The JZ Black Hole [Tape Op #71] and BB29 [#141] are mics that are often used in my studio. They have purpose across many applications, and my Black Hole mic has performed reliably, without issue, for...
Denmark’s DPA Microphones have a decades-long history of manufacturing precision, accurate condenser microphones. My first DPA encounter was in Denmark, recording Copenhagen’s excellent...
Introduced in the mid-1960s, the Neumann U 87 was a gift to engineers and producers because a separate power supply was no longer needed due to its tube-replacing FET (field effect transistor)...
I was first introduced to Vanguard Audio Labs before they even brought a microphone to market. The gentleman who tipped me off about this company was a trusted friend in pro audio. He told me...
I’m going to immediately annoy a lot of people by describing this microphone with the worst cliché and overused marketing term ever: Innovative. The only difference here is that LEWITT...
In my mind, microphones are much like colors on a painter’s palette or a chef’s ingredients. Each one has its own specific flavor that can be useful and powerful in the proper context....
I love the sound of ribbon microphones, and I put one in front of a guitar amp nearly every time I record one. I ran across the Samar Audio Design AL95 online, and after reading about it, I had to...
You know the scenario: You’ve mic’d up a whole band, did the first day of tracking, and are shutting down for the night, coming back tomorrow for more takes. There are over 25 microphones...
MicParts, the DIY-oriented company run by Roswell Pro Audio’s Matt McGlynn, has built up a faithful clientele over the last decade by delivering meticulously sourced and well-documented...
I recently became frustrated with what felt like an all too common theme in the conversation about gear: a hyper-reverence to the gold standard “classic” mics and how out of reach...
Vintage sound has become the new modern. To this end, Mojave Audio (Burbank, California) has released its adaptation of the vintage Sony C37A large-diaphragm tube condenser microphone. The original...
Whenever my musician buddies or clients looking to start recording at home ask me what their first mic purchase should be, I often propose the Shure SM7B cardioid dynamic [Tape Op #36]. This...
The new Milab VIP-60 large diaphragm condenser mic is marketed as an update to its flagship VIP-50, but in all honesty, I had never heard of, seen, or used its predecessor. It’s quite refreshing...
