The new Universal Audio microphone range creates an interesting creative extension for the company's audio production tools, including the popular Apollo and newest Volt audio recording interfaces, UAD plug-ins, LUNA recording application, and UAFX guitar products. As audioXpress wrote in June 2021, the studio market is seeing increasing acceptance of microphone modeling technology and the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 microphone system - with its ability to accurately emulate 34 classic studio mics - is a valuable addition to Universal Audio's recording product line.
Befitting a company with roots in both analog and digital audio recording, the new microphones from Universal Audio (which the companies seems to call generically "UA Microphones") include the UA Bock tube microphones - handmade in Santa Cruz, California - and the new Standard Series microphones designed for home recordists, serious podcasters and content creators.
In the accessible Standard Series we can find the most spectacular of the range, which is the SD‑1 dynamic microphone - clearly inspired by the class Shure SM7B. Finished in a provocative cream white - because microphones these days are meant to be seen, not hidden - the new SD-1 can capture vocals, instruments, livestreams, and podcasts, producing "a polished studio sound that’s broadcast‑ready." And the SD-1 is complemented with new dedicated Channel Strip software presets for the Apollo audio interfaces, helping users to achieve a polished sound, including radio-ready EQ and compression settings for vocals, guitars, and broadcasts.
Also in the Standard Series, the new SP-1 Pencil microphones are a cleanly designed, small-diaphragm condenser stereo microphone pair - ideal for easy stereo recording of instruments and natural-sounding live performances.
"We're excited to bring UA's audio expertise to microphones, and to bring something new to the table," says Bill Putnam, Jr., CEO/Founder of Universal Audio. "With Bock, Sphere, and the new Standard Series mics, there's a UA mic within reach of every serious creator — ready to inspire great recordings, performances, and content for a lifetime."
Handmade in Santa Cruz, the new flagship UA Bock mics represent a trio of premium tube and FET-based models designed by vintage mic authority David Bock, who also joined the Universal Audio team with the purchase of his Bock Audio boutique brand in 2020.
"The UA Bock mics are the best-sounding and most beautiful mics I've had the pleasure of designing over my long career," confirmed Bock. "These mics are going to have discriminating singers, producers, and audio engineers smiling from ear-to-ear."
On the digital side, with the technology acquisition of Townsend Labs in 2021, Universal Audio is now the proud home for the Sphere Modeling Microphone technology, which will continue to expand. Townsend founder and modeling guru Chris Townsend is now part of the Universal Audio team and is busy working on the integration with the whole UAD audio plug-in platform.
Besides, all these new Universal Audio "UA" Microphones include presets designed to facilitate getting the sound that is intended, running directly from the Apollo range of audio interfaces with built-in microphone preamps and DSP.
The Standard SD-1 Dynamic Microphone for home recording, podcasting and content creation is now available and retailing for $299 USD (MAP), while the Standard SP-1 Pencil Mic Pair will be available in the Summer of 2022 for $399 USD. The Sphere L22 Modeling Microphone, tailored to professional vocal and studio recording, is now retailing for $1,499 USD, and the new UA Bock Series of premium, hand-built classic microphone designs will start being delivered from Fall 2022. The UA Bock 187 Large-Diaphragm FET Condenser will sell for $1,249 USD; the UA Bock 167 Large-Diaphragm Tube Condenser will cost $2,999 USD; and the
UA Bock 251 Large-Diaphragm Tube Condenser will be built-to-order for $5,999 USD.
https://www.uaudio.com
