Ohma Microphones Are Loudly Changing the Microphone Industry

Loud, bold, and proud — Ohma Microphones are reinventing the world of microphones with their unique designs, processes, and purpose. Ohma microphones are created by LGBTQ-owned company, Ohma World, a brand that takes pride in their bespoke audio and design products that sound good and are a means for creative expression.

The Ohma microphones are splashes of color to the usual gray-black-silver aesthetic of studio microphones. Although the iconic designs of the likes of Neumann, Audio-Technica, and more are indeed revered everywhere, little changes and innovations are being shown in the microphone industry year after year.

The microphones of Ohma World plan on changing that. “It’s an uncomfortable [position] to sit in, especially in an industry that’s so anachronistic. But the thing is, we were so confident that we could package our technical abilities into a design far beyond the way the industry has been; the way it clutches its pearls”, says Ohma co-founder, Sammy Rothman.

With that said, Ohma offers two microphones; a ribbon microphone and a large-diaphragm condenser microphone. However, these microphones have a unique process and design to them that you could categorize them as a “near-limitless number of microphones”.

Ohma microphones have a patterned magnetic design that can be interchangeable. Each design can be distinct and you have five screen designs to choose from. Screen designs are named Motif, Holes, Stripes, Scales, and Windows.

These designs have another purpose other than looking good. The well-built screens help in adding a sonic difference to the recording. The Holes screen designs help rolls of low-end audio while accentuating brightness; the Stripes screen design works wonders for mid-range instruments; and the Scales screen design is your go-to for near-field recording.

Co-founder of Ohma World, Charlene Gibbs, stresses how the micro-acoustical structure of a microphone impacts the overall sound. “People see mics and ask, ‘Why is it like this?’ ‘Why is there so much of it?’ It’s because that actually changes the sound of the microphone. How it looks is how it sounds. So we wanted to take that information and put it into a slimmer, more manageable package. And also bring that mindset into condense mic land”, says Gibbs.

Since Ohma microphones have interchangeable screens, users can also see the tenets and physical properties of their mics and how they can impact the overall sound. This helps users truly appreciate both the craftsmanship and inner workings of a microphone.

“Think of it like a tiny room for your capsule or a tiny room for your ribbon. A room might be really reverberant. But if you put up panels, you’re going to change that. It’s the exact same thing with a microphone, I like to say: ‘the sound goes through one side of the screen and comes out sounding different on the other’. That’s how simple it is. I mean, having swappable screens is really cool but I think the coolest part about this is that nobody has used these designs on microphones before. They’re 100% unique”, says Rothman.

Being an LGBTQ-owned company, the Ohma microphones proudly sports colors. These microphones are hand-painted and as proclaimed by Gibbs, “full of color, full of life”. All microphones have customizable color options and if desired, can even bear a logo of the user’s choice. Ohma World sees to it that customization and self-expression are essential to their products.

Truly, Ohma microphones are changing the way we see microphones and how longtime heavy hitters in the industry see their products. Instead of looking at the past for inspiration, Ohma microphones look at what the future could and should be.