Aston Microphones Origin Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone

I've owned it for 8 months now so I think I can give a fair and true review. Too many amazon reviews are given within an hour of opening a box. For anyone condsidering this microphone, they need to know how it holds up under scrutiny and time in a professional use scenario. OK Background: I do professional Voice Over work among other things as an actor. I've recorded in really high end state of the art studios with mics that cost thousands of dollars over the years. I've also had my own home studio for about 8 years and used CAD, GXL, Blue, and other mid - grade mics quite a bit with varying results. All microphones have their pros and cons. As you probably know, you keep the mics that likes your voice, and you use the ones that have the "sound" your looking for in the situation. Every mic has pros, and cons so here's my list for the Aston Origin. PROS: * This microphone has a sound that is warm but very crisp. * There is very little "noise" in the mic. * The proximity effect is good but you don't have to be 2 inches away to get it. * The design is elegant and modern looking so it "feels" very professional and it's full metal construction is rugged * Mounts easily on a standard mic stand due to the mount hole location... so you don't need an extra suspension bracket like other mics. This makes it very efficient and easy to set up in a small space or large and eliminates some hassle. * That makes it easy to mount a pop filter on the mic stand due to the narrow vertical profile created when mounted on top of a mic stand. (see picture above) * The cardioid pattern is very effective at cancelling out background noise, as in better than any I have used that were below $250... but you don't have to stress about being perfectly on axis when speaking to get the full recording spectrum from the diaphragm (Recording element) * Price: This mic has such clarity and detail, I don't think you could find anything better for the price. If you are ready for a true professional mic but don't want to spend more than $300 then this your best option that I know of after all my research. * Handles gain very well (which also has to do with your Preamps), but doing Voice overs I never have to push my vocals and so subtle sounds are clear and present in the recording. CONS: * No USB mount so you gotta have the right XLR / pro sound setup to use it * Single Pattern * A bit heavy which could be a pro depending on how you look at it. * I can't speak to it's ability to handle singing vocals. Sorry I have not sung into it and recorded the results, other than just playing around. But it's very present so you will need to manage the mixer and input levels to keep it from peaking. Overall this is a fantastic microphone that packs a lot more sound quality than anything I know of in this price range. It's not dirt cheap but there are a lot more expensive options out there and they will honestly give you minimal quality increase over the Aston Origin. I even heard a rumor that the Origin is loved by the great Stevie Wonder. Which may prove that the Aston Origin is holding it's own in home studio and professional studio environments. I'd bet on it against any microphone that is under $1,000 out there. If you aren't looking for one with a "signature" sound which this does but it's not overbearing, then this is a great option for you. Its clarity doesn't sacrifice the wholeness needed to pick up the more emotional nuances of a deeper vocal movement. There could be a bit more "bass" response but it's adequate and you can sweeten it in post and you'll get stellar results. Happy recording.

I owned a professional studio for more than 10 years, and got to know the best mics in the business, in all price ranges. When I was hired to produce an independent album for an artist in Portugal as a freelancer, I needed an all purpose mic that I could travel with and carry around, and record the acoustic guitars that would be the foundation of the songs in different environments, as well as vocals for vocal arrangements that would be created on the fly, before we headed to the studio for the lead vocals (that would be recorded in a much more expensive Soyuz O17). Guess what? All the vocals and guitars recorded with the Origin ended up in the final mixes, with amazing results. I would dare to say that, comparing to the Soyuz, and strictly from an artistic point of view, it wasn't far behind in delivering the right vibe in every way. The low cut switch worked perfectly to suppress street noises such as the low humming of buses nearby. I strongly recommend this mic as a cheap, and versatile condenser option for guitars and vocals. It is very stylish and well constructed as well.

Fantastic detailed sound!

This mic sounds so much better than we expected, what a difference!! So much better than we're used to. We're both blown away and couldn't be happier. Also glad we sprung for the upgrade from the Origin. This has to be one of the best-sounding mics for vocals in this price range. The pickup pattern selectability is great for different setups like solos, duets, and podcasts.

I bought this a few months ago and I must say I'm digging this mic quite a bit for vocal work. It's bright without being harsh - it almost has a ribbon-like quality to the top end that is very pleasing. It works better with a separate pop filter, although the built-in design helps somewhat. The HPF is a bit too high for use with male vocals so I usually leave that off. Having a multi-pattern mic that sounds great for under $400 is a pretty amazing proposition. To make a significant upgrade to my home studio mic would probably cost thousands of dollars. This unit may well be a best-in-price-class piece.

I'm a singer, songwriter, producer who is starting to record music to release for the people to hear, finally. I've been talented since a child and now I really want to showcase my talents. I had a nice microphone before but I wanted something better and clearer. This mic is awesome! I love it! I recorded a song with it recently and I am impressed! This is a great investment for my art! I recommend this mic! Aston is amazing!

I liked this mic when I bought it. Played with it for a few days and then was busy with work. Pulled it out of the box again this weekend to do some recording for a project for my guitar teachers' band. Had this awful noise no matter what I did. Was about ready to throw everything out the window when I decided to try swapping my brand new mic for an AT2035. The noise disappeared. So I did some research online. Lots of people have this problem. If you get your vocals to the right levels, you'll hear very noticeable noise. It sits at around -41 decibels and I'd constant. Makes recordings unusable, and I'd audible behind vocals so even a gate won't fix it. Update: I contacted Aston and they were great to work with. They had me send some audio samples, I compared this with my AT2035 and Rode NT1A. I recorded what was happening and sent it off. They had me try keeping the mic in a box with silica gel (I live in southern Utah, so I was fairly sure humidity was not the problem, but I tried it just in case). Nothing improved, so they sent me a new mic. So far, it's working great. I really do LOVE the sound of this mic, so I hope it continues working for me.

Muy buena calidad quedamos sorprendidos