My pleasure. Great work on the microphone. It's awesome that y'all are making these legendary mics accessible to more people to create stuff with. Keep up the awesome work.
@@militarymindentertainment4950 Hello I’m Erik. I am responsible for all delivery times and production at Townsend Labs. I’m on the west coast and would like to speak with you. My personal mobile number is 408-858-0545. -Erik Papp I have some meetings and suggest texting to set up a call.
I had a bad attitude with emulating mics and I hated the Slate that my friend had. I thought emulating mics don't have soul. After hearing everybody saying how freakin' amazing the Sphere is, I went and bought it. Now, it's one of the coolest things I've had. Just used it today in stereo mode for drum overheads and it's the best overhead sound I've ever recorded.
to me its not about whether it sounds like the original mic.. its always about what sounds the best with a particular voice or sound source.. and being able to audition that many colors, make that change with a few mouse clicks and just move on with sound capture beats all the mic lockers in my world. Huge time saver!
Agreed! I have a few of the original large diaphragm mics and while the emulations are certainly close, I couldn't care less about how accurate they actually are. The emulations all sound good by themselves, but I would like the mic just as much if none of the originals were identified. They all sound great all by themselves. The ability to change the sound of the microphone in post without EQing and being able to change the polar patterns makes it a complete game changer for me. I do miss the discipline and forethought that came with having to commit to sounds to tape in the olden days (I've been a professional engineer for 32 years). It forced an engineer to really think about what was being captured, especially when multiple mics were bussed to single tape tracks. Limitations made engineers think about things that they don't consider any more until the mix. But sometimes it's amazing to have virtually unlimited tracks and unlimited processing. It lets the engineer take chances that he/ she might not have taken in the past. The Sphere lets you do that with mic positioning now. It's almost inconceivable! (and I do think that word means what I think it means) that you have that ability in post. It's like selecting what a photo should focus on after the fact. If I could swap all my large diaphragm mics for a closet full of L22s I can honestly say I would do it. In a heartbeat. Now I just hope they work on a small diaphragm version, a dynamic version, and a ribbon version! And if you're reading this Townsend- making all of the same models available for Pro Tools HDX that are available for UAD would really, really nice. I have actuallly considered purchasing a seat of UAD just so I could have more variation. Please!
Great review. The one thing to remember about modeling dynamic and ribbon mics is that the L22 is a condenser. It's not just different components that distinguish the mics. They operate using completely different acoustic principles. Head to head comparisons with other large diaphragm condenser mics is where the accuracy should really be judged. Full disclaimer: I have owned this mic for almost 3 years. I have a good mic locker with several other high-end mics it intends to emulate. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well it recreates some of them, but unless you're meaning to punch in over an existing track recorded with one of the mics it models, the accuracy is important only from the standpoint of marketing and proving it can sound like other mics. The fact is that regardless of how well it recreates another mic, the sounds available are simply amazing in and of themselves. The fact that I would use it to re-record parts of a take that was recorded on an an original isn't important. What is important is how good the mic sounds. What is even more important is what you can do with the recording in post. Being able to record in stereo, change the polar pattern to accommodate off axis sounds from other sources in the room makes this worth the asking price all by itself. I recorded a bluegrass band arranged in a large semi-cirle with the Sphere on a guitar next to a fiddle that was being recorded with a Royer 121. In post, the model of mic I had chosen for the guitar (the C-12 in cardioid) allowed some unpleasant honky sounding fiddle. With very little effort I changed the polar pattern to figure 8 and implement a low cut filter to diminish the proximity effect cased by that pattern. I still got to use the model I preferred, but was able to almost completely cut out the fiddle. I hadn't noticed it during tracking, and it saved my butt in the mix. I cannot recommend this mic highly enough.
Thank you for your funny but thoroughly spot on assessment of the L22. I bought mine in August 2020 and waited until November for it to arrive due to being back ordered. Understandably so! Since then, I haven’t looked back and it serves exceptionally well on all sources, especially vocals. Meanwhile, my KM-84 and 414-BULS’s sit in their cases. This was a very wise purchase and I highly recommend it to everyone.
Best review yet. I replayed the mic comparisons while wearing headphones and could not tell much of a difference. If anything, some of the original Neumann mics had a slightly deeper tone than the L22 presets had. But WOW! This L22 is fantastic in the way it can emulate these original mics. Hell, it BECAME the mics and did it so convincingly. What a product! (that I can't afford, but still..) And the way that Bandrew was able to set the levels to match both mics was excellent. Great comparison and review!
What I find with the 2 years of using the Sphere L22 is that adding little proximity (in software) helps get the generally more darker qualities out of recordings and perhaps even closer to the original mics. Also UAD Bill Putnam plugin has IMO even better mic emulations ... thoroughly impressed! Thanks Bandrew!!!!
@@Townsendlabs, one cannot appreciate these kind of companies enough who actually go on youtube videos and reach out to dedicated youtubers! That's brilliant. This mic will definitely be on my to-buy list. I am a freelance voiceover artist and a podcaster, and wow, this mic seems to be a massive step up from pretty much everything that is available within a reasonable budget without needing to sell a kidney or so... Haven't been this hyped about a mic since the Stellar X2... DEFINITELY looking forward for BJ's review on this one, yeah. Thanks for creating a mic like this. Great for all-around purposes, pretty much. Kudos and respect for that.
I have one and I love it. However.... For VO, there are way too many options. If you are doing pickups and forget to save the configuration, it's impossible to duplicate again. But Mike, I think you would love it.
Some of the emulations are so close that I had to sit with my eyes closed with my audio boosted just so I could tell the difference. That's very impressive.
You can use only one of the diaphragms in the mic. However, it will not then work with the plugin, but it's just a great mic for the price-even if it only had one capsule. In order for it to accurately emulate all those microphones and not sound like that piece of crap from Slate, it has to pick up a 3D sound field. BTW, I think you're almost right about it being the best mic in the world right now. I'd say Soyuz 017 Tube is probably the best sounding mic in currently production if not ever. It is like a U47, ELA M 251, and C-800G had a threesome and the 017 Tube got all the best genes! The emulation on the L22 is pretty good, but so much of the character of that mic comes from the body design, and they can't quite capture that in a different housing. It's still one of my favorite emulations on the L22, though.
I've watched this video a couple of times. When I'm in a treated studio space listening through mastering converters on really expensive monitors, I can hear the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between the L22 and the microphones it models. But sitting here on my apple airpods, I can't tell the difference at all on most of these. That's crazy to me. I really thought the differences were big enough that I'd really be able to tell on my airpod pros, but honestly I can't. A test I've done with the L22 in my studio is to run it through a matched pair of outboard preamps. To my ears, some of those little differences get a lot smaller going this route. You get a lot of life in the signal chain for the plugin to work with. The EQ and saturation seems to behave in a much more nuanced and subtle way. This is a fantastic mic.
This is the review this mic deserves! Excellent job. I was surprised at how different the RE20 emulation sounded to the real dynamic mic. I would have thought they'd have obscured some of the detail and warmed it up a bit. I'm equally surprised at how well the L22 emulates the 416, considering the tremendous differences in build and style. They seem to have got that one spot on along with almost all the others. I love this mic! I don't see myself ever buying any other LDC. So far, I've had the L22 win out over a C12, a U47, and even a C800g in blind test during tracking. This thing is no joke. Erik, Chris, and Julian are doing as much to revolutionize modern recording than the entire team at UAD! Good on you, Spheroids!! [EDIT] In your Overall Thoughts section, you mention using it for VO. That's my primary use for this mic, and I've actually been able to bill a premium to send the raw stereo wav file from the L22 so they can use the plugin to get the sound that works best for the job. Hint: It's usually the Soyuz 017, which is probably the most amazing sounding mic of all the emulations available with the L22 and its best kept secret.
What's really great about this mic is that you can change the 'mic' in post production. I can really see this in home and more budget-friendly studios.
I'm actually suitably impressed. I don't have $1500 for this mic but if I did, it's a no-brainer. The differences between the Townsend's emulation and the original microphone would be dwarfed by the effects of the environment I'd be recording in. It's an extraordinarily capable microphone. Added to my wishlist for when I win the lottery I keep forgetting to enter.
First off thanks for doing this video! This mic is quite impressive. I once did a VO session and the studio used this microphone. It was quite impressive how closely it matches the original mics it tries to emulate. The only thing that I can noticeably and consistently hear when doing the side by side comparisons, is that the Townsend mic always seems to have a little high end or brightness punch when comparing side by side. But again, the software and some slight EQ can take care of that. Brilliant concept. Brilliant mic. Might be time to get one 🙂
Great review!! Bravo. I bought the L22 8 months ago and just loving it. I owned 2 different u87, Tlm170 and others. I still own a Coles 4038 that stays in the box.. I just use the Townsend. So much more versatile. Incredible system.
If there’s any differences between the Sphere and the actual mics we’re talking 1-3%. The average listening audience will not be able to tell or care. I’m picking this mic up soon so can’t wait to try her out.
I think the Townsend does a damn good job at emulating the tone of each microphone. It even manages to capture the same kind of tone with microphones that are much more expensive.
One thing to note, even among the mics the L22 is emulating, it is very rare to find two that sound exactly the same. This is why pro recording engineers will tell you if you want to do true stereo miking or a Decca Tree with two or three mics of the same make and model, you really want to use mics that were all purchased at the same time. In short, the L22 might possibly sound exactly like at least some specimens out there. If you get a vintage mic that has been improperly modded, serviced, or had to be repaired, who knows what you are getting. And hey, they don't make vacuum tubes like they used to...Vintage mics are still cool, but the L22 is an ace up your sleeve.
Thanks Bandrew, what a great comparison / review! You should try the Bill Putnam UAD plugin as I find their mic emulations even better than originally supplied (Towsendlab's) emulations. Elam 251 (both versions) in B. Putnam are the true standouts. Love from Finlandia!
Outstanding Review!!! I just upgraded my main studio equipment and bought this mic to go with a UA x4 and ATC monitors. This mic checked all the boxes for me. I feel much better about my purchase after your review. Now I just have to endure the long wait until it ships.
I'm surprised only 1 Comment mentioned the Slate VMS system. Would love to see you compare these 2 in maybe like a versus series or something. Really appreciate your efforts on these videos. Been watching your channel for a long long time. (If you remember your online streams.)
They aren't even in the same league. That's kind of like comparing a unicycle and an Humvee. The L22 holds its own in the best studios in the world and almost always get chosen over the “real” mic in blind tests when I take it to a tracking session. The L22 is worth 10 or 100 times the price. I’d pick a RØDE NT1 over the VMS in most cases. Seriously. It’s a better mic. Steven Slate’s business model is to steal lunch money from wannabes and he’ll openly joke about it off camera and I’m not afraid to say it. The team at Townsend Labs continue to work with the best companies, studios, and microphones in the industry to continue adding value to this already insanely valuable mic.
Pretty versatile mic and something I'd most definitely look at if I was in the market for numerous classic tones. It could well be a solid purchase and then become common place for smaller studios seeking to get specific tones on a budget. The software alone is a studio weapon allowing for setups never seen before at a low cost. Good stuff!!
I think this microphone is a great example of the inherent characteristics of a microphone, no matter how it is processed it will have a sound to it, just like silk vs aluminum tweeters in speaker design. They just have a sound, and so you must choose the material and design to get the sound you want.
At first I thought "Oh great, another multi pattern all in one budget mic." Oh how wrong I was. This thing costs as much as my last car and I doubt any of my computers could handle the software. But I find myself wanting it nonetheless. Although I'd imagine I'd get super overwhelmed by all the options. Great work, Bandrew. I can't imagine how much work this review was.
I was waiting for this review so bad, sorry man I went ahead and ordered 3 months ago without your approval!😂😂 I have to tell you i love it when a microphone kicks a Newmann in the face , to me the Townsend sounds way better than the actual Newmann!
I was looking through the comments to see if anyone had one, hopefully I can get one soon, if it's good I got a bunch of mics I'm selling to pay back the loan lol
$1'500 for insanely close to some $10'000 microphones? Dang! That's actually quite a steal, even if it requires a plugin in the DAW to work without a Universal Audio interface!
Yeah that’s the real selling point. You get nearly all the way there for a fraction of the cost of one of them, and it’s far more reliable than a 60 year old mic. Not going to be for everyone, but for those who are crazy like some of us and want to play with all the mics, it’s a cheaper way.
@@Podcastage That, and for recording engineers who want to have an extremely compact and versatile mic locker (or expansion to a mic locker) for significantly less money :)
This mic will not get you anywhere near a $10000 dollar microphone.. the only thing faker than this product is the idiot telling you its good. At this point i dont believe podcaststage actually knows how to read a frequency response curve.
@@FoxAboutTown Amazing Every single word of that was wrong. This thing won't perfectly recreate the sound, but it *was* really close, Bandrew is *incredibly* genuine, and no one should rely on a frequency resopnse chart. They're measured at one meter away. I'm muting you, now.
I feel if you were gonna spend 5 digits on a microphone then settling for 'almost as good' was never on the table to begin with... But for everyone else, this seems amazing.
@@freethinksman4393 There is a work around way to print the sound of the mic and it’s emulations in real-time. In any DAW you would create an Aux or Bus track for the input of the Mic and then bus that Aux or Bus channel out to a Audio channel and then record your voice or instrument that way you are getting a printed version of whatever emulation you are using for the recording. That would be one way to get the desired sound on a track done and ready to go and you can tweak it in the mix later for the finish product. That’s just an work around possible way to print. Hope that works for you
Great video and review! I've been waiting for my 2 L22's since June. Looks like they are back on track at Townsend (sending best wishes to all at #TownsendLabs after the fire) and will start shipping in Dec. Your review gave me a practical comparison of the features and for that I thank you!
This is definitely more than a gimmick, and while not perfect emulations, they get you close and make this an extremely versatile mic. First and foremost, it's a good sounding mic. One day, it might be nice to have a comparison between the different mics like this, such as Antelope and Slate, though it seems like a monumental task. Thanks for the review.
I had some doubts about the use case of this thing... until you compared it to the MKH416 ! I do a lot of sound work for a video-maker friend, and it always annoys me when I hear the difference between her voice "on set" (capture with an Oktava MK 012 hypercardioid) and her voiceover (Rode Smartlav+). For a very small youtuber like her, the Townsend mic wouldn't make any sense... But for a larger production, it definitely would ! The results on guitar are impressive too.
its scary how close the L22 gets to the RE 20 sound, that goes for almost every mic you tested the only one i thought didnt quite get to the same sound was the 87, but that 67 was right near spot on
Cant wait till i can afford this beauty. In the end the consumer wouldnt say „hey he didnt use the original u87 on this track“. Biggest win also you can change the mic (tone characteristic color) instantly outside the booth without going in packing the first 5k mic away and smack the other 10k mic on. And so on. Its for much faster work and for more versatility in tone color and characteristic. This will be my first over 1k mic (sitting on the nt1a for recording and sometimes borowing the at2020 u87 or tlm103 from different friends when i can) great review thank you.
I’d like to see a shootout between these two mic modeling systems. I know they work differently and are at different price points, but it would be nice to get an idea of what the extra money for the L22 gets you.
Thank you so much for this! I am totally sold on this mic. Thanks to your review I don't have to sink all of my money into the U67 and will now be able to purchase more gear! At front address, the U67 is spot on. No set u67 sounds the same anyway and I got excited when I couldn't pinpoint a noticeable difference. at 90 degrees I heard a change but I will never record my vocals at 90. You are awesome. I definitely hit that Sub button!
Wow. I’ve actually recorded on this mic for vocals in a studio. Not only do you get all this sexy emulation stuff, but, with its inline software compression, you can go from barely vocalizing to fff and it won’t clip. It’s a ridiculous “mic”. It can’t reject like a 416, but it does get the clean, clear sound. For music recording, I think it’s a no-brained. The engineer at studio I use for that purpose put the U-87 back in the case and uses the L22 exclusively. It’s just so much easier to use. He was riding gain, before, but now he lets the mic and its app do that work. If I were made out of money, I would cut off a limb or two for this mic. But hen I couldn’t hang it.
I just watched a 30 minute video on a microphone that I'll never need or use but man it's crazy what you can do with this thing. I'm sure it's amazing for audio professionals.
This was a very informative and thorough review. The 57 sounded completely different in all addresses. The SM7B very similar dead on, but side and rear address no bueno. The U87ai also similar front on only, side and rear no bueno. The 67 doesnt sound very close to me. Everytime the L22 weirdness could be fixed with EQ. I wish I could hear the nicer mics like 251 or 800g. Thanks again for this excellent comparative analysis.
I could see how this mic would be useful in a studio for overdubbing work allowing you to emulate the tone to match on-set mics without needing all of them to hand but to my ears the originals definitely do a better job at what they were designed for. The SM7B was much better at not picking up your voice from behind when you turned them for example which would make a difference in an interview podcast situation. I like the idea of the mic but I do agree with a couple of the other comments that on video it looks like a cheaper mic which is another downside and reason to only use it in a studio where it can be useful but not seen by an audience. Overall great video as ever Bandrew!
I LOVE the idea of a modeling mic and since i use an ISOVOX, having the option to include that into the simulation is so interesting right now that i really want to have this mic :D ... i had the slate ml1 already and right now i use a Antelope Edge duo ... how do they compare ?
That was a really terrific review Bandrew! I don't know much about how Mics operate or what makes one better than the other. However, the Sphere L22 appears to be an amazing Mic for the money considering all of the Mics that it can closely emulate.... 👍👍🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤👍👍
Very interesting comparison. What surprised me is the 416 and the Sphere. To my ears, they sounded extremely similar. I'm very familiar with and love the 416 as I worked with one for years during my time in L.A. radio. The U87 and the L22...... ZERO difference (to my ears) and that's a blind test tried several times over. Again NO DIFFERENCE from what I can hear. I'll add to that that I'm not comparing in a treated room with studio monitors or fine earphones - just a good desktop set of speakers. The similar sound quality could convince a number of people in getting the Sphere for half the price - PLUS a lot of other mikes to custom fit your voice! As for the $7000 Neumann compared to the L22, I BARELY heard (blind test) a very, very slight high end improvement with the L22 - almost insignificant! Would I buy the Sphere L22? You bet!!!! Like you said, the PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE mikes are right there wrapped up into one compact bundle! I've always wanted to hear how good this mike was and now I know it's excellent. Anyone who is a pro and wants to compete with the big boys should consider this mike as opposed to the originals!!!!!!!!!! (They should also listen to your other tests of less expensive (well below the $1500 Sphere price) mikes in comparison to the big boys - some shocking bargin factors there!!!!) Thanks for the test!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I agree that for the typical listener listening on speakers they will never notice the difference between this and the U87. They probably wouldn't even notice the difference between an AT2020 and the ELAM251. When we buy gear like this, it's to be a more effective tool for us to get our job done efficiently. That should lead to a better sounding recording that achieved quicker, and that's what we should be striving for, but expecting the average person to notice the difference when the majority of them listen through their phone speakers would be a waste of energy. I agree the budget mics out there can give people fantastic sound quality. Thanks again.
Thank you for this incredible review, you did a great job i will definitely buy Townsend mic since i have UAD Apollo and i have needed plugin. Great job, thank you. I subscribed also .
This mic for recording, studio stuff is amazing!!! For podcast stuff it's overkill! You don't need more than an a SM7B+Cloudlifter or an EVRE20+Cloudlifter really! But for studio recording, this is an amazing piece of kit, and every studio should have one really! That's how good it is! It is THE BEST digital emulation mic out there! It's better than the Slate or Antelope mics for sure! Not by much mind you, for what it does, and the ability to use 2 mics makes it by far the better choice! And on top of that, overall, it sounds a little bit better than the other 2 for sound quality!
Great review Bandrew. I'm really thinking of saving up now. What about external mix pres? Would you have to use them in an insert? Btw. I think the emulations were great. The one and only drawback is, that even by now having a ton of great sounding simulations at your hand, you still have one mic :).
It's not even worth the time, to be honest. They don't compare. Check this video out: czcams.com/video/7yMvjfIwKeU/video.html All three of the other mics are very close in detail, depth, character, etc., but the Slate sticks out like a sore thumb. It sounds cramped and awful. It was the only one I could easily say sounded massively different. They're not even in the same class. The Slate thingy is toy designed to steal lunch money from wannabe engineers. That's what Slate does. The L22 is not just twice the mic. It's hundreds of times more useful. The software is absolutely amazing, and they keep making it better. It's the best money I ever spent on kit. The couple of people I've known who've bought the VMS took a hit when they went to sell the junk. If you insist on buying one, there are usually lots of people wanting to get rid of them, so get it used! But I highly recommend saving/spending the extra money for the Sphere.
I feel like you could say that about all the originals being compared against the L22 emulations. While the L22 did really good emulating the characteristics of all the different mics, it still had this weird mid thing going on, it was muddying the emulations kind of.
@@somberone8259 This is exactly my experience when testing emulation mics. It doesn't seem like a big deal when just listening to shootouts, but once you start trying to mix a vocal recorded on one of these things, the mids just don't cut through. I would imagine something like the Mojave 201 would be better in most cases than any of these emulations for half the price.
I appreciate you doing basically a brief spoken word comparison other than a few seconds towards the end, but it would be very helpful to actually hear comparisons of the Townsend emulations and your 67 and 87 with you singing along to your acoustic for more than a few seconds which would allow us to more easily discern the differences in tone and dimension in the context more will use the mic for than voice over. Any chance you can do a singing comparison of the townsend and classic mic's ? Thanks!
Yeah, it is ML-1, and for what I can tell, it is a great mic with high end emulations of the modeling vintages included in the package. Very affordable. I just got one last month at a very discounted price.
Great video. I have a question about the dual function. When they record opera singers they usually use 2 to 3 mics. two of the same with a distant between them to give it a wider sound and often 1 small one in the middle for diction. Does this mic in dual give the same effect as it is used for opera singers? --- Normally when you double a voice it is a copy and that doesn't sound that well. With 2 mics there is always a delay from one to the other what sounds more natural. Just wondering if this mic does that
Whoops! Didn't know you'd reviewed this mic. Just left a comment related to it (about the L22 plugin, anyway) at your Apollo Twin review. Sorry for (semi) crosspost! 🥵
Excellent video, thank you! Are there any popular music recordings that use this mic for the lead vocal so we can hear it in the final song production?
Yes! You can watch this video where Jason Goldberg tells how he used the L22 and the UAD emulation of the Neve 88RS to punch in part of a verse that was recorded on a Sony C-800G (around $15K for a good one) and an analog Neve 88RS console for Rich the Kid's "Money Talk". Here's him talking about not being able to hear the difference and verifying that it was the C-800G that was used originally. czcams.com/video/Fkn42q57oiA/video.html
Pretty darn good, and if you weren't flipping back and forth like that, you wouldn't be dissapointed in the sound. But theres an obvious difference in the top end always in the shootouts, with the emulations sounding a bit bright and spikey up on the silblance end. It's puzzling that with it being fairly audible, that the modelling process doesnt seem to pick up that difference and attenuate.
Pretty amazing! I could hear a difference in about half of the examples, and it was in the robustness of the low mids and lows. Im wondering if this could be compensated for by adjusting the proximity on the plug in?
Even if you were interested in buying any of the actual gold standard classics, this would still be a killer way to shoot them out with your voice and narrow down your selection. Why buy (and sell) a U-47 style mic when you really wanted an AKG C-12? Interestingly I almost always think this mic sounds better with zero emulations. Shows what I know... : )
Thank you so much Bandrew for this spectacular review. We're blown away!
My pleasure. Great work on the microphone. It's awesome that y'all are making these legendary mics accessible to more people to create stuff with. Keep up the awesome work.
Take my money.... just looking for a distributor here in Norway now!
Am past frustrated, I am pissed with the whole process. Am close to saying hell with it all.
@@militarymindentertainment4950 Hello I’m Erik. I am responsible for all delivery times and production at Townsend Labs. I’m on the west coast and would like to speak with you. My personal mobile number is 408-858-0545. -Erik Papp I have some meetings and suggest texting to set up a call.
Hi, just a cuestion, if i Buy it.. the mic emulations from UAD are free? or i have to buy it to? i have an Apollo Twin Duo.
I had heard good things about the Sphere L22, but wow - I'm impressed at how well it emulates most of the others!
Maybe a review?
@@ndavies8 I'd love to if I could get my hands on one.
Tha Juddmeister!
@Curtis Judd you should do the M/S review with 2 x Townsend lab L22... Changing centre mic from Hyper-cardioid via cardioid , omni to fig 8 🙂
I had a bad attitude with emulating mics and I hated the Slate that my friend had. I thought emulating mics don't have soul. After hearing everybody saying how freakin' amazing the Sphere is, I went and bought it. Now, it's one of the coolest things I've had. Just used it today in stereo mode for drum overheads and it's the best overhead sound I've ever recorded.
to me its not about whether it sounds like the original mic.. its always about what sounds the best with a particular voice or sound source.. and being able to audition that many colors, make that change with a few mouse clicks and just move on with sound capture beats all the mic lockers in my world. Huge time saver!
Agreed! I have a few of the original large diaphragm mics and while the emulations are certainly close, I couldn't care less about how accurate they actually are. The emulations all sound good by themselves, but I would like the mic just as much if none of the originals were identified. They all sound great all by themselves. The ability to change the sound of the microphone in post without EQing and being able to change the polar patterns makes it a complete game changer for me. I do miss the discipline and forethought that came with having to commit to sounds to tape in the olden days (I've been a professional engineer for 32 years). It forced an engineer to really think about what was being captured, especially when multiple mics were bussed to single tape tracks. Limitations made engineers think about things that they don't consider any more until the mix. But sometimes it's amazing to have virtually unlimited tracks and unlimited processing. It lets the engineer take chances that he/ she might not have taken in the past. The Sphere lets you do that with mic positioning now. It's almost inconceivable! (and I do think that word means what I think it means) that you have that ability in post. It's like selecting what a photo should focus on after the fact. If I could swap all my large diaphragm mics for a closet full of L22s I can honestly say I would do it. In a heartbeat. Now I just hope they work on a small diaphragm version, a dynamic version, and a ribbon version! And if you're reading this Townsend- making all of the same models available for Pro Tools HDX that are available for UAD would really, really nice. I have actuallly considered purchasing a seat of UAD just so I could have more variation. Please!
Great review. The one thing to remember about modeling dynamic and ribbon mics is that the L22 is a condenser. It's not just different components that distinguish the mics. They operate using completely different acoustic principles. Head to head comparisons with other large diaphragm condenser mics is where the accuracy should really be judged. Full disclaimer: I have owned this mic for almost 3 years. I have a good mic locker with several other high-end mics it intends to emulate. I have been pleasantly surprised at how well it recreates some of them, but unless you're meaning to punch in over an existing track recorded with one of the mics it models, the accuracy is important only from the standpoint of marketing and proving it can sound like other mics. The fact is that regardless of how well it recreates another mic, the sounds available are simply amazing in and of themselves. The fact that I would use it to re-record parts of a take that was recorded on an an original isn't important. What is important is how good the mic sounds. What is even more important is what you can do with the recording in post. Being able to record in stereo, change the polar pattern to accommodate off axis sounds from other sources in the room makes this worth the asking price all by itself. I recorded a bluegrass band arranged in a large semi-cirle with the Sphere on a guitar next to a fiddle that was being recorded with a Royer 121. In post, the model of mic I had chosen for the guitar (the C-12 in cardioid) allowed some unpleasant honky sounding fiddle. With very little effort I changed the polar pattern to figure 8 and implement a low cut filter to diminish the proximity effect cased by that pattern. I still got to use the model I preferred, but was able to almost completely cut out the fiddle. I hadn't noticed it during tracking, and it saved my butt in the mix. I cannot recommend this mic highly enough.
LMAO I WAS JUST LOOKING A THIS MIC ON SWEETWATER AND THOUGHT "have Podcastage done a review of it?"
My mind reading skills have reached a new level! EXCELLENT!
I just ordered this microphone a week ago! Man, I was so excited when I saw this video. Still waiting for it to come back In stock.
Thank you for your funny but thoroughly spot on assessment of the L22.
I bought mine in August 2020 and waited until November for it to arrive due to being back ordered.
Understandably so! Since then, I haven’t looked back and it serves exceptionally well on all sources,
especially vocals. Meanwhile, my KM-84 and 414-BULS’s sit in their cases.
This was a very wise purchase and I highly recommend it to everyone.
Best review yet. I replayed the mic comparisons while wearing headphones and could not tell much of a difference. If anything, some of the original Neumann mics had a slightly deeper tone than the L22 presets had.
But WOW! This L22 is fantastic in the way it can emulate these original mics. Hell, it BECAME the mics and did it so convincingly. What a product! (that I can't afford, but still..)
And the way that Bandrew was able to set the levels to match both mics was excellent. Great comparison and review!
absolutely agreed! The Neumann's had a slightly deeper Tone and more depth
What I find with the 2 years of using the Sphere L22 is that adding little proximity (in software) helps get the generally more darker qualities out of recordings and perhaps even closer to the original mics. Also UAD Bill Putnam plugin has IMO even better mic emulations ... thoroughly impressed! Thanks Bandrew!!!!
Holy shit... This thing is IMPRESSIVE when it comes to the emulations of those other mics!
I am looking forward to this!!!
I’ll wait your review then 😂
Please send me an email to julian@townsendlabs.com so we can get you a mic to review. - Julian
@@Townsendlabs, one cannot appreciate these kind of companies enough who actually go on youtube videos and reach out to dedicated youtubers! That's brilliant. This mic will definitely be on my to-buy list. I am a freelance voiceover artist and a podcaster, and wow, this mic seems to be a massive step up from pretty much everything that is available within a reasonable budget without needing to sell a kidney or so... Haven't been this hyped about a mic since the Stellar X2... DEFINITELY looking forward for BJ's review on this one, yeah. Thanks for creating a mic like this. Great for all-around purposes, pretty much. Kudos and respect for that.
Oh, you’re baaaaack, hope to see new vids from you man.
I have one and I love it. However.... For VO, there are way too many options. If you are doing pickups and forget to save the configuration, it's impossible to duplicate again. But Mike, I think you would love it.
Some of the emulations are so close that I had to sit with my eyes closed with my audio boosted just so I could tell the difference. That's very impressive.
This is the best mic in the world right now imo. really wish they could have made it only use 1 xlr as an option for single mic recordings.
You can use only one of the diaphragms in the mic. However, it will not then work with the plugin, but it's just a great mic for the price-even if it only had one capsule. In order for it to accurately emulate all those microphones and not sound like that piece of crap from Slate, it has to pick up a 3D sound field. BTW, I think you're almost right about it being the best mic in the world right now. I'd say Soyuz 017 Tube is probably the best sounding mic in currently production if not ever. It is like a U47, ELA M 251, and C-800G had a threesome and the 017 Tube got all the best genes! The emulation on the L22 is pretty good, but so much of the character of that mic comes from the body design, and they can't quite capture that in a different housing. It's still one of my favorite emulations on the L22, though.
Just ordered one after six years of admiring it in the display window. Can. Not. Wait!
I've watched this video a couple of times. When I'm in a treated studio space listening through mastering converters on really expensive monitors, I can hear the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between the L22 and the microphones it models. But sitting here on my apple airpods, I can't tell the difference at all on most of these. That's crazy to me. I really thought the differences were big enough that I'd really be able to tell on my airpod pros, but honestly I can't.
A test I've done with the L22 in my studio is to run it through a matched pair of outboard preamps. To my ears, some of those little differences get a lot smaller going this route. You get a lot of life in the signal chain for the plugin to work with. The EQ and saturation seems to behave in a much more nuanced and subtle way.
This is a fantastic mic.
This is the review this mic deserves! Excellent job. I was surprised at how different the RE20 emulation sounded to the real dynamic mic. I would have thought they'd have obscured some of the detail and warmed it up a bit. I'm equally surprised at how well the L22 emulates the 416, considering the tremendous differences in build and style. They seem to have got that one spot on along with almost all the others. I love this mic! I don't see myself ever buying any other LDC. So far, I've had the L22 win out over a C12, a U47, and even a C800g in blind test during tracking. This thing is no joke. Erik, Chris, and Julian are doing as much to revolutionize modern recording than the entire team at UAD! Good on you, Spheroids!!
[EDIT] In your Overall Thoughts section, you mention using it for VO. That's my primary use for this mic, and I've actually been able to bill a premium to send the raw stereo wav file from the L22 so they can use the plugin to get the sound that works best for the job. Hint: It's usually the Soyuz 017, which is probably the most amazing sounding mic of all the emulations available with the L22 and its best kept secret.
Literally no place I ever need to check when I need mic info. You're the goat.
Thanks for still making videos during these times Bandrew! Really love watching any of your content!
never miss a Podcastage video!
AMAZING HARD WORK ! not my type of mic but I'm impressed by the energy you put in your review
What's really great about this mic is that you can change the 'mic' in post production. I can really see this in home and more budget-friendly studios.
I'm actually suitably impressed. I don't have $1500 for this mic but if I did, it's a no-brainer. The differences between the Townsend's emulation and the original microphone would be dwarfed by the effects of the environment I'd be recording in. It's an extraordinarily capable microphone. Added to my wishlist for when I win the lottery I keep forgetting to enter.
First off thanks for doing this video! This mic is quite impressive. I once did a VO session and the studio used this microphone. It was quite impressive how closely it matches the original mics it tries to emulate.
The only thing that I can noticeably and consistently hear when doing the side by side comparisons, is that the Townsend mic always seems to have a little high end or brightness punch when comparing side by side. But again, the software and some slight EQ can take care of that.
Brilliant concept. Brilliant mic.
Might be time to get one 🙂
move the 'Axis' control left a bit in the software settings and you will smile again...
Great review!! Bravo. I bought the L22 8 months ago and just loving it. I owned 2 different u87, Tlm170 and others. I still own a Coles 4038 that stays in the box.. I just use the Townsend. So much more versatile. Incredible system.
If there’s any differences between the Sphere and the actual mics we’re talking 1-3%. The average listening audience will not be able to tell or care. I’m picking this mic up soon so can’t wait to try her out.
Thank you for your great videos, always made the right technical choices for my live sterams thanks you your great expertise.
Been waiting for this, thank you!!!!!
that is actually mind blowing how good the emulation is.
I think the Townsend does a damn good job at emulating the tone of each microphone. It even manages to capture the same kind of tone with microphones that are much more expensive.
I'm 4 days into my L22 and this really helped me a lot!! I'm blown away with the mic and your review has made me more excited!! Thank you.
I've been watching you for years and finally you reviewed my microphone! ^^
One thing to note, even among the mics the L22 is emulating, it is very rare to find two that sound exactly the same. This is why pro recording engineers will tell you if you want to do true stereo miking or a Decca Tree with two or three mics of the same make and model, you really want to use mics that were all purchased at the same time. In short, the L22 might possibly sound exactly like at least some specimens out there. If you get a vintage mic that has been improperly modded, serviced, or had to be repaired, who knows what you are getting. And hey, they don't make vacuum tubes like they used to...Vintage mics are still cool, but the L22 is an ace up your sleeve.
Now we're talking! Great review of an awe-inspiring piece of technology. Also, the mic is great. 🎙️
Thanks Bandrew, what a great comparison / review! You should try the Bill Putnam UAD plugin as I find their mic emulations even better than originally supplied (Towsendlab's) emulations. Elam 251 (both versions) in B. Putnam are the true standouts. Love from Finlandia!
Outstanding Review!!! I just upgraded my main studio equipment and bought this mic to go with a UA x4 and ATC monitors. This mic checked all the boxes for me. I feel much better about my purchase after your review. Now I just have to endure the long wait until it ships.
That’s quite an amazing setup you’ve got there!
I'm surprised only 1 Comment mentioned the Slate VMS system.
Would love to see you compare these 2 in maybe like a versus series or something.
Really appreciate your efforts on these videos.
Been watching your channel for a long long time. (If you remember your online streams.)
They aren't even in the same league. That's kind of like comparing a unicycle and an Humvee. The L22 holds its own in the best studios in the world and almost always get chosen over the “real” mic in blind tests when I take it to a tracking session. The L22 is worth 10 or 100 times the price. I’d pick a RØDE NT1 over the VMS in most cases. Seriously. It’s a better mic. Steven Slate’s business model is to steal lunch money from wannabes and he’ll openly joke about it off camera and I’m not afraid to say it. The team at Townsend Labs continue to work with the best companies, studios, and microphones in the industry to continue adding value to this already insanely valuable mic.
Pretty versatile mic and something I'd most definitely look at if I was in the market for numerous classic tones. It could well be a solid purchase and then become common place for smaller studios seeking to get specific tones on a budget. The software alone is a studio weapon allowing for setups never seen before at a low cost. Good stuff!!
I think this microphone is a great example of the inherent characteristics of a microphone, no matter how it is processed it will have a sound to it, just like silk vs aluminum tweeters in speaker design. They just have a sound, and so you must choose the material and design to get the sound you want.
That's my individual mics still exist. As good as modeling mics get, they won't be able to replace the actual thing.
At first I thought "Oh great, another multi pattern all in one budget mic."
Oh how wrong I was. This thing costs as much as my last car and I doubt any of my computers could handle the software. But I find myself wanting it nonetheless. Although I'd imagine I'd get super overwhelmed by all the options.
Great work, Bandrew. I can't imagine how much work this review was.
I watched this video several times before purchase before I realized the video is an informercial, and I have a mic to return. “That’s pretty rad!”
Impressive review Brandew...just what I was looking for...Thank you!
I was waiting for this review so bad, sorry man I went ahead and ordered 3 months ago without your approval!😂😂 I have to tell you i love it when a microphone kicks a Newmann in the face , to me the Townsend sounds way better than the actual Newmann!
I was looking through the comments to see if anyone had one, hopefully I can get one soon, if it's good I got a bunch of mics I'm selling to pay back the loan lol
$1'500 for insanely close to some $10'000 microphones? Dang! That's actually quite a steal, even if it requires a plugin in the DAW to work without a Universal Audio interface!
Yeah that’s the real selling point. You get nearly all the way there for a fraction of the cost of one of them, and it’s far more reliable than a 60 year old mic. Not going to be for everyone, but for those who are crazy like some of us and want to play with all the mics, it’s a cheaper way.
@@Podcastage That, and for recording engineers who want to have an extremely compact and versatile mic locker (or expansion to a mic locker) for significantly less money :)
This mic will not get you anywhere near a $10000 dollar microphone.. the only thing faker than this product is the idiot telling you its good.
At this point i dont believe podcaststage actually knows how to read a frequency response curve.
@@FoxAboutTown Amazing Every single word of that was wrong. This thing won't perfectly recreate the sound, but it *was* really close, Bandrew is *incredibly* genuine, and no one should rely on a frequency resopnse chart. They're measured at one meter away. I'm muting you, now.
@@xHadesStamps “im muting you, now” - The mark of a true fan boy
I feel if you were gonna spend 5 digits on a microphone then settling for 'almost as good' was never on the table to begin with... But for everyone else, this seems amazing.
As well as a Sphere L22, I have 5 various U87s (3 from
@@freethinksman4393 There is a work around way to print the sound of the mic and it’s emulations in real-time. In any DAW you would create an Aux or Bus track for the input of the Mic and then bus that Aux or Bus channel out to a Audio channel and then record your voice or instrument that way you are getting a printed version of whatever emulation you are using for the recording. That would be one way to get the desired sound on a track done and ready to go and you can tweak it in the mix later for the finish product. That’s just an work around possible way to print. Hope that works for you
This is great microphone. Thank you Bandrew for your great review. Very useful for me
Great video and review! I've been waiting for my 2 L22's since June. Looks like they are back on track at Townsend (sending best wishes to all at #TownsendLabs after the fire) and will start shipping in Dec. Your review gave me a practical comparison of the features and for that I thank you!
This is an absolutely wonderful review of an excellent product! Thank you kindly. Continue in excellence! Cheers!!!
the sm7B who emulate the sm7b is very realistic 😀 great review and great mic
This is definitely more than a gimmick, and while not perfect emulations, they get you close and make this an extremely versatile mic. First and foremost, it's a good sounding mic. One day, it might be nice to have a comparison between the different mics like this, such as Antelope and Slate, though it seems like a monumental task. Thanks for the review.
Can't wait for the Antelope Edge equivalent. Modeling has come such a long way. Modeling amps... Pianos... It's good stuff.
I had some doubts about the use case of this thing... until you compared it to the MKH416 ! I do a lot of sound work for a video-maker friend, and it always annoys me when I hear the difference between her voice "on set" (capture with an Oktava MK 012 hypercardioid) and her voiceover (Rode Smartlav+).
For a very small youtuber like her, the Townsend mic wouldn't make any sense... But for a larger production, it definitely would !
The results on guitar are impressive too.
Great review, greta job. Was glad to come across your tests. Thanks for posting!
holy MOLY that is accurate! I'm blown away... incredible review and test and info thank you so much
its scary how close the L22 gets to the RE 20 sound, that goes for almost every mic you tested
the only one i thought didnt quite get to the same sound was the 87, but that 67 was right near spot on
The real re20 is more scooped
Glad you did 90 degrees off axis. It sounds similar from the front but very different from the side.
Cant wait till i can afford this beauty. In the end the consumer wouldnt say „hey he didnt use the original u87 on this track“. Biggest win also you can change the mic (tone characteristic color) instantly outside the booth without going in packing the first 5k mic away and smack the other 10k mic on. And so on. Its for much faster work and for more versatility in tone color and characteristic. This will be my first over 1k mic (sitting on the nt1a for recording and sometimes borowing the at2020 u87 or tlm103 from different friends when i can) great review thank you.
Great review. Thank you.
I am using ML-1 by slate digital, very happy with the outcome and emulations are great too. affordable too.
I’d like to see a shootout between these two mic modeling systems. I know they work differently and are at different price points, but it would be nice to get an idea of what the extra money for the L22 gets you.
Very nice demonstration video, and loved the sincerity of your overall thoughts. No doubt this is a great tool for musicians, producers and engineers.
One of the most informative gear videos I have seen in a very long while. Well done 👍🏼
Thank you so much for this! I am totally sold on this mic. Thanks to your review I don't have to sink all of my money into the U67 and will now be able to purchase more gear! At front address, the U67 is spot on. No set u67 sounds the same anyway and I got excited when I couldn't pinpoint a noticeable difference. at 90 degrees I heard a change but I will never record my vocals at 90. You are awesome. I definitely hit that Sub button!
Wow. I’ve actually recorded on this mic for vocals in a studio. Not only do you get all this sexy emulation stuff, but, with its inline software compression, you can go from barely vocalizing to fff and it won’t clip. It’s a ridiculous “mic”. It can’t reject like a 416, but it does get the clean,
clear sound. For music recording, I think it’s a no-brained. The engineer at studio I use for that purpose put the U-87 back in the case and uses the L22 exclusively. It’s just so much easier to use. He was riding gain, before, but now he lets the mic and its app do that work.
If I were made out of money, I would cut off a limb or two for this mic. But hen I couldn’t hang it.
Literally couldn't hear a difference at all with the U67...blown away
I just watched a 30 minute video on a microphone that I'll never need or use but man it's crazy what you can do with this thing. I'm sure it's amazing for audio professionals.
This was a very informative and thorough review. The 57 sounded completely different in all addresses. The SM7B very similar dead on, but side and rear address no bueno. The U87ai also similar front on only, side and rear no bueno. The 67 doesnt sound very close to me. Everytime the L22 weirdness could be fixed with EQ. I wish I could hear the nicer mics like 251 or 800g. Thanks again for this excellent comparative analysis.
I purchased two Townsend mics, going through the ApoIIo is the way to go!
4 month wait (or better) on the sphere right now according to my Sweetwater rep.
I think the L22 sounded better than the original mics.
I could see how this mic would be useful in a studio for overdubbing work allowing you to emulate the tone to match on-set mics without needing all of them to hand but to my ears the originals definitely do a better job at what they were designed for. The SM7B was much better at not picking up your voice from behind when you turned them for example which would make a difference in an interview podcast situation. I like the idea of the mic but I do agree with a couple of the other comments that on video it looks like a cheaper mic which is another downside and reason to only use it in a studio where it can be useful but not seen by an audience. Overall great video as ever Bandrew!
1:08 Didn't know he had a front door
I LOVE the idea of a modeling mic and since i use an ISOVOX, having the option to include that into the simulation is so interesting right now that i really want to have this mic :D ... i had the slate ml1 already and right now i use a Antelope Edge duo ... how do they compare ?
That was a really terrific review Bandrew! I don't know much about how Mics operate or what makes one better than the other. However, the Sphere L22 appears to be an amazing Mic for the money considering all of the Mics that it can closely emulate.... 👍👍🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤👍👍
Very interesting comparison. What surprised me is the 416 and the Sphere. To my ears, they sounded extremely similar. I'm very familiar with and love the 416 as I worked with one for years during my time in L.A. radio. The U87 and the L22...... ZERO difference (to my ears) and that's a blind test tried several times over. Again NO DIFFERENCE from what I can hear. I'll add to that that I'm not comparing in a treated room with studio monitors or fine earphones - just a good desktop set of speakers. The similar sound quality could convince a number of people in getting the Sphere for half the price - PLUS a lot of other mikes to custom fit your voice! As for the $7000 Neumann compared to the L22, I BARELY heard (blind test) a very, very slight high end improvement with the L22 - almost insignificant! Would I buy the Sphere L22? You bet!!!! Like you said, the PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE mikes are right there wrapped up into one compact bundle! I've always wanted to hear how good this mike was and now I know it's excellent. Anyone who is a pro and wants to compete with the big boys should consider this mike as opposed to the originals!!!!!!!!!! (They should also listen to your other tests of less expensive (well below the $1500 Sphere price) mikes in comparison to the big boys - some shocking bargin factors there!!!!) Thanks for the test!!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I agree that for the typical listener listening on speakers they will never notice the difference between this and the U87. They probably wouldn't even notice the difference between an AT2020 and the ELAM251. When we buy gear like this, it's to be a more effective tool for us to get our job done efficiently. That should lead to a better sounding recording that achieved quicker, and that's what we should be striving for, but expecting the average person to notice the difference when the majority of them listen through their phone speakers would be a waste of energy. I agree the budget mics out there can give people fantastic sound quality. Thanks again.
@@Podcastage Lots of "Thank You's" here!!!!!! I actually enjoy you additional comments and completely agree!!!!! LOL!!!!
Thank you for this incredible review, you did a great job i will definitely buy Townsend mic since i have UAD Apollo and i have needed plugin. Great job, thank you. I subscribed also .
One of the most interesting piece of gear in my opinion. Thanks for the great video... ✌🏼
This mic for recording, studio stuff is amazing!!! For podcast stuff it's overkill! You don't need more than an a SM7B+Cloudlifter or an EVRE20+Cloudlifter really! But for studio recording, this is an amazing piece of kit, and every studio should have one really! That's how good it is! It is THE BEST digital emulation mic out there! It's better than the Slate or Antelope mics for sure! Not by much mind you, for what it does, and the ability to use 2 mics makes it by far the better choice! And on top of that, overall, it sounds a little bit better than the other 2 for sound quality!
Great review Bandrew. I'm really thinking of saving up now. What about external mix pres? Would you have to use them in an insert?
Btw. I think the emulations were great. The one and only drawback is, that even by now having a ton of great sounding simulations at your hand, you still have one mic :).
Should get mine this month, with my new Apollo x4
So, you did the Edge Go a while back... what are your thoughts on the emulations compared to Antelope or Slate?
Antelope solo mic model with all its emulations is also a top choice!
Can you do a review on the slate digital vms ml-1 mic?
It's not even worth the time, to be honest. They don't compare. Check this video out: czcams.com/video/7yMvjfIwKeU/video.html
All three of the other mics are very close in detail, depth, character, etc., but the Slate sticks out like a sore thumb. It sounds cramped and awful. It was the only one I could easily say sounded massively different. They're not even in the same class. The Slate thingy is toy designed to steal lunch money from wannabe engineers. That's what Slate does. The L22 is not just twice the mic. It's hundreds of times more useful. The software is absolutely amazing, and they keep making it better. It's the best money I ever spent on kit. The couple of people I've known who've bought the VMS took a hit when they went to sell the junk. If you insist on buying one, there are usually lots of people wanting to get rid of them, so get it used! But I highly recommend saving/spending the extra money for the Sphere.
Not even close
i think the details of the neumanns where significant better.
I feel like you could say that about all the originals being compared against the L22 emulations. While the L22 did really good emulating the characteristics of all the different mics, it still had this weird mid thing going on, it was muddying the emulations kind of.
@@somberone8259 This is exactly my experience when testing emulation mics. It doesn't seem like a big deal when just listening to shootouts, but once you start trying to mix a vocal recorded on one of these things, the mids just don't cut through. I would imagine something like the Mojave 201 would be better in most cases than any of these emulations for half the price.
@@LonelyBunker exactly
Just ordered mine...will be living next to my M 149, Pair of KM 84s etc.......
Thank you for this amazing work. The Townsend is very bright. It's something that I don't like. Those sssss's pop up more against each originals.
@@FoxAboutTown to be fair, I don’t think “sillibant” is in anyone’s vocabulary
Impressive.....I would consider picking one up if/when I could.
pls do a review of the AKG P820
Townsend wins!! it is sooo damn GOOD, however i need to sale my kidney to be able to buy that Mic ... thanks Bandrew!
Kidneys are overrated 😎
@@Townsendlabs lol, waiting to get free stuff from you guys! who knows you might donate a refurbished one to this poor teacher
I appreciate you doing basically a brief spoken word comparison other than a few seconds towards the end, but it would be very helpful to actually hear comparisons of the Townsend emulations and your 67 and 87 with you singing along to your acoustic for more than a few seconds which would allow us to more easily discern the differences in tone and dimension in the context more will use the mic for than voice over. Any chance you can do a singing comparison of the townsend and classic mic's ? Thanks!
What about the slate digital mic that does the same thing but cheaper? I think it's called the ML1. Would like to see a comparison.
Yeah, it is ML-1, and for what I can tell, it is a great mic with high end emulations of the modeling vintages included in the package. Very affordable. I just got one last month at a very discounted price.
Great video. I have a question about the dual function. When they record opera singers they usually use 2 to 3 mics. two of the same with a distant between them to give it a wider sound and often 1 small one in the middle for diction. Does this mic in dual give the same effect as it is used for opera singers? --- Normally when you double a voice it is a copy and that doesn't sound that well. With 2 mics there is always a delay from one to the other what sounds more natural. Just wondering if this mic does that
30 mics and more in one mic!
Damnit, that's better than Nescafe 3 in 1.
What a great deal!
But will anything ever truly be better than a Nescafé 3 in 1?
Whoops! Didn't know you'd reviewed this mic. Just left a comment related to it (about the L22 plugin, anyway) at your Apollo Twin review. Sorry for (semi) crosspost!
🥵
Great review! I’m 100% sold on this mic lol
Didn't know if you knew that Techzone announced the new Stellar x3 microphone and it looks pretty promising!
Nice piece of gear and Nice Demo Well done!
Excellent video, thank you! Are there any popular music recordings that use this mic for the lead vocal so we can hear it in the final song production?
Yes! You can watch this video where Jason Goldberg tells how he used the L22 and the UAD emulation of the Neve 88RS to punch in part of a verse that was recorded on a Sony C-800G (around $15K for a good one) and an analog Neve 88RS console for Rich the Kid's "Money Talk". Here's him talking about not being able to hear the difference and verifying that it was the C-800G that was used originally. czcams.com/video/Fkn42q57oiA/video.html
When you get a chance please do a mic comparison between the Sennheiser e965 and the Shure Ksm32
Pretty darn good, and if you weren't flipping back and forth like that, you wouldn't be dissapointed in the sound. But theres an obvious difference in the top end always in the shootouts, with the emulations sounding a bit bright and spikey up on the silblance end. It's puzzling that with it being fairly audible, that the modelling process doesnt seem to pick up that difference and attenuate.
move the 'Axis' control left a bit in the software settings and you will smile again...
Pretty amazing! I could hear a difference in about half of the examples, and it was in the robustness of the low mids and lows. Im wondering if this could be compensated for by adjusting the proximity on the plug in?
You are the best mic review channel 😍
Even if you were interested in buying any of the actual gold standard classics, this would still be a killer way to shoot them out with your voice and narrow down your selection. Why buy (and sell) a U-47 style mic when you really wanted an AKG C-12? Interestingly I almost always think this mic sounds better with zero emulations. Shows what I know... : )
Is it just me or did Bandrew seem a little less upbeat than usual for most of this video?