LIVE SOUND STUDIO MICS < WILD DISTRIBUTION
WILD is the UK’s specialist microphone distributor with models by LeWilson, Azden, Roxdon, CAD Audio, Astatic, ISK microphones and Heil sound. It has recently been appointed by LeWilson as the UK distributor for the US brand’s range of classic handmade mics. Based in Springfield, Oregon,
LeWilson’s philosophy is to use the best capsules available, either Thiersch M7 or German made CK12, and combine them with a classic EF86 tube amplifier. All LeWilson mics are fitted with Cinemag transformers and come in cardioid, or cardioid and omni directional polar patterns, selectable on the power supply. Another mic that has been creating a buzz at Wild is the new CAD Equitek E100S large diaphragm supercardioid condenser, which claims the lowest noise floor in its class (3.7dBA), plus the vintage tone and full-bodied low-end CAD is known for. The mic features a bootstrapped, full differential ‘Quadra-FET’ front-end to ensure high sensitivity and low distortion, while a nickel-plated one-inch capsule delivers accurate phasing when miking instruments.
TELEFUNKEN ELEKTROAKUSTIK
telefunken-elektroakustik.com
TELEFUNKEN’S mic of the moment at is the CU29 ‘Copperhead’; the jewel in the crown of the R-F-T line, devised as the answer for those looking for something more affordable than the firm’s Diamond Series mics, without having to sacrifice the renowned Telefunken sound quality. As with other R-F-T
mics, the Copperhead is a tube condenser model. Its amplifier features a new proprietary circuit designed around a NOS Telefunken tube and a custom output transformer. Specific attention was given to circuit board layout, to fine tune current flow and directness of traces. Being a cardioid-only mic, it employs a single-membrane version of the large diaphragm capsule used in the firm’s AR-51 and AK-47 MkII mics. If cost is not so much of a concern, one might want to consider one of the company’s Diamond Series mics, all of which are built with an uncompromising approach. Models in this range include the famous U 47, the first condenser microphone to offer selectable polar patterns, and the ELA M 251T, which is a faithful recreation of what the company calls “arguably the most beautiful sounding microphone ever produced”.
wilddistribution.com SONTRONICS
BRITISH mic brand Sontronic’s multi-pattern condenser, Saturn, was inspired by the classic vocal mics of the 1940s and beta- tested by a number of top producers (including Alan Moulder and Flood, no less). Saturn allows five different polar patterns – omnidirectional, subcardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid and figure-of-eight – plus variable attenuation (-10/-20dB) and high-pass filter (75/125Hz). This has resulted in a very adaptable, all-round studio microphone that, although originally designed for vocals, has proven to give excellent results on vocals, speech, guitars, brass, woodwind, strings, piano, drums and more. Paul Staveley O’Duffy, producer and songwriter for Amy Winehouse and John Barry, among others, calls Saturn “a top piece of kit. No eq necessary; it dealt with all the dynamics excellently and was really open and present without sounding treated.”
Also on offer from Sontronics is Sigma, a phantom-powered, multi-application ribbon mic, and its stereo sister model, Apollo. After a session at Abbey Road, Julian Lloyd Webber said of the Sigma: “It produces a very true picture of the sound of my Stradivarius.”
BLUE MICROPHONES
bluemic.com
AMONG Blue’s latest offerings at the Frankfurt show this year were the Reactor, a multi-pattern, large diaphragm condenser with a swiveling capsule head, which rotates fluidly across a 90-degree range, with resistance to hold the head in a precise position. This facilitates multiple mic setups, such as mid/side or X-Y recording, while allowing for accuracy and fine- tuning of setup geometry and microphone tone.
Reactor features Blue’s premium large diaphragm, condenser capsule design, with a custom preamp platform for low noise and distortion, and silent switching between the cardioid, bi-directional and omnidirectional patterns. Reactor’s sound can be tuned to specific uses such as full vocals, warm guitar acoustics, or capturing the room frequencies of drums.
timespace.com
www.audioprointernational.com
audioPRO May2011 41
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