Audix OM3

The Audix OM3 is a handheld microphone designed for live use. It is a vocal microphone, and is a dynamic, so it falls under that overpopulated category. Does the OM3 have a place in a singer's arsenal? The Audix OM3 has a polar pickup pattern of hypercardioid, so by itself, it has a very good rejection of all off axis sounds. However, Audix seems to tighten up polar patterns more than usual for live vocal microphones to reduce bleed, so the Audix OM3, along with all of the other microphones from the OM series, are especially tight, and offer absolutely superb off axis rejection. This makes them rather unsuitable to micing a group of singers, but that was not what they were designed for in the first place. The Audix OM3 has a frequency response from 50 Hz all the way up to 18,000 Hz, far higher than the industry standard SM58's response that only goes up to 15,000 Hz. Audix includes so tagline claims in this as well when they market. They have very low mass microphone diaphragms to increase output levels, and to improve the transient response of the microphone. It also boasts a proprietary anti feedback design, which I am not quite sure what the definition is of, but the shape and taper of the microphone body, along with its finish, is absolutely stunning.

OVERALL OPINION

I think that the problem of the OM3 lies in the fact that I personally do not understand where it fits in the market. It is a flatter version of the OM2, which puts it closer to the OM7, but it includes the slight vocal presence in the middle, making it a slightly more tapered version of the OM7. I do not dislike it, I just do not quite understand where it fits, because it seems to be a toned down version of the OM2, but not so toned down that it is as versatile as the OM7. Either way, one should listen to and try the microphone before making a decision.