Golden Age Project FC 1 MK II

cardioid condenser used for voice or any other source

OVERALL OPINION

used for 1 year, bought at the same time that 73 of the GAP brand preamp
purchased in addition to a Neumann TLM103 after testing a RODE NT1 much lower in my opinion,
I appreciate his voicing vintage type U87 is less aggressive medium up my TLM 103.
Comparison with the RODE is incommensurate: on one side a warm and silky sound, another sound cartoonish, plastic, aggressive
Dynamics and microphone sensitivity are of course down compared to Neumann, but for the price it is a very good first serious micro (better than the Rode which is almost 2 times more expensive) and also a good second microphone to record two singers at the same time for example if you connect it to a good preamp
In the end, equal to preamp and after compression and adding effects, the quality difference is not huge with Neumann. Certainly not proportional to the price 10 times higher.
Note that I use preamps with relatively good quality, I do not know what he gives on a low-end preamp but I think the difference with the Neumann will be more pronounced.
Given its price, I recommend it to everyone, hard to go wrong because it is widely used as a shure sm57 which costs even more.
The only downside if you can say that, at this price, it's the suspension that inspires confidence through its holding medium and sturdiness but still full time role that does not seek to position the microphone head down.
The microphone did not finish a German but is doing pretty well, he made a 1.5 m drop on carpet "thanks" to its optimized suspension and not hyper fared without hitch.
Personally I resumed a second soon for some taken overhead drum or leslie.
At that price, I will not hesitate no more to take in concert if necessary so that the Neumann stay warm in the studio.