As a condenser microphone, it’ll pick up a much wider range of frequencies compared to the dynamic capsule on the ICON, and so delivers a much truer sound.

Adding the ETHOS and RX 10 Elements to your workflow can give you professional results in a flash, taking your stream to the next level. Focused Pickup: A supercardioid polar pattern allows the ETHOS to pick up primarily what's in front of it (your voice) while rejecting much of the off-axis room reflections and background noise. Regardless, anyone looking to match a darker studio setup with an appropriate matte black mic will be significantly out of pocket. What that means for you is that anything purchased through Front End Audio is guaranteed 100% authentic gear and carries a full manufacturer’s warranty.Burl Audio, under the direction of owner/designer Rich Williams, has developed some of the best new recording equipment over the last eight years. The key comparisons here, however, are made with the broadcast mics I began this article discussing. Recently, I was asked to record a private concert featuring acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Paul Cantelon (who is also an accomplished violinist and composer).

The foam, grille and steel make it unlikely that additional proctection will be needed, even for particularly dynamic voices. With the ETHOS, you sound like you but with the added depth and presence and tone that makes spoken word recordings sound professional. Vintage King co-founder Michael Nehra shares some of his love, knowledge, and practical advice for diving into the world of vintage audio gear, and then takes us behind the scenes for a walk through. It’s this incredible sensitivity, and the impeccable design, that lends it such fantastic transients. My first impressions of the Ethos microphone lined up with the mission statement advertised by Earthworks Audio; to be sophisticated and uncomplicated.It’s also been fine-tuned so that a slight presence boost between 100Hz and 900Hz, and some mild peaks and valleys between 2kHz and 20kHz brings about a much sharper and bolder sound, truly bringing out the best in your voice.

That has more to do with the Ethos being a condenser and the MD 441 a dynamic than with the small difference in polar pattern. Most of the Earthworks Audio microphone range feature a steel finish, so it makes sense for the most prominent model to be cheaper. Our tendency to put up a U87 or even an SM7B ahead of a KM84 when a singer walks into the live room is probably driven as much by habit as by genuine sonic preference — or perhaps by the unconscious expectation that a large and imposing mic will deliver a large and imposing vocal sound. The Ethos is inherently resistant to grip noise and shock thanks to internal damping and rugged stainless steel construction.During my initial analysis of the so far impressive Ethos, the M2-R rotating ball-joint mount stood out as my favorite addition. This is an expensive mic, but it offers a powerful low-end without being muddy, a clear and detailed mid section without sound scooped, and an extended and open top-end without sounding over-boosted or artificial. Based on Earthworks' reputation for building microphones with presence and clarity, the Ethos goes a step further, offering an intimacy and warmth that matches the sound of any voice while anticipating the needs of the sound engineer. That includes PCs, the components inside, and any accessory you can connect to a Windows desktop or Xbox console.