M-Audio Sputnik

M-Audio's Sputnik is a tube condenser microphone that is designed for use inside the recording studio.  It has a switchable polar pick up pattern that includes settings for figure eight, omnidirectional and cardioid.  It comes with a variety of items including a power supply, a shockmount, and a case.

OVERALL OPINION

I first used the M-Audio Sputnik tube condenser microphone a few months ago after hearing some good things about it.  While I wasn't expecting too much from it since it isn't expensive and is made by a company that isn't exactly known for making microphones, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that this is a very good sounding microphone.  I do believe that this is about as cheap as you get go to get a good condenser mic and really wasn't expecting all that much because of this budget price tag.  However, the sound is pretty warm and makes for a great vocal microphone.  While I probably wouldn't recommend this to a professional engineer as this is on the low end of the spectrum in terms of good sounding tube mics, it is the perfect tube microphone for a home studio owner looking for that tube mic sound for a fraction of the price.  I'm definitely skeptical of cheap microphones as I tend to believe that they are too good to be true and still don't exactly trust M-Audio to make high quality microphones, but they are definitely offering up a bargain here.  I also appreciate that they give you a nice case for it as tube microphones are fragile and need to be handled with care regardless of the price.  While I don't own one of these for my home studio, I did use it a someone else's home studio so I can definitely say that it will sound good in a home studio as opposed to a professional studio.  If you are looking for one of the cheapest tube microphones out there while still getting a good quality mic, definitely check out Sputnik.

- What type of microphone? (live, recording, mixed...)
Recording.

- What technology? (electret, condenser...)
Condenser, tube mic.

10dB pad, and low cut filter.
Omni, cardioid, figure 8 patterns.

OVERALL OPINION

- For how long have you been using it?
A few months.

- What thing do you like most/least about it?
Looks great, has loads of patterns, comes with pro suspension, sounds AMAZING!!!

- Did you try many other models before getting this one?
I own an AKG C3000, Rode NT3, AKG D5 and i've compared this to an MXL 990 too.

- What is your opinion about the value for the price?
Amazing value.

- Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice?...
Oh hell yeah!!!

The Sputnik lamp is a microphone that I use primarily on the voice. I have a fairly comprehensive fleet of pickups and he immediately found his place. I well remember my Gefell in the style of his.

OVERALL OPINION

The very first time I have used the musicians I was recording all wanted to know what c'tait. When they saw the price, they did not. I compared it with the U47 trsmthodiquement on voice and also with a AKG414, two microphones that I leave now in the closet.
For voice speak, it is perfect! I used dernirement on a trailer.
Otherwise, I also used on three albums since then, mainly on the voices. Ings all the sounds that I know who use it do not always come back ... Me either!