Why spend a fortune on high-end and vintage microphones when you can emulate all manner of the things at a fraction of the cost using one of these ingenious modelling platforms? Let’s open the virtual locker…

Universal Audio Sphere DLX (and LX)

With their acquisition of Townsend Labs in 2021, Universal Audio added the acclaimed Sphere L22 modelling microphone to their catalogue, and at the start of 2023, that system was rebadged as the Sphere DLX. The models on offer here amount to no less than 38 highly desirable dynamic, ribbon and condenser mics, including the Neumann U47, U67 and U49, Shure SM57 and SM7A, Sony C800G and C-37A, AKG C12, 414 and 451, Electro-Voice RE20 and Sennheiser MKH 416, to name just a few. All of them are accessed via a straightforward software interface that also offers control over polar pattern and filtering (whether the real-world mic being modelled actually features those parameters or not), as well as the off-axis and proximity signals, which are captured by the Sphere DLX. And if you want even more, UA’s Ocean Way and Bill Putnam Microphone Collection plugins add a further 12 and nine mic models, respectively.

The Sphere DLX itself is supremely well built, and its dual large gold-sputtered diaphragms enable stereo recording, with the intriguing option of setting each side to a different mic model, each with its own set of controls in the plugin. Clever stuff, and the icing on a truly delicious cake. However, if the DLX’s hefty price tag is a turn-off, there’s a more affordable alternative available in the shape of the Sphere LX, which simply drops the model count to 20, loses the stereo recording capability and -20dB pad switch, and adds 3dB of self-noise (for 10dB total), but is otherwise identical.

Check out James Ivey’s review of the original Townsend Sphere L22 here and Mike’s look at audio post applications for the L22.

Slate Digital Virtual Microphone System

Slate’s microphone modelling solution centres on their Virtual Mix Rack (VMR) plugin, which provides the software component used to shape the signals captured by either of two dedicated ‘flat response’ condenser microphones: the VMS ML-1 large diaphragm and VMS ML-2 small diaphragm. (There’s also a linear response preamp, the VMS-ONE, but any relatively transparent high-end mic pre will suffice, so this is entirely optional.)

Each of the two mics emulates a different range of classic and vintage models, with the the eight-strong line-up of the VMS ML-1 including the U47, C800G, SM7B and C12 (and expandable to 18 with the Blackbird Mics and Classic Tubes 3 Expansion Packs), and the 18 impersonations of the much smaller VMS ML-2 taking in the SM57, SM7B, RE20 and plenty of AKG’s for drum kit work. VMR, meanwhile, being a fully geared-up plugin effect in its own right, is a pleasure to use, and not only delivers top notch mic emulation but also serves as a powerful modular mix processing and effects platform.

Antelope Audio Edge Go

Offering the utmost in recording convenience, microphones with integrated USB audio interfacing by the likes of Editors Keys, Apogee and other manufacturers are becoming increasingly popular with music and media producers. Antelope Audio’s take on the concept, however, steps things up several notches with onboard DSP and FPGA chips handling not only mic modelling but also effects processing. 18 mics are in the clip, including all the expected classics, and the 20 effects cover EQ, compression, reverb, de-essing, preamp emulation and more, and can be added to with numerous modules in the Antelope Audio store.

The mic is decidedly premium, with its dual-membrane gold-sputtered capsule, and connection to Mac or PC is made over USB-C (convertible to USB-A), with no need for a separate preamp or audio interface. Sample rates up to 192kHz are supported, a minijack output allows for headphones to be directly connected, and of course, with everything running in the mic itself, rather than the host computer, which merely provides the control interface, you get latency-free monitoring and recording.

Cheap it ain’t, but the Edge Go’s combination of all-in-one functionality and built-in zero-latency mic/effects modelling put it in a category of its own that forward-thinking recordists will find hugely appealing.

It’s worth noting that you can land the same functionality in a more traditional ‘modelling-mic-plus-plugin’ format with Antelope’s Edge Solo, Duo and Quadro packages, as well as the USB Axino.

Antares Mic Mod

This software-only solution ‘converts’ a wide range of actual mics (select the one you’re using from the Source menu, or go for a ‘Generic’ option) to any of over 100 emulated models by everyone from Neumann, Shure and Beyerdynamic to Coles, Earthworks, Royer and Telefunken. The polar pattern is adjustable, where appropriate, any captured proximity effect from the source mic can be countered to an extent, and tube distortion can be cranked up for warmth if required.

As you’d expect, with no dedicated modelling microphone involved, the results achievable with Mic Mod are less convincing than you’d get using any of the far more expensive systems above. Nonetheless, for approximating the tonal characteristics of a sizeable array of interesting mics, it’s a fun and comparatively affordable plugin that’s certainly worth a trial version test drive.

IK Multimedia Mic Room

Operating as a module in their versatile T-RackS effects framework, IK’s mic modelling software works along the same lines as Mic Mod: select your source mic on the left and the mic you want to emulate on the right, then tweak harmonic saturation and the proximity effect using the knobs in between. 20 mics by Sennheiser, Neumann, Royer, AKG, Groove Tubes, Brauner, EV, Beyerdynamic are modelled, and in a canny move, rather than build a dedicated microphone for getting a flat signal into Mic Room, IK have calibrated it to work optimally with their iRig mic range, which closes the gap somewhat between it and the hardware-inclusive alternatives.

The cheapest entrant in our list by far, Mic Room gives even the thriftiest producer access to effective microphone modelling, opening up a spectrum of signal-shaping and colouration possibilities with which to instantly enhance and transform vocal and instrumental recordings.

Do you use mic modelling in your own productions or are you a stickler for the real thing? Let us know in the comments.