On its data sheet, Earthworks makes an impressive claim about the new SR40V—“The World's First High Definition Vocal Microphone.” The mic is a finely crafted condenser, with a hypercardioid polar pattern that is consistent across all frequencies, a very fast impulse response, an uncommonly smooth and flat frequency response that extends well past the normally accepted upper threshold of hearing, and features individually hand-tuned electronics—contained in a rugged and roadworthy format. The price matches the quality. However, I've auditioned a lot of microphones in my life, and this is one impressive mic.
SPECIFICATIONS AND DESIGN DETAILS
The engineers at Earthworks chose to use a relatively small (9.7 mm) diaphragm for the SR40V. To achieve a highly accurate impulse response with a minimum of ringing and resonances, they precisely balanced the tension on the diaphragm, achieving the low self-noise of 22 dB A-weighted while producing an impulse that goes from zero to full signal and back virtually instantaneously.
The polar pattern is hypercardioid, with a very uniform frequency response throughout the coverage pattern; for example, the frequency response from the side at a 45-degree angle is almost identical to the on-axis response. Two or three people can use the mic side-by-side for speaking or singing, and the audio response will be very similar to using it on axis. The SR40V has deep attenuation at the rear of the polar pattern for excellent gain-before-feedback.
The construction is definitely roadworthy, with the capsule being physically isolated and shockproof, and the electronics all hardwired and securely held for long-term durability. This durability allows Earthworks to back the SR40V with a 15-year warranty.
Each microphone is hand-tuned and when complete, a final response curve is shipped with the particular microphone.
FIELD TEST: SPOKEN WORD
I took advantage of a show a friend was playing, accompanying a pair of renowned poets. We used the SR40V in a fixed location to reinforce their voices. The modest venue, with a high ceiling and fairly hard and reflective walls, held an audience of about 200 people. The audio engineer said that in his experience the room was difficult to work in, and usually required significant EQ on microphones.
After placing the SR40V on stage, the engineer did his standard cut at around 1 kHz for the room, and brought up the gain. He found that no further EQ was needed to obtain more than sufficient level for voice reinforcement, and that the audio quality was natural with the clarity of a studio condenser. The real surprise came when the show began.
The announcer came up to the mic, and from over a foot away, and off axis over 45 degrees, began his introduction—which came out of the speakers with excellent level, clarity, and intelligibility. In the back row, the sibilance was present and the consonants were clear, yet there was no hint of feedback.
The first poet began his reading, and he was typically on axis with the SR40V, and about six to eight inches away. The full range of his voice and the dynamics were there, along with the other vocal sounds, lip smacks, and so on that you would hear if you were sitting across from him at a table having a conversation.
The second poet has a quieter, gentler voice and he was as much as eight inches away from the SR40V and off axis by about 30 degrees. Yet still in this case his words were articulate, and cut through even when an amplified acoustic guitar was being played while he read certain pieces. When he looked down to read from time to time, there was no loss of intelligibility.
SECOND TEST: ACOUSTIC GUITAR
AND VOCALS
With Mikail Graham, audio engineer at the Center for the Arts in Grass Valley, Calif., I tested the mic through their house system. We put the SR40V and another high-end condenser vocal mic on stage, on two separate channels with no EQ. The first test was speaking on axis from approximately four inches away.
The gain on the other condenser mic needed to be raised to match the level of the SR40V by 5 dB or so. With the speaking test, the same clarity as with the earlier poetry reading was apparent. The other mic was also very good, but Graham's comment was that the SR40V had more detail and clarity, and didn't sound “boxy.”
With singing accompanied by acoustic guitar, the SR40V reproduced a smooth, unaffected vocal quality from both several inches away and close in. On the guitar, which is a high-quality handmade steel-string acoustic, the results were similar, with the instrument sounding remarkably similar to how it sounds unamplified.
At Graham's suggestion, we moved the mic back just short of a foot away, and angled it so that it split the difference between the guitar and voice, and then played and sang. What came through the speakers reflected the full frequency response of both sources in a very natural way, and at a level that was sufficient to hear well in the back of the hall. His comment was that the result was similar to having both voice and guitar close-mic'd, and that in a pinch it would be possible to use just one SR40V to do an acoustic guitar and vocal act.
FINAL TEST: LIVE VOCALS
A few days later, the Center put on a two-show western swing tribute to Bob Wills, anchored by the eight-piece Stardust Cowboys. The SR40V was placed on the vocals of bandleader Gary Campbell. The presence, smooth natural quality, and intelligibility seen in the earlier tests came through in this setting as well. Both the sound engineer (again Mikail Graham) and the band were pleased with the result.
CONCLUSIONS
The Earthworks SR40V vocal microphone is the real deal, and does provide studio-quality, detailed vocal reproduction in a live setting, and in a roadworthy format. At a list price of $1,499, it is a professional microphone for applications where you want the best. But given that the end result of the audio chain—what people hear—begins with the microphone, this investment should be considered.
