The i-5 is Audix's attempt to offer a mic as versatile and rugged as the ubiquitous Shure SM57. Given the number of 57's out there and the amount of use they receive, that's a tall order indeed. The...
This mic is a miniature condenser intended as a lapel mic for broadcasting. When I was a student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, there were a lot of these microphones floating around...
I first became interested in the KMS 105 condenser mic at TapeOpCon 2004 in New Orleans when both Ian MacKaye of Fugazi and The Evens along with Don Zientara of Inner Ear studios, mentioned it as one...
The Green Bullet, as you likely know, is designed as a mic for harmonica players. You plug it into a guitar amp, and there's your classic blues harp sound. I don't play harmonica or even know anyone...
A microphone for anyone who likes outstanding build-quality, interesting sounds, and a DIY ethic, the Copperphone is handmade by Mark Pirro (The Polyphonic Spree, Tripping Daisy). It's really cool...
Some engineers know the old-time trick of placing a speaker (oftentimes the woofer from a Yamaha NS-10M, ironically enough) in front of a kick drum or bass amp, then running the speaker cables into a...
I recently got to try out M-Audio's new large- diaphragm condenser mics. The two are well constructed and moderately priced (though not as dirt cheap as the many bargain-basement Chinese condensers...
I'll be right up front about the fact that I really like Blue mics. I own four of their mics and they all sound great -I mean good enough to stand next to vintage mics costing six times more- and they...
The Altec/Western Electric 633A is the classic microphone known as the "Salt Shaker," so named for its small cylindrical body with rounded edges and series of small holes across the top. It's an...
Open letter to Jon Brion: At last year's TapeOpCon in Portland, OR, when asked what piece of gear you hate the most, you responded by saying that you hate the Shure SM57. "Why do we have to always use...
The Rode NT1-A is another entry into the ever-growing field of affordable large-diaphragm condenser mics. It lists for $349, but I found $199 to be the common street price on the internet. Like others...
In Tape Op #37, I reviewed the ADK A-51 Model A, a modestly-priced large-diaphragm condenser. Although the Model A is a more affordable mic, the company offers a wide range of products including a...
