In this video review for Production Expert, Technical Editor James Ivey takes a look at the new Delta II and Sigma II handmade ribbon microphones by British microphone manufacturer Sontronics.

The new Delta II and Sigma II are the latest addition to the Sontronics family of microphones, these new models replace the original Delta and Sigma ribbon mics.  

What's New?

The new Sigma II and Delta II use the same ribbon element as the original Sigma and Delta. Both microphones use the same circuit design, however, a new RF filter stage has been introduced which makes both mics even more at home in the live sound arena as well as the studio.
The components that make up the circuit have also seen a significant upgrade to some of the finest, 'military-grade' parts found in any audio equipment. Improving the parts these mics are made from has dramatically lowered the mics self-noise levels.  Both mics are now even quieter than before. This, in turn, has increased the mics dynamic range and means these microphones offer a more robust low-end and low-mid plus an extended high-frequency band, even for ribbon microphones. 

The production of these new models (along with many of the high-end Sontronics microphones) now takes place at the Dorset company's headquarters in the UK. It is so nice to see the 'Made In the UK' logo on this mics. The transformers that are used are wound by hand by a local supplier and only available in a Sontronics mic. It is this attention to detail, along with a very solid and sexy looking ABS flight case (a must for anyone in touring or live music) that makes both Sigma II and Delta II a serious contender for anyone looking to buy ribbon mics, no matter what price bracket you are considering. 

On the subject of the price, both mics are priced at £729 Inc VAT. Local prices and taxes may vary. 

In the video, James gives you the opportunity to listen to these mics in 2 audio examples. The first is a basic strimmed acoustic guitar track. The Sigma II is used to record the acoustic at a distance of about 6 inches from the 12the fret just above the guitar. 

The second track features electric guitar recorded using the Delta II. The two parts use very different guitar tones so you can hear how the mic reacts. 

So you can hea exactly how the mics sound take a listen to the individual guitar parts in the audio files below.

You can find out more about the new Sigma II and Delta II at the Sontronics website.