Recording - May 2012 - 39

diaphragm is being pushed a tad hard. Also, the SR40V is a hypercardioid mic that offers a touch more rejection of bleed and other instruments than the SR20. As to SPL and noise floor the two are quite similar. Now if it just sounded like I gave the impression that the SR20 is a second-class citizen to the 40, let’s look at its strengths. Overall the SR20 is actually a touch more forgiving, especially to those singers who like to eat the mic. It also gives the illusion of being just a tad warmer, especially up close with its proximity effect in full bloom. Like its sibling, and most other Earthworks microphones, its off-axis response is just amazing! I was skeptical when I read it on their web site, but I will confirm that even at a full 90 degrees off axis the overall tone of the source remains quite consistent. I will also concur that the pop filter really works well and plosives are kept nicely in check. Where the less expensive SR20 truly wins is with instrument miking. In my opinion the SR40V is quite possibly one of the best hand-held vocal mics ever made, but it’s less suited for instruments than the SR20, which is a true utility mic. No playing favorites Both on stage and in the studio I used the SR20 on drum overheads, snare, acoustic guitar, violin, congas, mandolin, tube amplifier, and piano. On acoustic string instruments a mic like this is a clear choice, literally! The sound it picks up is as rich and full or as thin and jangly as that of the source. While sources like acoustic guitar are a given with this mic, if I had to pick a favorite it would easily be mandolin. It just grabbed the rhythmic “chuffs” and put them perfectly

On percussive things like congas, and especially as drum overhead (I only had one to test), this is a mic that gives exactly what it gets; cymbals are crisp and bright, but it’s a clear sound, not a spitty or harsh sound like the cheap bright condensers many of us are used to. What surprised me the most was how much I enjoyed the SR20 on electric guitar cabinet. It was a clear and present sound with great detailed bite in the top end. It sounds like a strange statement, but it really captured the breakup and buzz of the amp quite well. Lastly on piano, I can’t say it was as nice as the Earthwork’s dedicated PM40/PM40T PianoMic system (reviewed September 2011), but that’s not too surprising given that the PM40 is a matched pair of omni mics (on a spaced bar) that go from 9 Hz to 40 kHz and costs far more. However, since I usually filter out everything below 60–80 Hz in a live situation anyway lest I get copious amounts of feedback, the SR20 did its job accurately. While the PM40 system uses omni mics, the SR20’s very smooth and accurate off-axis pickup helped the mic be a tad less directional than many other condensers are inside a piano. Conclusions In this day and age there appear to be two schools of thought when it comes to stocking your mic locker. One is to have a vast selection with a different or favorite mic for each application and source. The other and often more practical side says to have one or two mics that can cover a broad range of bases. For studio or stage, the Earthworks SR20 is a microphone that can fit nicely into both categories, and at a street price of $600 this is also one of the most affordable models in Earthworks’ current line up. With or without the screw-on grille for vocal

Its off-axis response is just amazing! Even at a full 90º off axis the tone remains consistent.
into the mix on a live bluegrass/folk date. Since this mic only goes down to 50 Hz, it leaves out much of the mud and rumble and adds to the feel of clarity; naturally, because of that lessened bass response, it would not be my first choice on an acoustic bass, kick drum or bass cabinet. use and wind control, you’ll like what it does for your choice of recording tones. Price: $899 ($599 street) More from: Earthworks, www.earthworksaudio.com
RECORDING MAY 2012

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Recording - May 2012

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