Earthworks SR314 Handheld Vocal Condenser Microphone - Stainless Steel

Product Information

Importantly, as the ETHOS is an active condenser microphone, it offers a much hotter output than typical dynamic broadcast mics. This is yet another advantage as it will result in a lower noise floor. Additionally, as I found, it tends to flatter average mic preamps, as you won’t be as reliant on gain from your mic pre-amps. EW makes all of their products in-house in NH which means “Made In The USA”. Congrats to Taoufiq and the crew. This mic is inspiring. Before moving on, I also want to single out for special mention the supplied standmount. A third‑party component called the M2‑R, made by Triad‑Orbit, this emerges halfway along the mic body, and uses a ball joint to combine a wide range of movement in all three axes with instant, secure clamping. I’ve only ever encountered a similar mount on one other mic, an obscure Pearl model from the ’70s, and it’s a genius idea that deserves to be much more widely used. Flat Earthworks I used the mic to record a singing guitarist friend, mounting it in place of his preferred Shure SM7B dynamic microphone, and we were both immediately impressed with the accurate character it portrayed of his voice, with great detail and a ‘right-in-front-of-you’ presence. The sound was very natural and life-like, with a level of immediacy that is very attractive and which I have come to associate with Earthworks’ products.

It presents vocals with a natural, balanced response and maintains articulation without ever sounding strident. The SR314 is expensive when compared to other handheld vocal microphones (particularly dynamic mics), but it produces a level of quality aligned with its price point, and will be equally useful in studio applications. The Earthworks SR314 is designed from the ground up to meet both the expectations and desires of a modern live performance environment. Some microphones, especially budget condenser mics, can end up “fatiguing” to listen to for long periods of time. This can be a factor of overly-hyped EQ, low-level distortion, or even a combination of the two. In Use for Podcasting and Voiceovers

Tight cardioid polar pattern with a consistent frequency response all the way out to 90 degrees means the SR314 delivers the same quality of sound even when the singer moves off-center.

I expected the ETHOS to sound un-naturally bright, given that extended frequency response. In truth, the mic is extremely natural in its reproduction, with a very pleasant weight and detail to the sound when used close-miced on voice. DPA 2028 seems neutral. Even the proximity effect seems really controlled. Balanced. There's nothing amazing in neutral, but maybe that's exactly what I need. However, he was also a pioneering researcher into the time-domain acuity of human hearing, arguing passionately in AES papers and conferences about the significance of the ear’s ability to resolve timing information down to 5 microseconds — often against great scepticism.NOTE: Each clip begins with the microphone dry and umcompressed so you hear just the sound of the mic. Then you’ll hear compression and effects added in so you can hear what they would sound like in a real mix. The team at Earthworks reached out to me over the Christmas holidays and offered to send me their latest flagship broadcast mic, the ETHOS. Since then I’ve put it to work as a streaming mic for Twitch sessions, voice-overs in video editing, and in use for video calls. Consistent low frequency response across a wide range of distances, providing articulate detailed bass up close while not getting thin with distance. The SR314 can be used for a multitude of vocal recording scenarios. From broadcasts and podcasts, to voiceovers, stage performance and studio work, this mic will thrive in a tonne of different auditory situations. It comes with a bag and mic clip. High-Quality Sound

Not the most forgiving of microphones but a real singer's companion, work tool, weapon even on stage... AND in the recording studio. Anyone who’s tried it will know that small‑diaphragm mics are perfectly capable of capturing the human voice. With some voices, in fact, they even have advantages over their large‑diaphragm brethren. Our tendency to put up a U87 or even an SM7B ahead of a KM84 when a singer walks into the live room is probably driven as much by habit as by genuine sonic preference — or perhaps by the unconscious expectation that a large and imposing mic will deliver a large and imposing vocal sound. Capacitor stage mics have been accepted in part because they outwardly resemble the moving‑coil models we know and love, but a typical pencil mic just doesn’t look the part for vocal recording. Small Is Beautiful The SR314's polar pattern remains impressively consistent across the frequency spectrum.In terms of its other specifications, the SR314 is very similar to the SV33. It can accept sound pressure levels of up to 145dB, though Earthworks don't state what level of distortion is reached at that point, and sensitivity is a comfortable 10mV/Pa. The SR314 requires 24-48 V phantom power, and like all Earthworks mics, it draws the maximum permissible 10mA current. At the price, it's likely to be used in professional environments where this shouldn't be an issue, but it's worth knowing about if you take it out and about to unfamiliar venues.We hope this shootout helps you make a decision! If you want to know more about any of these mics or any of the other dozens of live vocal mics we carry, shop all of our dyanmic mics and handheld wireless systems, or give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700. What stands out to me is the stunning presence of the midrange and the 'workable' proximity effect. When I first tried it a giant smile came to my face. There is a beautiful body to the sound as you get closer; a sound that is neither boomy or bloated. This is a contrast to the SR40V who's proximity effect is very slight in comparison. It's a welcome and inviting sound that allows me to add some body to my tenor voice without losing the EW window of clarity. In studio recordings there was no need for any EQ. The vocals sat in the mix beautifully with an arresting quality. Earthworks’ SR Series of microphones is intended for sound reinforcement applications, though the subject of this review—the SR314 handheld vocal condenser mic—is equally suited for use on stage or in the studio. For a singer going to all kinds of venues, having your own phantom power supply and a high-quality lead that you trust is a good idea if you're gonna use a condenser mic imo. Ideally you should trust the venue to have good equipment, but I live in the UK...it's not correct to compare a powered speaker without having plugged anything in to a fully rigged system...