Iâve been recording many interviews for theTape Oppodcast series, and our new feature called DISCussion<tapeop.com/audio>en mass. In-person we usually use the DPA 4061 lavalier mics [Tape Op#127] and the small MMA-A interface that they make. These work great, and you can get them connected to an iPad, smartphone, or computer pretty seamlessly. But now we are (still) in the middle of a pandemic, and no one is doing face-to-face interviews yet.
My trusty Shure SM7 and an Electro-Voice RE20 get used often for interview tasks, and occasionally for vocals and other recording duties, but with those mics I need an audio interface. The good news is that I have several interfaces handy, but Iâve often wondered about all those USB mics I see around. While I was on a call with Earthworksâ Mike Dias, he recommended I check out their newICON. It comes with two connection options: XLR (PRO model), and USB standard. I told Mike that I was deeply skeptical of USB mics. He replied, âGreat! Thatâs the one I will send you.â
The mic arrived in a box that was foam-lined and multi-layered, with a high-quality micro USB to USB A cable, and a small desktop stand made by Triad-Orbit. The mic is well built, heavy in the hand, and sports a smooth machined metal body. The built-in windscreen is vented metal, and when removed reveals what looks like a stubby version of what youâd expect a classic Earthworks mic to be.
Different than an RE20âs or SM7âs dynamic design, theICONis a bus-powered, small-diaphragm cardioid condenser. When plugged into a USB slot on my MacBook Pro with the provided cable, it appeared as âUSB audio CODECâ â selectable for use in Pro Tools and Audacity. In Pro Tools youâll have to configure your hardware and playback settings in the drop-down menu, but thatâs easy enough, and swapping back and forth between interfaces and the USB option was simple work â same goes for Zoom call recording.
On the base of theICONâsstainless steel body is a simple input gain knob (that also serves as an emergency mute button), plus a single 1/8-inch headphone jack for monitoring. With plenty of gain, the mic offers a rich and balanced tone, and I like that I donât have to be right up on the grill to achieve this quality. It has a low end roll-off that starts at about 100 Hz when used from roughly five-inches away, and around 400 Hz at a distance closer to a foot. Earthworks boast that theICONoffers studio-grade capture (20 Hz to 20 kHz) with its extremely responsive capsule design. I can see using this mic to capture music ideas quickly with excellent results.
Preferring a more traditional smaller sized stand, I found theICONâsincluded stand too small/short for my setup, but I can see it being useful in other applications. I wish there was a small carry/travel bag for the mic and cable. The box is too big to throw in a bag with other items, so Iâve been using a small pouch (the size of what youâd get with a Shure SM57 or SM58) to protect the mic from dust balls and other general detritus for on the go situations. Accessory criticisms aside, theICONwill officially be the first product I recommend to people looking to add a USB mic to their collection. For any quick-connect needs such as voiceover, podcast, or live streaming applications, theICONis a no brainer.
($349 street;earthworksaudio.com) Buy From Sweetwater -GS