Many engineers have a microphone wishlist. Luke Goddard shares six that might yet make it into his inventory…

Most engineers have a wishlist, and more often than not, those working with acoustic sources will always have a shopping list of mics that they hope will bring to an end that feeling that somehow they’re missing out on something! While these can cover anything from the familiar studio classics through to hard-to-find exotica, there are also the more obtainable choices both in terms of price, specs, and availability.

The next (hypothetical) question is who’s paying. Often, those working with the nicest gear are doing so with pieces that belong to a facility or other individual. Then there are the ‘owner-drivers’ using all the best gear who only do so having spent their own hard-won cash. A third category would be the engineer using modest equipment of their own sprinkled with some premium pieces. These latter mics do the work that really cannot be done to the same standard using anything else.

As one who falls firmly into this last category of engineer, there are still some tools that I should ideally own that do something that my existing collection doesn’t do. Here is my wishlist of microphones that I would buy based on need, or the ability to do something that my existing tools don’t do. Some are affordable mics, others live in the alternative universe where budget is less of an issue…

The All-Round One - Beyerdynamic M 88 TG $330/£270

Owning a quality dynamic mic is a real bonus, where quality means sound, and build high quality. While mics like the SM58 or SM7B have established themselves thanks to their ruggedness or high industry profile, other dynamic mics concentrate on being as faithful to the source as possible. Being able to grab a very high quality dynamic mic that will work on anything is a convenience that everyone should own, and for some the Beyerdynamic M88 is the epitome of what a dynamic should be. Rugged, highly versatile, with superlative audio quality that belies its moving coil design. As an M201 owner, and previous user of (someone else’s) M88, this is the one I would buy for location so as to leave the M201 at home.

The Premium One - Mojave MA-200SN $1450/£1200

Is the Neumann U87 is the closest thing we have to an ‘industry standard’ mic for vocals? Maybe for some, but before that mic existed (hard to imagine, I know), its valve U67 predecessor was boldly going where no U47 had gone before. In the absence of a new U67 (forgoing Neumann’s own reissue), for those who like the idea of a ‘big Neumann’ with the complexity and silkiness of a valve mic, the smart money is on the Mojave MA-200SN. From the mind of David Royer, this single-sided capsule design combined with Jensen transformer coupled output would make a welcome counter to the finely-etched cleanliness offered by my TLM103.

The Hidden Gem - Line Audio CM4 $200/£160

If you’re looking for small unobtrusive mics with a rich sound that is ruler flat on paper, the Line Audio CM4 is hard to beat. This wide cardioid small diaphragm condenser mic is enjoying a growing number of users for one simple reason: its excellent sound and its incredible price. As an owner of a pair of CM3’s this is the mic that, without question I would buy again owing to the fact that the CM3 has been discontinued. When asked, Roger Jönsson gave some background as to how the new one should be better:

I had been working around a new capsule for some time to get a more neutral off axis behaviour and also less variations of the capsule component so that I did not have to scrap as many out of (my) specs capsules. Since I liked the slightly wider pattern of the CM3 I strived to keep it, so all in all the difference ended up being very small, mainly a slightly more neutral off axis [response]

The Classic One - Coles 4038 $1200/£990

For a long time before condenser mic technology came of age, engineers relied on dynamic mics both in the broadcast and film industries, as well as in music recording. While the moving coil mic’s popularity never waned, mics with ribbon electrodynamic technology fell out of favour once the condenser revolution came. Now in the 21st century, this old technology just happens to have a pleasing combination of HF rolloff and fast transient performance that lends itself so well to digital recording. For these reasons I’ve had a pair of Coles 4038s on my list for a while, but their classic sound remains and expensive luxury that I’m yet to indulge…

The Clever One - Lewitt LCT 441 FLEX $420/£340

If you’re like me, your purchases will be borne out of either desire or necessity. Owing to a number of factors involving the use of others’ mics, even after all this time I still do not own an LDC with switchable polar patterns. I would buy Lewitt’s LCT 441 FLEX given the choice, owing to its solid audio engineering, combined with a novel approach to polar pattern choices, offering forward-facing and ‘reverse’ polar patterns. It is also has a nice, small rectangular profile that would slot well into tight spaces or stereo arrays. With a nice compliment of usable accessories in the box as well, this is the mic that may very well do it all in a way that its famous Austrian muse does not.

The Different One - Crown/AKG PCC 160 $400/£330

After initially failing to understand what is so great about boundary mics, my head was turned some years ago after using a pair of Crown PCC 160s to pick up theatre stage dialogue. The results astonished me, and when it comes to getting an almost impossibly dry sounding recording from comparatively distant mics, the boundary design beats them all. From that initial wow moment, I would buy a pair of AKG/Crown PCC 160s or Bartlett mics should the need arise.

I’ll leave you with some wisdom gleaned from Bruce Bartlett, the designer of the original Crown PCC. When I asked him, he explained how the boundary design achieves its magic trick:

A uni boundary mic, because it is surface mounted [has] its polar pattern [cut] in half. That increases the direct-to-reverb ratio by 3 dB. But in addition, the cardioid pattern increases the direct-to-reverb ratio by 4.8 dB compared to an omni mic. (The 4.8 dB figure is called the mic's random energy efficiency). So the total improvement in direct-to-reverb ratio for a cardioid boundary mic is 3 + 4.8 = 7.8 dB. That's why cardioid boundary mics sound "close" or "dry" compared to omni boundary mics (such as the PZM), and much closer and drier than free-field omnidirectional microphones.

What Mics Would You Buy?

These are the mics I would buy with my own money. While some are what most would call expensive, the right affordable tools are sometimes hiding in plain sight waiting for the right client or job to warrant their purchase. What are yours? Let us know in the comments.