Aston Origin Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic Review
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The Aston Origin Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic from British Company Aston stands out with its sleek design and innovative build quality, featuring a hand-selected capsule and transformerless circuitry for pristine sound capture. Ideal for recording vocals and acoustic instruments, this mic delivers a natural, transparent sound that suits both studio and live performance settings. Musicians, podcasters, and studio engineers will find the Aston Origin to be a valuable addition to their recording arsenal.
In the following review, we’ll delve deeper into its performance, build quality, and overall value, providing a comprehensive analysis of its capabilities.
About the Aston Origin
Brand | Aston Microphones |
| Model Name | Aston Origin |
| Connectivity Technology | Wired, XLR connection |
| Type | Large Diaphragm Condenser |
| Polar Pattern | Cardioid Pattern |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 20kHz (+/-3dB) |
| Audio Sensitivity | 23.7mV/Pa |
| Power Requirements | 48v phantom power |
| Acoustic Operating Principle | Pressure Gradient |
| Item Weight | 450 g / 0.99 lb |
| Item Dimensions | 125 mm x 54 mm |
| Recommended Applications | Vocals, Instruments, Acoustic Instruments |
| Inclusions | Built-in pop filter, internal shock mounting system, end caps, Aston SwiftShield |
Much like most, if not all, Aston microphones, Origin is a standout in the realm of professional audio equipment, boasting a range of features that make it a top choice for both amateur and experienced users. One of its main highlights is the hand-selected capsule, which ensures a high level of consistency and quality in sound capture. The Aston Microphones Origin also features transformerless circuitry, which contributes to its ability to deliver a clean, natural, and transparent sound without coloration.
Designed with a sturdy chassis and a unique wave-form mesh head, the Origin is built to withstand the rigors of both studio and live environments. This durability is complemented by a built-in pop filter, which helps to minimize plosive sounds, making it ideal for vocal recordings. The microphone’s cardioid polar pattern is excellent for capturing sound from the front while rejecting unwanted noise from the sides and rear, making it versatile for various recording applications.
In terms of performance, the Aston Origin cardioid condenser mic excels in recording vocals, acoustic guitars, and other stringed instruments, providing a warm and detailed sound that captures the nuances of the source. Its ability to handle high SPL (sound pressure levels) also makes it suitable for recording louder sources such as a drum kit and amplifier.
Overall, the Aston Microphones Origin is an excellent choice for musicians, podcasters, and recording engineers looking for a reliable and high-quality microphone. Its blend of durability, clarity, and versatility ensures that it can handle a wide range of recording scenarios with ease.
Benefits of the Aston Origin
What exactly makes the Aston Origin a very good mic compared to other mics in the market? Well, there are many reasons why! From letting you unleash your utmost potential in a vocal session to sporting a classy design, this is definitely one great mic.
Excels on Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
The Origin mic is particularly renowned for its exceptional performance with acoustic guitar and vocals. Its hand-selected capsule captures the intricate details and subtle nuances of acoustic instruments, delivering a rich and warm sound that is true to the source. When recording acoustic guitars, the Origin faithfully reproduces the instrument’s natural tone, capturing the resonance and harmonics with remarkable clarity. This level of detail ensures that every strum and pluck is accurately conveyed, making it an ideal choice for both solo performances and full-band mixes. By the way, this is also a great mic for recording drum kits.
For vocal recordings, the Origin stands out by providing a transparent and natural sound. Its ability to handle a wide frequency response ensures that the mic captures the full depth and character of the human voice, from the lowest whispers to the highest belts. The embedded pop filter minimizes plosive sounds, which are common in vocal recordings, ensuring a clean and professional output. This makes the Origin an excellent tool for singers, voice-over artists, and podcasters who seek a mic that can deliver pristine vocal clarity without requiring extensive post-processing.
Superb Engineering
The engineering behind the Origin is a testament to the meticulous design and innovation that Aston Microphones brings to the table. The transformerless circuitry and electronic components are key in offering a pure signal path that minimizes distortion and interference. This results in a highly accurate and clean audio capture, preserving the integrity of the original source. The mic’s low self-noise further enhances its performance, allowing for quiet recordings without the distraction of background noise, which is crucial for professional-grade audio production.
Additionally, the mic’s cardioid polar pattern is engineered to focus on sound from the front while effectively rejecting noise from the sides and rear. This directional focus is particularly beneficial in untreated recording environments, where external noise can be a challenge. However, this mic does have a fixed cardioid direction, which can get pretty limiting at times.
Nonetheless, whether you’re recording in a home studio or a professional setting, the mic’s engineering ensures that you get the best possible sound quality, making it a versatile and reliable choice for a variety of recording applications.
Beautiful and Durable Design
Aston Microphones has designed the Origin with both aesthetics and durability in mind, creating a product that not only sounds great but also looks impressive in any setting. The mic features a distinctive wave-form mesh head, which not only adds to its visual appeal but also provides a practical function by offering an additional layer of protection for the capsule. This design helps to prevent damage from accidental knocks and drops, ensuring the mic remains in top condition over time.
The chassis of the Aston Origin is crafted from solid stainless steel, giving it a robust and durable construction that can withstand the rigors of frequent use. This makes it suitable for both studio and live performance environments, where durability is a must. If your mic suddenly rolls on a rugged or flat surface, you’re assured that the cage design will keep this cardioid condenser microphone safe from damage.
Despite its rugged build, the mic maintains a sleek and stylish appearance, reflecting the high-quality craftsmanship that goes into its production. The combination of beauty and durability ensures that the Aston Origin not only performs exceptionally well but also stands out as a professional and reliable piece of equipment in any recording setup.
Are Aston Microphones Good?
Yes, Aston microphones are widely regarded as high-quality microphones, known for their exceptional performance, innovative design, and durability. The Aston Origin, for example, excels in capturing detailed and natural sound, particularly for acoustic guitar and vocal recordings, making it a favorite among musicians, podcasters, and recording engineers. Its superb engineering, featuring transformerless circuitry and low self-noise, ensures a clean and accurate audio capture, while its beautiful and durable design makes it a reliable choice for both studio and live settings.
Another notable model is the Aston Spirit, which shares many of the Origin’s excellent qualities but with additional versatility. The Spirit offers multiple polar patterns (cardioid, omni, and figure-8), making it suitable for a broader range of recording applications, from solo vocals to complex instrument setups. It also has a 1” gold evaporated capsule, which gives it a unique look.
These two mics reflect Aston’s commitment to quality and innovation, solidifying their reputation as producers of top-tier microphones in the audio industry.
What is the Aston Origin Mic Used For?
The Aston Origin is celebrated for its versatile performance and exceptional audio quality, making it a staple in both professional and home recording studios. Whether you’re an aspiring podcaster, a seasoned musician, or a live performer, this microphone promises to elevate your recordings with its pristine sound capture and robust design. Let’s explore the various applications of the Origin mic to understand why it’s a preferred choice for a wide range of audio recording needs.
Vocal Recordings
The Aston Origin is widely used for capturing vocals, thanks to its natural and transparent sound reproduction. It excels in delivering the full depth and character of the human voice, making it a favorite among singers, artists who do voice-overs, and podcasters. The embedded pop filter or pop shield reduces plosive sounds, ensuring clean and professional vocal recordings.
The low-cut filter, often synonymous with the high pass filter, is a crucial feature for managing the proximity effect and handling low-frequency sounds. When the low-cut filter is engaged, it effectively attenuates the frequencies below a certain threshold, typically around 80Hz. This is especially beneficial when recording vocals or instruments that may produce excessive bass, ensuring a balanced and clear output without muddying the mix. However, we recommend you use a mic preamp and the right stereo image when switching this feature on to get the best audio results.
Rest assured, male or female vocalists need not be concerned about their voices getting muddied out by the sounds of an electric guitar, guitar amp, or drums.
Acoustic Instruments
The mic is highly regarded for its performance with acoustic instruments, particularly guitars. Its hand-selected capsule captures the intricate details and subtle nuances of these instruments, delivering a rich and warm sound that is true to the source. This makes it an ideal choice for solo performances and studio recordings.
Live Performances
Due to its robust construction and durable design, the Origin is also well-suited for live performances. Its ability to handle high SPL (sound pressure levels) makes it versatile for various live sound applications, including vocals and instruments, ensuring consistent and reliable performance on stage.
Studio Recording
In a professional studio setting, Origin’s cardioid pattern effectively isolates the sound source, minimizing noise and focusing on the intended audio. This makes it an excellent choice for a variety of recording applications, from vocals to instruments, providing high-quality audio capture in a controlled environment.
May you be recording male vocals, female vocals, or basically any sung vocals, this microphone will surely give you that great and distinct British sound that Aston is well-known for. I mean, this comes to no one’s surprise as this is a British mic.
The Aston Origin also features a built-in high pass filter, designed to reduce low-frequency rumble and unwanted background noise. This filter is particularly useful when recording in environments where low-end interference, such as air conditioning hum or distant traffic, can affect the clarity of the recording. By activating the high pass filter, users can ensure cleaner, more focused audio capture, enhancing the overall quality of their recordings.
Podcasting and Broadcasting
Podcasters and broadcasters benefit from the clarity and detail of this microphone. The mic’s ability to produce a clean sound, combined with its ease of use and reliable performance, makes it a popular choice for those creating spoken word content, ensuring that every word is captured with precision.
Does the Aston Origin Need a Pop Filter?
The Aston Origin does not necessarily need an external filter because it already features an integrated pop filter into its wave-form mesh head. This design effectively reduces plosive sounds, making it suitable for vocal recordings without the immediate need for an additional pop filter. However, for enhanced protection and even better plosive control, some users may still prefer to use an external filter.
While we’re on the topic of mic accessories for handling noise, you may want to purchase an external shock mount as the Origin does not include one. It is quite easy to purchase a shock mount for this mic as it is compatible with standard shock mounts. Additionally, many microphones from Aston offer an optional custom shock mount, the Aston Rycote Custom, to provide optimal isolation from vibrations and noise.
Pros and Cons of the Aston Origin Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔️ Excellent audio quality ✔️ Has an integrated filter and shock-mounting system ✔️ Durable stainless steel chassis ✔️ Low self-noise | ✖️ Needs an external pop shield and shock mount ✖️ Fixed cardioid limits the mic’s directionality ✖️ Low-cut filter can be too fierce |
What People Are Saying About It
There are many good things about the Aston Origin mic. From the sound quality to the design, many happy users just have positive things to say about it!
“The Aston Origin microphone is a beautifully engineered, great-sounding large diaphragm studio condenser. It’s on the brighter side, with a lot of detail and clarity, capable of producing smooth and airy recordings with warmth and depth. Though it’s popular as a vocal mic, the Origin is equally suitable in the studio for capturing a wide range of instruments, including acoustic guitar and horns. I have to admit to being a fan of the Aston Origin, there’s something about the quirky style, sound, and solid build that I find irresistible!”
PAUL NARANG – SOUNDREF
Where to Buy the Aston Origin Microphone
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Aston mic for vocals?
Aside from the Origin, the best Aston mic for vocals is arguably the Aston Spirit. This microphone offers multiple polar patterns (cardioid, omni, and figure-8), providing greater versatility and superior performance for capturing vocal nuances. Its detailed and transparent sound reproduction, combined with the ability to change polar patterns with its pad switch, makes it an excellent choice for a wide range of vocal recording applications.
Do I need a mic stand for my Aston mic?
Any standard microphone would need a good mic stand. Whether you’re using expensive mics or affordable ones, it’s always good to use a mic stand to keep your audio device sturdy and still during a recording session or performance.
Are condenser microphones better than dynamic mics for vocals?
Condenser microphones are generally considered better than dynamic microphones for vocals due to their higher sensitivity and wider frequency response. This allows them to capture more detail and nuance in vocal performance, resulting in a clearer and more natural recording.
However, a dynamic mic is more durable and can handle higher sound pressure levels, making it suitable for live performances and certain studio applications. The choice ultimately depends on the specific recording environment and the desired audio characteristics.
Aston Origin Condenser Mic
The Aston Origin stands out for its exceptional sound quality, durable design, and affordable price point. Its hand-selected capsule and transformerless circuitry deliver a transparent and clear sound, making it ideal for vocals, acoustic instruments, and live performances. The integrated filter minimizes plosive sounds, enhancing vocal recordings without the need for additional accessories.
While it lacks an included shock mount, its robust stainless steel chassis ensures longevity and reliability in both studio and live settings. Overall, Aston Origin offers professional-grade performance at an accessible price, making it a top choice for musicians, podcasters, and recording enthusiasts alike.
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