Studio Microphones

sE Electronics let us use their USB2200a microphone to interview their own Bob Reardon about manufacturing. Though sE does have a factory across the Pacific, it's nowhere near your normal outsourcing story.  

If you like bloopers, Styx and need of a large diaphragm condenser for your budget minded home studio, this one's for you. The sE Electronics sE1000a features a hand built diaphragm and electronics at an entry level price.  

Gearwire's bursting at the seams with more Bob Reardon and more sE Electronics microphones. We've seen some tube mics and condensers already -- now we put their R1 Ribbon microphone to the test against Owen O'Malley's electric assault.  

Bob Reardon of sE Electronics shows us the H1 Handheld Condenser microphone. It's built solid so that handling noise is low and SPL is high.  

Call it a "workhorse," call it "wino's pet," just don't call it "droopy." The sE Electronics 2200a is a straightforward cardioid condenser that's been used recently by Amy Winehouse, and by sE Electronic's own Bob Reardon, who shoves Owen out of the spotlight for a second to get a little sumthin' off his chest.  

Bob Reardon of sE Electronics and Owen O'Malley of Gearwire are back with another opportunity for Owen to show off his vocal range on a microphone with some range of its own. The Z3300a has three switchable polar patterns and hand-built circuitry. Plus, you can easily maim someone with it.  

So many things get better with age -- cheese, wine, George Clooney -- but did that Ibanez Blazer Bass really attain some magical quality once it hit the two-decade mark? Crosstalk discusses the liberal use of the "vintage" tag and its implications.  

Bob Reardon from sE Electronics opens up a Z5600a II tube microphone and shows us the discrete electronics inside. You aren't so discrete now that we can see you, are you, electronics?  

Bob Reardon of sE Electronics shows us the Gemini, a tube microphone with a lot of weight to its body and sound. We had Owen O'Malley lend us his pipes to test out the tubes.  

When I used to record acoustic guitar, I'd inject local anesthetic to most of the areas on my body to keep my position in relation to the microphone constant. Thanks to sE Electronics GM10, I have no idea what I'm going to do with all the syringes I haven't used yet.  

Basketball, the climax of Independence Day and miking acoustic guitars -- one of these things is not like the other, but we won't reveal which one unless you watch this video!  

After recording drums, the next logical step to add to a recording is bass. In this session, however, acoustic bass provides a set of different challenges when recording.  

Matt Mercado has been engineering drums for recording for 15 years now, and the technique he's developed is a blend of the traditional and the unorthodox. For example, have you ever heard of someone using an SM58 on a floor tom? If it works, it ain't wrong.  

Steve Fisk, who has worked with a who's who of alternative rock acts, talks about his studio.  

There's nothing more exciting than a set of twin capsules, and Sennheiser makes switchable polar patterns interesting. Instead of switches, Sennheiser's MKH 800 uses a team of capsules -- each with their own output -- to record multiple polar possibilities at once.  

Many microphone companies have developed microphones touted as being specifically designed for digital recording, but when a name as distinguished -- dare I say legendary? -- as Neumann says they've made a "digital" mic, even analog purists might take a second look.  

Engineer, producer and recording artist Flavio Maspoli of Zurich-based Merge of Equals discusses his studio and his ideas on recording.  

Some of it is obvious and some of it is debatable but debates are always good. Patrick Ogle talks more on recording.  

Rupert Neve Designs, the great mic preamp company, made the price right on the Portico 5012. The budget-minded gang at Milquetoast Studios considers this their best piece of gear.  

Bell Hollow talk about preproduction and the differences and similarities between their live and studio set ups. They also get a little into their "dream instruments."  

JZ Microphones has announced the release of the Black Hole SE, a simplified take on their popular and highly touted Black Hole microphone. Stripping the features down a little bit relieves the price a bit, but not nearly enough to where I can afford one.  

We're back at Skybox Studios where Bob DiFazio talks with studio owner Ariel Rodriguez about the building of the booth. Bob also highlights the Neumann U87, a microphone you'll probably get to use if you drop the dough to record at any professional studio.  

One of the best things about being a kid is making forts out of blankets, cushions, and furniture. Unfortunately, there's not really a practical application for building forts in the audio world . . . or is there.  

Sick of ribbon mics that just sit on your couch and eat Doritos all day? The Nady RSM-8A Active Ribbon Mic won't do that -- with an extra 40 dB of gain over non-active ribbon mics, the RSM-8A is ready to record.  

We meet up with composer John Enroth at Mutato Muzika where he shows us his workstation before taking us to the vocal room. Strangely, Josh Freese's drum kit is waiting in there.  

Tim Vear from Shure's Applications Engineering department shows us the KSM32 and KSM137 and uses his expertise to describe the applications of each microphone. Tim also explains and compares the benefits of large and small diaphragm microphones  

Josh and Tim are at it again. This time they pick apart the Shure KSM27, a mic that shares most of the same characterists of the KSM44, but with a few minor differences that make it suitable for some different applications. Intrigued? Read on, good sir, read on.  

Tim Vear at the Shure booth confides in J. Irving-Giles his deepest fears, dreams and desires. Also, he talks about the Shure KSM44 studio vocal mic.  

Austin-based hard rock act Dead Earth Politics talks about the mics, guitars, amps and pedals they use to get their "metal-meets-jazz and more" sound.  

Rode has some new microphones [Awesome!] slated for future release, but at Winter NAMM 2008, they were busy promoting Rode University, a series of online lessons that educate home studio hopefuls on various recording topics.