too,” Liljestrand adds, “particularly the high-voltage models.” “Violet Design’s The Finger mic sounds really good on acoustic instruments,” VornDick offers. “The design is a little different. It was at a session for a short while, and I floated it around, used it on a wood flute and bouzouki. I was very impressed, and so were the musicians.”
DYNAMIC MICROPHONES
Tekefunken ELA M 251AC System
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From the smallest coffeehouse to the largest stadium, Shure dynamic mics will be found in livemusic venues the world over. In particular, the SM58 and SM57 have long been standard for vocals, guitar amps and snare drums. So successful is the SM58, in fact, that it has
OCTOBER 2009
ADVERTORIAL
TELEFUNKEN M80 MICROPHONE elefunken Elektroakustik has created the M80 to give the user a superior alternative to the midrange-laden character of the “industry standard” microphone. Featuring a wider frequency response and higher SPL capabilities, the M80 delivers condenser-like performance in a rugged dynamic design, producing a microphone equally suitable for voice, instruments, or drums both on stage and in the studio. Due to its low-mass capsule and super-thin (yet surprisingly rugged) capsule membrane, the M80 presents a wider range of emotion from a live vocal with an intimacy that has been traditionally reserved for studio-quality condenser microphones. The head and capsule assembly has been designed to reduce proximity effect to which nets added low-end clarity for vocals, while still providing “strength” and “authority” and an “open,” “airy” character without adding danger of upper midrange feedback or “honk.” The M80 also features an American-made, custom-wound impedance matching transformer, which is where the magic really takes place. When coupled with our proprietary capsule assembly, the results have won hearts and minds in far less time, since its introduction than we ever imagined possible. Don’t take our word for it, here are what some professional touring engineers have had to say:
T
“The M 80 is loud, smooth, tight, and in your face. They seem pretty hefty and durable, maybe agricultural, like a tractor. It’s great to see Telefunken put out a real workingman’s microphone. I love this mic!” —Mark “Bruno” Bradley, Monitors-Phish “The Telefunken M80 puts the vocals right where they need to be in the mix with ease and gives the snare drum a full-bodied sound that’s not there with the “traditional” mic we all know. My mic kit will never leave home without a couple in there!” —Paul Babikian, FOH—Kate Voegele, Amon Amarth, Nevermore, Cannibal Corpse “The M80 dynamic offers super rejection and broadcast-quality sound. It’s the best singing drummer mic I’ve ever used, and I’ve used them all. It’s quite possibly the most controlled mic I’ve ever used.” —Matt Jones, Monitors/FOH—Big Head Todd and the Monsters The M80 is available in two versions: the “Standard Version,” which includes a mic clip and bag; and the “Studio Set,” which includes a mic clip, wooden box, and an additional black head grille.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TELEFUNKEN AT WWW.TELEFUNKEN.COM 14
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spawned numerous imitators and, regrettably, counterfeit models. Shure remains a dominant player in dynamics, many of which are employed in a variety of ways. “The SM57,” says Gazit, is the “all-time best-value microphone. Best electric guitar, snare and I love it on vocals. The SM7 is great as a kick/snare combination [and] roomy-type sound—or get it close to the snare and gate out the kick for a great snare sound.” The SM7, says Cherney, is “without a doubt the go-to mic to get out of trouble for a rock vocal. Sometimes you get a girl singer with a voice that’s got a beam in it that would cut glass. The SM7 will get you out of trouble with that all the time, especially if you have a loud singer that will blow up a large-diaphragm microphone. An SM7 or [Electro-Voice] RE20 will always get you out of trouble. Plus, if I’m tracking with the singer in the room and leakage is a problem, I’ll go to those. In the large-diaphragm condenser section, Cherney stated that “a lot of times with acoustic instruments, you don’t want any artifacts. You really want to capture the instrument.” He is quick to note, though, that “sometimes you don’t want a microphone that hears something too well. That’s when I’ll go to a dynamic like an SM7 or an RE20. It’ll still have that clarity about it, but lots of headroom and doesn’t hear that well, so it doesn’t hear the bad things, like squeaks and pops, that a really good condenser microphone can.” “I’m a latecomer to the SM7 fan club,” Fuston admits. “I’ve only been using it for about a year now, but it really sounds good on voice and electric guitar cabinets. With the mid boost in, it’s like an SM57 with beef—lots of wonderful low end. I usually keep it on the guitar cabs, but I might like it somewhere else, too.” In his ample experience with live events, Frondelli is often recording with microphones largely chosen by a front-of-house engineer. “I’ve used everything at least once,” he recalls. “In a live application, engineers will use a [Shure] Beta 52 on the kick, 57s on the snare top and bottom,
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“Sometimes you don’t want a microphone that hears something too well. That’s when I’ll go to a dynamic [mic].” —ED CHERNEY SM81 on the hi-hat, Beta 98—the clip-on condensers—on the toms; and KSMs on the overheads. [Electric] guitar is usually a 57. “Everybody prefers the 58,” Frondelli observes. “The 58 is easy for front-of-house guys because they don’t get feedback—and that’s what kills my recording, feedback—so I have to go with whatever they’re comfortable with. You can EQ an SM58 to work for live vocal performance, with good front-toback rejection, and I get a decent sound on the vocal and clean it up with EQ.” A relatively new entry in the dynamic mic category is the Telefunken M-80, one of which, Dugan shares, was onsite for the recording of 21st Century Breakdown. “They sent us a prototype a long time ago” Dugan recalls. “We tried it on snare drum, and it was over-the-top perfect, exactly what I wanted for a snare drum. We’ve now incorporated it everywhere. In the live show, we’re using them for vocals, which it is amazing for, as well as snare. We only had one at the time we were making the record; I wish I’d had the opportunity to try it out on other things. But I plan to.” The Sennheiser MD 421, says Barresi, “is my all-time favorite, and the SM7—that’s my favorite vocal mic, actually. I use [the 421] on kick, toms, bass and guitars. Obviously, you can’t go wrong with a 57, but the 421 adds that extra character that’s missing from a 57, and also they sound better on toms. It would be my first choice as an additional mic with a 57 on guitars. It’s always my first choice inside a kick drum—
some people mock me for that.” The MD 421, Gazit adds, “is an all-timer for toms, but I love it on the back of a guitar amp as well.” A discussion of dynamic mics, says Poole, is going to be dull: “57s and 421s: They just work,” he says. “I’ve been using that 57 with a [Tab-Funkenwerk] output transformer from Mercenary Audio. “For kick drum, the Electro-Voice 868 makes me smile,” he continues. “At my home studio, I’m using Sennheiser 604s, those little ones, on toms. It’s similar to a 421—not quite as good, but very similar. My tom combination is 604 on top, and the CAD e60 on the bottoms. That’s a great little mic; the bottom toms sound really good on the e60 to me. If I’m at a studio, however, I have to say, ‘Give me an AKG 414 with a 20 dB pad underneath the toms.’” AKG’s D112 is perhaps the most popular kick drum mic of all. “That’s one of the best standard mics on the planet,” says Bodine. “I love that dynamic mic; you just can’t go wrong with it. I use it for kick drums and bass amps.” Gazit adds that the D112 or D12 is his choice for kick drum, while the Electro-Voice RE20 is his go-to mic for bass amplifiers. Another choice for kick drum mic: “Recently, I’ve been using the Heil PR 40,” says VornDick. “Drummers really like it, which means I like it, too. The mics that I’ve historically used were mushy-sounding; the PR 40 was clean, bright, punchy, but didn’t get the proximity muffle that the others did.
OCTOBER 2009
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Now, I’m a big 421 fan on kick, too; and, of course, it depends on the kick, but that’s a new one I’ve been using a lot.” “One of the mics I really love recently is the Audix i-5,” Bodine relates. “It’s really, really nice. It’s different than a 57, but has kind of the same setup. I use it on snares and amp cabinets. Even though it’s a dynamic, it reacts almost like a condenser in the way it sounds. I’m a really big fan of the Audix stuff.”
RIBBON MICROPHONES In the ribbon category, a small number of manufacturers dominate the market, while classic models continue to top many an engineer’s go-to list. Ribbon mics have gained in popularity in recent years, and manufacturers are increasingly offering less
expensive models. In a recent development in the realm of ribbon microphones, Shure, which manufactured ribbon mics from the 1950s through the 1980s, announced the acquisition of Crowley and Tripp Ribbon Microphones in April. VornDick favors Crowley & Tripp’s El Diablo and Naked Eye, both featuring a Roswellite ribbon. The El Diablo—recently reintroduced as the Shure KSM353—”is just spectacular for arch-top guitars and dobro,” he notes. “I’ve used them on Jerry Douglas. The Naked Eye [now the KSM313] is also a Roswellite, unbreakable ribbon. That’s one thing about them—the diaphragms are really hard to break. I used it on [guitarist] Bryan Sutton on Charlie Haden’s new album.” “I’m a fan of Royer, like everyone else,”
Carranza states. “The R-121, and I also have the SF-12 stereo, [in the] Blumlein pattern. In a time where we have multiple, multiple tracks to do whatever we want, it’s a nice luxury to throw a stereo ribbon mic up. The Blumlein pattern on the trumpet or a saxophone sounds incredible. You can throw up all kinds of microphones and it will sound good; but ribbon microphones, God. Yes, you’ve got to add a little EQ, a little high end, but the depth you’re going to get is amazing.” “I love the Royer R-121 on electric guitars, horns and trumpets,” says Cherney. “They also have the R-122V, with the tube. That’s a fantastic microphone.” “Someday,” says Dugan, “I’d like to make a ‘Royer record,’ with all Royer mics. I use the R-121 like crazy. I have the SF-24
Engineer Randy Poole places an EV N/D868 dynamic cardioid mic inside a kick drum.
OCTOBER 2009
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that we used in the room [for 21st Century Breakdown], and I’ve used it as an overhead for drums before. It’s awesome for that.” Fuston reports that he tries at least one new ribbon mic per month. “I have a collection of about a dozen,” he says, “but my two ‘bread and butter’ mics are the AEA R84 and the Royer R-122. I use these on almost every session I do. The R84 sounds good on voice, on strings, on trumpet. The R-122 is amazing on brass, and I use it on the outside head of a kick drum. Both of them yield wonderful results in those applications with no work at all. It’s mic-to-preamp-to-DAW, and they sound amazing.” The line of ribbon mics from Wes Dooley’s Audio Engineering Associates (AEA) is much loved by professionals. “Recently, a lot of people have been coming by with this [R88] stereo ribbon,” says Barresi. “It sounds fantastic, a really, really good microphone. It’s not incredibly expensive, and coupled with an AEA mic pre it sounds amazing.” “I really like the AEA R92,” says Poole. “The R84 is cool, too—a completely different frequency response on those two.” “I own an R84,” says Gazit “which is amazing on just about everything. I love it on electric guitars, acoustics, vocals—for a retro vibe.” “One interesting microphone,” Gazit notes, “is the Blue [Microphones] Woodpecker, which is a nice combination of ribbon and condenser. I loved it on horns.” Poole is also a fan of the CAD Trion 7000. “It’s not quite as small a package as some other ones, like Royers and stuff,” he allows, “but [is good for] guitar cabinets, drum room mics, those usual places where you’d like a thicker sound. I also use the CAD ribbon for trumpets. It works great. It’s a figure-eight—it’s picking up a little bit of room, like all ribbons tend to do—but it sounds good, very similar to an R-121, and it seems to—no offense to Royer—take maybe 3 dB more level before it craps out. Now, I have had a guitar player blow one up, but he tends to switch sounds and hit the down strum with no warning. “I usually do the standard guitar-miking thing,” Poole confides, “especially if I have
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CAD Audio e70 modular dual-capsule condenser mic aimed at cymbal bottom.
a decent console to mix the things to. I usually do a [Shure SM] 57 and a ribbon, whether it’s the Royer or the CAD, and blend the two to one track in Pro Tools. If we can get back to that model—good, beefy mono guitar tracks—and make that blend just right for each guitar part that goes down, it really helps in the mix. You’ve got the same guitar player—he may be switching guitars a little bit, but he’s got the same amp. It just helps to change one more thing to set those tracks apart from each other. I can always say, ‘Let’s check the blend on those two mics.’ “If it’s a player who hits you with 140 dB,” Poole continues, “I put them both fairly close, right in the same plane. Again, the
figure-eight is picking up more room sounds, so you don’t want to put it a foot away, though in a certain room, that’s fine. But as long as the guitar player is not going to kill the microphone, I put them at about three inches, in that area. As long as the volumes are reasonable, that seems to work great, and the phase is much easier to work with. The ribbon is usually more in the middle, so it’s picking up a brighter tone to begin with.” “I’ve been using the Coles [Electroacoustics 4040 Studio Ribbon] mic for drums lot, horn instruments and guitars too,” says Carranza. “All these things,” he concludes, “are dictated by the sound source.”
OCTOBER 2009
STUDIO MIC MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY ADK
AVANTONE
BOCK AUDIO DESIGNS
ADK was established in 1997 by recording engineer/vintage-mic collector, Larry Villella, in order to replicate the sonic attributes of vintage European microphones. He did this through spectrum analysis and computer modeling of the response curves of his favorite microphones. www.adkmicrophones.com
Avantone is manufactured by Avant Electronics, which is owned by Ken and Sue Avant. The product line includes ribbon, FET and tube mics. www.avantelectronics.com
From 1996 to 2006, former studio tech David Bock ran Soundelux Microphones. He then opted to start his own company where he continues to develop his designs. www.bockaudiodesigns.com
AEA Audio Engineering Associates’ (AEA) Wes Dooley drew upon his 40 years of experience and passion for ribbon microphones when he reintroduced the AEA R44 (based on the RCA 44) back in 1998. Since then, AEA has introduced mic preamps specifically for ribbon use alongside other ribbon microphones, including the A440 active version of the 44 mic. www.wesdooley.com
AKG Founded in Vienna in 1947, AKG has grown a great deal to become one of the principal microphone manufacturers with a product range that spans all areas of professional audio—the Blue Line range of modular mics, lavaliers, instrument, live recording and others. www.akg.com
AMT Applied Microphone Technology has been manufacturing microphones for near two decades, and takes the approach of producing microphones for specific instruments. A recent addition is the Wi-5 wireless system for woodwind and brass. www.appliedmic.com
AUDIO-TECHNICA Audio Technica began back in 1962 in Tokyo’s Shinjuku-Ko district manufacturing stereo phono cartridges. The company’s range of microphones offers models for applications in live, broadcast, studio, commercial and industrial. www.audio-technica.com
AUDIX Starting life back in 1984 in Redwood, CA, Audix moved to Oregon in 1991 where it established a manufacturing facility. The company focuses on simple, elegant designs with microphones covering applications in corporate, live, broadcast and studio. Audix www.audixusa.com
AVLEX Based in Kansas City, MO, Avlex offers solutions principally for presentation and theater applications. Other audio applications are covered with microphone ranges with different brand names, such as Mipro for location and broadcast use, and Superlux for more studiospecific uses. www.avlex.com
BRAUNER Dirk Brauner was developing ideas with tube microphone circuits back in 1993, then started Brauner Microphones, creating a limited number of handcrafted microphones based on his VM1 design. There are now six core designs and 14 total microphones in the range, including the VM1. www.brauner-microphones.com
AZDEN Azden has more than 40 years of experience utilizing CAD and SMT technology to create a number of standard and wireless transduction solutions. Originally an OEM manufacturer for many brands, the last 15 years has seen Azden raise its own brand identity. www.azdencorp.com
BEHRINGER Uli Behringer founded the company in 1989 in Germany. Since then, Behringer has grown to have offices in 10 countries. Behringer has a range of general-purpose dynamic and condenser microphones, including the B-2 Pro and stereo pair C-2.www.behringer.com
BEYERDYNAMIC Beyerdynamic started back in 1924. Developments in a number of audio areas continue, and beyerdynamic condenser, ribbon and general dynamic microphones still form the backbone of many mic collections.
CAD AUDIO CAD Audio manufactures a variety of visually distinct condenser, tube, ribbon and instrument-specific microphones for the studio, live and installation markets. www.cadmics.com
CASCADE U.S.-based Cascade produces wide variety of types, but is probably best know for its range of ribbon microphones and the retro styling of many of its designs, including the Fat Head II. www.cascademicrophones.com
CHARTEROAK ACOUSTICS Founded by producer/engineer Michael Deming in Connecticut in 2002, CharterOak manufactures tube and solid-state microphones, which are assembled and inspected by hand, with each being studio-tested before shipping to the customer. www.charteroakacoustics.com
www.beyerdynamic.com
COLES ELECTROACOUSTICS BLUE Headquartered in Westlake Village, CA, with engineering and manufacturing facilities in Latvia, Blue Microphones started in 1995 when founders Skipper Wise and Martin Saulespurens put together a few hand-built microphones for fellow musician friends. The company’s Vintage Mic Store offers vintage mic restoration services. www.bluemic.com
Coles Electroacoustics has manufactured the BBC-designed ribbon microphones in the U.K. for over 30 years. Originally designed for radio and television broadcast, the company’s ribbon mics have become primary tools of choice throughout the sound recording industry. Coles also fabricates headphones, telephone headsets, speaker drive units and related equipment. www.coleselectroacoustics.com (distributed in U.S. by Independent Audio)
(Compiled with the assistance of Audio Media Worldwide) OCTOBER 2009
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STUDIO MIC MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY COUNTRYMAN ASSOCIATES
FOSTEX
JTS MICROPHONES
With more than 30 years of experience, Countryman Associates manufactures microphones for a variety of live applications including theater, presentation and live music. The range consists of a number of mini and micro microphones. www.countryman.com
Founded by the Foster Electronic Company in Tokyo back in 1973, Fostex has established itself in location recording and broadcast audio areas, producing a number of microphones for these applications.
For near three decades, JTS has been investing large amounts of resources into microphone research and development of a line that includes both wired and wireless microphones optimized for affordability, performance, and reliability.
CROWN
GROOVE TUBES
Starting from humble beginnings in 1947, Crown’s microphone range now includes models in boundary, PZM, lectern and mini, as well as conventional studio microphones. www.crownaudio.com
DPA In 1992, Danish company Bruel and Kjaier took the decision to spin off its pro audio division and outsource sales and service of its 4000 series microphones to the former employees that designed them. It formed Danish Pro Audio and since 1994 has introduced new products into its line. These include mini, compact, large-diaphragm and reference test microphones, and also a phantom-powered underwater microphone, the P48 Hydrophone and a line of instrument mics. www.dpamicrophones.com
EARTHWORKS Formed in New Hampshire by David Blackmer, the inventor and founder of dbx, Earthworks Audio has developed mics, specializing in electret pencil microphones in omni and directional versions, and their PianoMic system. www.earthworksaudio.com
ELECTRO-VOICE Electrovoice has been developing pro audio products principally in the area of sound reinforcement for 80 years. Its microphone range illustrates this orientation in both its standard and wireless microphone products. www.electrovoice.com
EQUATION AUDIO Armed with the intellectual property of noted mic guru Fred Cameron, and comprised of key members of the team behind the original CAD Equitek line, Equation Audio’s mic lines include the Alpha drum mic series, the Dominion series of handheld condenser and dynamic microphones and the F.20 large diaphragm condenser mic.
www.equationaudio.com
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www.fostex.com
Formed in California in the late 1970s by Aspen Pittman, Groove Tubes now produces a range of tube, FET and ribbon microphones, including the MD1. www.groovetubes.com
HHB COMMUNICATIONS HHB recently entered the microphone market with a range of recording microphones aimed at audio journalists and field recordists. In collaboration with Sennheiser, it now has a range of devices with various options.
www.hhb.co.uk
HEIL SOUND The origins of the company date back to the 1950s when a young organist, Bob Heil, began to dissect the sounds around him. Moving onto design and then the manufacture of organs, and then into retail, Heil eventually moved into the microphone market with the HC Series. The company currently boasts a range that leans towards live applications. www.heilsound.com
HOLOPHONE Musician and sound designer Michael Godfrey founded Holophone in Toronto, Canada in 1994, looking to deliver realistic listening experiences with recorded audio. The company has a number of products that accommodate surround applications. www.holo-
phone.com
JOEMEEK Referencing many of the experiments made by Joe Meek in the early to mid 1960s, Joemeek continues to provide solutions in a number of areas of project and pro audio, with a range of small- and large-diaphragm condenser and dynamic microphones. www.joemeek.com
JOSEPHSON ENGINEERING Since 1998 Josephson Engineering, as well as producing and supplying capsules to other microphone manufacturers, has produced its own range of microphones for studio, location, live and instrument-specific applications. www.josephson.com
www.jts.com.tw
JZ MICROPHONES Over the past decade, Latvian manufacturing company, Scruples, ventured into the pro audio market with a number of products, including microphones under the Violet brand. Scruples created a spin-off company, JZ Microphones, that has been established to concentrate on microphone development. www.jzmic.com
KEL AUDIO Canadian mic maker KEL Audio specializes in microphones with unique sonic signatures, conceived to enhance sound sources. Four condenser models, each with a specific character, currently comprise the value-priced, high-performance line. www.kelaudio.com
LAWSON Founded by Gene Lawson in 1979, and now handcrafted in Nashville, TN, Lawson Microphones has a range of high-end tube and FET microphones. www.lawsonmicrophones.com
LAUTEN AUDIO Lauten Audio was founded by Brian Loudenslager and is based in San Jose, CA. It is a high-end microphone manufacturer, focusing on microphones that target both professional and amateur recordists. The company released its first product, the Horizon tube microphone, in October 2006. www.lautenaudio.com
LECTROSONICS Since 1971, Lectrosonics’ wireless microphone systems and audio processing products have been used in mission-critical applications including broadcast and stage. It is based in Rio Rancho, NM.
www.lectrsonics.com
OCTOBER 2009
LINE 6
MILAB
NEVATON
Line 6 is a manufacturer of digital modeling guitars, amplifiers and related electronic equipment. The company was founded in the mid-1990s and is based in Calabasas, CA. In 2008, Line 6 acquired X2 Digital Wireless, which entered the company into the digital wireless market with products for guitar, bass, vocals and wind instruments. www.line6.com
The Milab story begins in 1941 when Rune
Nevaton is a Russian microphone manufacturer with roots dating back to 1947, when an acoustic laboratory established itself at the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) optical and mechanical association (LOMO). The company’s product catalog includes stereo microphones; small-, medium- and large-diaphragm condenser mics; boundary layer shotgun microphones; and miniature microphones.
Rosander produced crystal-, and then subsequently carbon and dynamic microphones. In the late 1960s, the rectangular capsule and double-sided rectangular capsule were developed and are still part of production today. The name Milab (Microphone Laboratories) came into being in 1970 and is distributed in
MANLEY LABORATORIES
the USA by FDW Worldwide.
Since 1989, and now located in Chino, CA, Manley Laboratories has focused on the development of a number of products based on tube designs. Among these are the range of Manley tube microphones, which include its stereo tube reference microphone.
www.milabusa.com
www.manleylabs.com
M-AUDIO Formed in 1988, and now part of the Avid Technologies family, M-Audio is focused on computer-based products and those aimed to provide solutions to mobile musicians. The MAudio microphone selection includes a number of units including the lollipop, largediaphragm condenser, Luna.
www.m-audio.com
MERCENARY Based in Foxboro, MA, Mercenary Audio not only distributes gear from many other companies, but it also manufactures its own products. www.mercenary.com
MOJAVE AUDIO David Royer established Mojave Audio in his garage in Fullerton, CA in 1985. Known for his ribbon microphone designs with Royer Labs, Mojave Audio is the outlet for David Royer’s tube microphone designs.
www.mojaveaudio.com
www.pearl.se (distributed in U.S. by Independent Audio)
tured by U.S.-based manufacturers, Marshall Electronics, in El Segundo, CA. The brand has
PEAVEY
a variety of standard microphone types aimed
After graduating college in 1965, Hartley Peavey started his company using the logo he came up with while doodling in his notebook. With products spanning the entire audio world, Peavey microphones feature units for use in the studio, speciality and in sound reinforcement. www.peavey.com
at the expanding “cost-effective” market. www.mxlmics.com
NADY SYSTEMS Founded by John Nady in 1976, Nady Systems was, and remains, at the forefront of wireless address the issues of noise reduction in wire-
The origins of Microtech Gefell can be traced back to 1928 when Georg Neumann and Erich Rickmann formed Georg Neumann and Co. In 1943, production moved to Gefell, where many years of developing and producing products took place. www.microtechgefell.de
less systems. The company has branched out
OCTOBER 2009
In 1941, Rune Rosander established Pearl, which was the first microphone manufacturing company in Sweden, and remained the sole Swedish microphone manufacturer for the next 40 years. The company’s early stereo microphone, TL 4, led to more than 20 other models developed over the past several decades.
MXL Microphones are designed and manufac-
MICROTECH GEFELL
A new company, Miktek will debut its microphone line at the October 2009 127th AES Convention in New York. Early reports favorably compare the Miktek small-diaphragm condenser mic to classic, out-of-manufacture designs. www.miktekaudio.com
PEARL
MXL
mic design. Nady was among the first to
MIKTEK AUDIO
www.nevatonusa.com (distributed in the U.S. by FDW Worldwide)
and now includes a comprehensive range of studio condenser, ribbon, instrument-specific and USB microphones. www.nady.com
PSC Since 1976, Professional Sound Corporation (PSC) has been a manufacturer and distributor of professional audio products for the film and video industries. Within the product range are a noise-canceling headset and mini lavalier microphones. www.professionalsound.com
NEUMANN With roots going back to Berlin in 1928,
RED
Neumann has been involved in the design and
As a spin-off from the Latvia-manufactured, California-based Blue Microphone Company, Red Microphones offer the Type A tube and Type B solid-state lollipop-style microphones with interchangeable capsules. www.redmic.com
manufacture of a wide range of audio products, but it is with microphones that the name is most associated. Neumann became part of the Sennheiser group in 1991.
www.neumann.com
GEAR GUIDE
STUDIO MIC
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STUDIO MIC MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY RØDE
SENNHEISER
STERLING AUDIO
Røde came into existence after Henry and Astrid Freeman emigrated from Sweden to Australia in 1967. Their background in audio product development within their own Freeman Group of companies led to the development and release of the first Røde microphone in 1990. The company’s range has grown with tube and conventional microphones for mainly broadcast and studio use. www.rodemic.com
Sennheiser has been delivering pro audio for more than 50 years, filling many microphone cabinets, whether it be for music, broadcast, post, live or location applications. The Germany-based company has its U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme, CT. www.sennheiserusa.com
Sterling Audio employs several advanced technologies in its large-diaphragm condenser mics. One of the features is the exclusive Disk Resonator system. With it, the mics have been able to compensate for the 14 kHz frequency roll-off that is inherent in large-diaphragm mics. www.sterlingaudio.net
SHURE
STUDIO PROJECTS
Founded in Chicago, IL by Sidney Shure in 1925 selling radio parts, the company produced its first microphone in 1932. Shure now boasts a collection of wired and wireless microphones including the SM58, which just celebrated its 40th birthday. www.shure.com
From the B, C and CS Series, Studio Projects microphones are designed and engineered by Brent Casey. www.studioprojectsusa.com
ROYER LABS Formed in 1998 to bring David Royer’s ribbon designs to the world, Royer produces a wide range of ribbons that include phantom-powered and tube models. www.royerlabs.com
SONODORE
SAMSON Samson began 26 years ago designing and producing wireless microphone systems. Since then, the company has diversified into a number of areas including conventional, ribbon and USB microphones. www.samsontech.com
SANKEN Sanken Microphones is based in Tokyo and has focused on producing original condenser and dynamic microphone designs for studio, broadcast and live use since 1926. Samson www.sanken-mic.com
SCHOEPS Founded in 1948, the company has specialized in the design and manufacture of condenser microphones. The Schoeps range is now an extensive one with condenser solutions for all manner of studio, broadcast, live, and location scenarios, as well as surround applications. www.schoeps.de
sE ELECTRONICS The origins of sE Electronics started with Siwei Zou, a classical musician from Shanghai. Through years of education and experience in both China and the U.S., his designs were eventually developed back in Shanghai in 2003. The product line includes tube, ribbon, modular and conventional microphones. www.seelectronics.com
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STUDIO MIC
GEAR GUIDE
Sonodore microphones and microphone preamplifiers are manufactured in Holland by Rens Heijnis Audio Electronics. Producer/engineer Bert van der Wolf of Northstar Recordings has been involved in the development of these recording tools from their conception in the early ‘90s, and has been using them in his own recordings for many years. www.sonodore.com
TELEFUNKEN | USA Telefunken | USA was incorporated in early 2001 to provide restoration services and build reproductions of vintage Telefunken microphones. www.telefunkenusa.com
T.H.E. Based in Connecticut, Taylor Hohendahl Engineering produces microphones designed by Andy Hohendahl. The range includes reference condensers, modular mics and a binaural sphere. www.theaudio.com
TRINNOV AUDIO SONTRONICS Designed and developed in the U.K. and handcrafted in Shanghai, Sontronics produces condenser, tube and ribbon designs, distributed in the USA by FDW Worldwide. www.sontronicsusa.com
Located in France, Trinnov Audio specializes in the digital processing of acoustic fields. The company has produced the SRP surround array of microphones, based on a special highresolution technology. www.trinnov.com
VIOLET DESIGN Sony has a long history when it comes to microphones and its current range (which includes nearly 100 different models) reflects Sony’s continued involvement in all pro audio arenas. www.sony.com
Violet has been developing and manufacturing in Latvia since 2003, where it produces a combination of tube, solid-state, large- and small-diaphragm condensers, distributed in the U.S. by FDW Worldwide. www.violetusa.com
SOUNDFIELD
ZAXCOM
Based in the U.K. and formed in 1993, Soundfield manufactures and continues to develop its multi-capsule, tetrahedral design for both enhanced stereo and multichannel applications. www.soundfield.com (distributed in the U.S. by TransAudio Group)
Known primarily for its Deva location recorders and digital wireless systems, Zaxcom recently introduced the ZFR800 handheld digital recording mic to the field recording and broadcast journalism markets. www.zaxcom.com
SONY
OCTOBER 2009
