Recording - October 2015 - 33

Teles run through Fender Twin and Princeton
amps, 4-piece drum kits, Martin acoustic guitars, percussion, Hammond B3/Leslie, piano,
and vocals.
In that mix I have made use of the Z-251
on acoustic guitar, as well as lead and backing vocals on some of the tracks.
Concurrently I also tracked a few all-acoustic
folk style songs and have used the Z-251 on
front-of-kit, the "snare side" of a cajon, shakers, tambourine, congas, and even more
acoustic guitars and vocals.
In all of the above it offers a very honest,
even, almost out-of-the-way tone, with a great
open top end that's where I believe the magic
of this mic lies. It's a top end that is naturally
forward and very real, but not as crisp or sibilant as a C12 style mic, to say nothing of the
many shrill modern mics out there.
Side by side with my U 47-style mic thrown
up for comparison, it is much more open on
the top end and lacks the 47's upper mid
push. Compared to my usual 251-style mic,
a Telefunken AR-51 (with the original capsule), the ADK was tighter and a little less airy
but with a more even weight on the low end.
This is a relatively small difference; you can
tell that both mics live comfortably in the 251
arena.
Patterns and proximity
The Z-251 has a nice neutral proximity
effect in cardioid mode that thickens up

minimally as you get closer to the capsule;
it's not as pronounced as the proximity
effect of a 47ish or 67ish mic like ADK's Z67. It also has a gentle off-axis rejection.
It becomes even more open and neutral in
omni mode, so much so that this is one of the
few large-diaphragm mics that I like in omni
mode. Again I can best describe it as "out of
the way," but it's not a sterile sound at all. If
you need a touch more of a chesty presence
for a vocal or bass cabinet, then figure-8
mode is the way to go. The pattern switching
is quite smooth, with little more than a gentle
click and a second of sonic adjustment.
Placing the Z-251 and Cremona 251-T
side by side, I was impressed by how similar
their overall sonic signatures were. They are
definitely cut from the same cloth, with the
tube version having a nice touch of added
top-end air and overall opulence. The 251-T
sounds like it has an ever so slightly forward
hi-mid range, but this may be due to its lack
of air than actually being more forward.
Overall it's just a tad cleaner and tighter than
the Z-251, but it does lack that special something that the Z-251's tube brings to the
game.
Conclusions
ADK has done a great job of capturing the
feel and sonics of the 251 family of microphones in both models. In my opinion, the
opulent air and solid tone of the Z-251 really

sets it apart, and that's why it is twice the
price of the Cremona 251-T.
I noted in my previous review that for my
particular needs, tastes, and uses, the Z-67's
unique sonic personality was my cup of tea.
I still miss it a year-plus later and lament having to send it back. That being said, there's
no question that the Z-251 is easily better suited to a wider variety of sources, with a more
versatile sonic signature than the Z-67. It
stacks incredibly well in a "this is my only
mic" situation.
While each of the Z-MODs and T-FETs
offers its own flavor and I haven't yet tried
them all, I suspect that for most people looking for the true natural workhorse of the line,
this is it! There is no source, especially
acoustic instruments and vocals, where I
couldn't make the Z-251 sound magical-
whether on its own or with a dusting of EQ
here and there. I wonder which Z-MOD/
T-FET pairing I'll be able to try next...?
Prices (as reviewed): Z-251, $2999;
Cremona 251-T, $1499
More from: ADK Microphones,
www.adkmic.com
Paul Vnuk Jr. (paul@recordingmag.com) is
a recording engineer, sound designer, producer, and gear junkie, living and working in
Milwaukee.
http://www.adkmic.com http://www.gracedesign.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - October 2015
