If a microphone helps me learn about how other mics in my collection sound, then it is worth spending time with it for this reasons alone. The KEL Audio HM-2d not only accomplishes this feat, but does...
The SE2200A large-diaphragm condenser (Tape Op #48) is one of my favorite mics. At $300 street, it's easily one of the best deals in pro audio. Up until recently, I also had in my cabinet a matched...
A dynamic mic and a condenser mic packaged together into a single body? Kinda gimicky, no? I've seen the trick that inspired the design of this mic many times-tape together a condenser and a dynamic...
Most large-diaphragm condenser mics are too big to use in tight situations. The AE3000, on the other hand, is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. I originally bought this mic because I...
The Gomez results from a collaboration between Cascade microphones, headed by CEO Michael Chiriac, and Michael Joly (Tape Op #59) of OktavaMod. Its single-ribbon motor is enclosed in a single-layer,...
Check out these little lo-fi gems. The Bing Carbon Mic is made from retired telephones, but transformer-coupled to provide a balanced XLR connection for studio use. It comes in a compact housing...
Ever since the studio where I do my tracking (Mavericks in NYC) acquired a pair of vintage RCA BK-5A ribbon mics, I've become a big fan and have found a ton of uses for them. It's difficult to track...
When I was at the last AES conference, I ran into Fletcher of Mercenary Audio, and I saw something sticking out of his shirt pocket. He pulled it out proudly and showed it around. I said, "That's got...
It's funny how the audio industry sometimes seems to go in waves. Four years ago, summing mixers, like the Dangerous 2-BUS (Tape Op #35), were the new thing, and two years ago, monitor controllers...
My wife is a filmmaker, and her primary platform is Final Cut Studio running on a Mac Pro. She is neither an audio engineer nor a gear geek like many of us are. For her current project, she needed to...
The Lauten Horizon is a cardioid tube mic with a shock-mounted, large-diaphragm capsule and a two-step pad. The mic ships with a shock mount, a hard mount, a power supply, and a 20 ft Gotham Audio...
I always like having a lot of options in my mic closet. There are times that I lean heavily on my most expensive microphones, but I often find it far more helpful to have as many effective,...
