Since the early days of recording, sound engineers have been searching for the best-sounding mics for recording acoustic instruments and the human voice. The resounding choice of professional recordists around the globe has been the tube condenser microphone. Why? Because nothing compares to the sound captured by a good tube condenser microphone – so open, warm and full of character. But buying a tube mic can wipe out a home-recording budget faster than you can say “phantom power supply.” That’s why we’re so very proud to present our T-1 microphone. This incredible mic exemplifies our commitment to quality and value – now anyone who can afford a decent live microphone can get a studio-grade, tube-powered condenser mic for about the same price.

The sound of tubes is undeniably rich and smooth. At the heart of each T-1 microphone is a hand-selected 12AX7 tube, which has been specifically designed to give this mic its incredible sonic character. One major advantage a tube condenser mic has over its solid-state counterpart – the T-1 is not subject to the rapid rise of odd-order harmonics, which the ear perceives as highly unmusical. Even when subjected to extremely-high sound pressure levels, the T-1 mic reacts in much the same way as the human ear.

Another advantage is that a tube mic typically outperforms transistor designs when it comes to subtle signal levels, such as environmental ambience. The T-1 picks up every nuance of your performance, capturing an openly transparent slice of time and space – with just the right amount of tube warmth. Now you’ll be able to justify that new set of strings for your acoustic guitar (because you’ll hear the difference), and you’ll marvel at the sparkling highlights coming off your wind chimes.

While the T-1 can easily handle input levels as high as 130 dB, it also comes equipped with a switchable -20 dB pad for the extremely-high transients generated by kick-drums, heavy-metal vocalists and mortar launchers. With its 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range, the T-1 can handle all the low-frequency content you’ve got – and still provide the crisp, clean definition your sound source deserves.

Source isolation is a prime concern – both live and in the studio, so the T-1 features a tight cardioid (heart-shaped) pattern, which significantly reduces the pickup of sound from the sides and rear. The included custom shock mount fits all standard microphone stands and provides further isolation from external sources of vibration, such as sounds transmitted through floor joists, outside traffic, etc.