Aston Microphone condenser Spirit teardown A look inside

[@jasonkesser]

I wish there were more people like yourself on KZbin Mark, if that were the case I would only have to watch one video. I’m a professional VO actor surrounded by engineers and gear heads all day long and 15 min with you was easily all I needed. Cheers mate.

[@macawdad2003]

This design is brilliant. You’re right about things getting knocked around. She’s a steel brute with a heart of gold.

[@Hugmir]

Great atmosphere, humour, and overall presentation. I'm quite happy I have discovered this video.

[@CaalamusTube]

...the humor & editing/themes in this one were quite nice :]

[@ThomasGrillo]

OMG! You've GOT to start using that mic in all future productions! It sounds beautiful! What a difference! Really enjoyed seeing the inside of this mic. Thanks, and keep up the great works! I want that mic! :)

[@markusfuller]

ThomasGrillo Thank you Thomas. yes it certainly sounds quite clean and not a mark on it after the baseball bat which i filmed 4 times.

[@ThomasGrillo]

LOL. I saw that. Smashing good stuff, that was! :)

[@MrWombatty]

Totally agree that the Aston mic is a huge improvement!

[@o0blacktopsk8er0o]

FYI For the SM58 rusted globe.... You can absolutely purchase new globes for about $12.

I was a bit iffy about buying that mic because they had no pictures of the capsule or what was inside. This video really helped my choice, thank you! :)

[@T.R.A.N.C.E]

Nice job buddy. I love inspecting the insides of electronics, I also noticed in your video that Aston are using high quality Japanese Nichicon capacitors throughout where many companies use much cheaper Chinese parts.

[@markusfuller]

Yes it all looks like quality gear in there microphones and I know what you mean about Nichicon Caps they are certainly top quality as Dave from the youtube channel eevBlog always points them out when he finds them in a teardown.

[@chrisschut4533]

I think Coles mics are built in the UK aren't they? Great video, thanks!

[@cuisined]

Make sure you don't piss off the studio engineer/soundman cause now they've got what to throw at you & it comes with 3 years warranty. :D

[@OC35]

As an ex-service engineer for Sennheiser (and Nagra :) ) found it very interesting.

[@labarone8910]

Great video Markus. Your humour is getting even more oblque and I like it! It's the Brighton air. This mic looks like the bees knees and it's definitely going on my my shopping list. I like Shures but if you've ever seen inside one or tried to take a 57 apart only to find they've made the connecting wires too short and you have twisted the wires off the body trying to seperate the two halves then you'll appreciate the way this is made. I also get Shures are relatively cheap and that Sennheisers can give them a good run for their money, but this mic is on a different level for studio & stage work. Interesting the part about mic-ing back-line speakers - I hadn't considered that. As you say, it's the sound that counts and there'll be an AB coming up quite soon. Cheers!

[@markusfuller]

La Barone Ah yes the brighton air will certainly get me admitted to the special ward one day. yes i have been in the shure and had that exact same problem about 3 years ago. just ripped the wires off trying to open it up. but for the cost they are very good.

[@richiesplayground7092]

I had one. It was an interesting mic. Good build quality. I really liked the design. The built in pop filter and thread for mic stands was genius. To me, it had a weird frequency response. It sounded a little peaky in the highs yet it still sounded muffled. I eventually sold it.

[@samchoate1719]

Richies Playground check out audio test kitchen to compare mics

[@Onthegorich]

I thought it sounded muffled to. Not so crystal clear

[@jaydensimmons4637]

It has been used several times and loved.

[@Wizardofgosz]

This tear down video gave me a great idea, too. I noticed that they put what looks like a little piece of felt over the switch toggles so that when you put the body of the mic back on, it covers up the hole a little bit, and probably even gives you a little dust protection. I just built two U87s, and I think this would work with them, and would look good. I'm going to stop by the fabric store when I'm out on errands today and grab some felt!

[@Crowbar11115]

These mics sound GREAT for Voice Overs!! The Origin and Rode NT1 are my Daily Drivers now.

[@Zyswest]

me "oh god can't believe i just bought this $400 mic, oww my wallet" markus: *takes off the outside and uses it as a slinky*

[@coengiovanni4769]

I guess Im asking randomly but does anybody know of a way to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would appreciate any help you can offer me.

[@jadielrhys3156]

@Coen Giovanni Instablaster :)

[@PileOfEmptyTapes]

That vocal sample at the end was taken in cardioid mode, wasn't it? Sounded quite bassy, which suggests proximity effect at play.. At that kind of distance I'd switch it to omni or put a 1st order highpass on it.

[@sdfalk]

Well done. informative and objective..I use the Spirit myself and had never even considered pulling one apart,

[@digitalkmultimedia]

Wonderfully done. Straight forward and no gimmicks, clean and clear. Really found it useful. I am waiting on the Aston Element mic. Will be interesting to see where it stands given its $200 price tag. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@nmarc]

A real review! love the way you do this, now i can buy this without any doubt.

[@PANICBLADE]

Fender's electric guitars were designed the same way. Make it hard to break, easy to fix, simple to use, and listen to the feedback of the people you're making it for until you have a winner. Hard to argue with the "by and for the people" design.

[@eddydeegan8824]

I'm sure every time you put out a new video your room looks a little bit cooler - great video as usual Markus :-)

[@markusfuller]

Thank Eddy. Im going to need a bigger Tardis soon (or is it a smaller tardis but bigger inside ?)

[@organaut]

Eddy Deegan It’s bloody freezing here Eddie. I have to sit with my hands over a spotlamp cos he won’t put me the heating on.😱

[@eddydeegan8824]

Have you tried hiding all his jumpers?!

[@organaut]

Eddy Deegan , now that’s an idea.👍

[@gnarlysoundscapes7210]

8:48 Am I the only one who cringed at how close that pointy stick was to touching the diaphragm? xD

[@DonKelleyMusic]

Nope I literally cringed until he was finally done with that.

[@bukkaratsuppa6414]

Was that Aston at the end? Dunno why blame KZbin for not living up to high sound quality. The difference is right there. Huge!

[@ArthurStone]

Great sounding and well-designed mic; nice breakdown. Thanks Marcus :D

[@wychwoodmusic]

So many Dad jokes. Pretty charming! And informative

[@JakobHaq]

Awesome video Markus, one of your best! 👊🏼 I want one of those microphones myself.

[@AnalogDude_]

Hey Markus, how are you doing? still alive? any more video in the pipe line? reviewing, building modular synthesizer circuits?

[@EnglishEloquenceMoscow]

Mark, my Aston Origin is pin 3 hot instead of 2 pin hot. Would I ruin the mic had I tired re-wire the pins myself? Thank you!

[@LEVRAN]

Best vid in awhile!

[@gsusmorales]

Awesome, thanks Markus, regards from Spain

[@minstrelofMir]

i started home recording in 1988 4 tracking ect,ever since i used a sure sm58,but changed to the sm57 the last 20 years,now im up grading my home recording kit,i have just bought one of these,wow its got some weight,seems heavey for its own cage,but at least can allways just go on a pole,and im thinking if we use it to mic amps waatever up with its got its own caddle+shock which could be handy at low levels to the floor,,anyway im happy with it so far,,my friend who has a massive colection and knows his stuff recomended it to me YNWA

[@jaymz168]

Coles Electroacoustics makes some of the best ribbon mics ever made, and they're from the UK! Very highly regarded!

[@antigen4]

the Coles 4038 is THE Beatles classic vocal mic - not so sure about the one above - maybe he got it confused with the generic category of ribbon mics

[@blazley7459]

Me and my friend love your videos, keep it up!

[@Wizardofgosz]

I've been hearing good things about those Aston mics. Maybe I'll get one in the future. I have a Rode also. I have the Rode NTK, which was recently converted to a K2 by putting a better, dual sided C12 style capsule in it. Turns out they use the K2 PCBs in the NTK mic and PSU, and save money by using a lesser, one-sided capsule. So, I got the mic for free in a weird event, and then had a friend do the mods. I initially just wanted a capsule upgrade not realizing they used the same boards in both mics, then my friend texted me and asked if I minded if he put a pattern switch on the mic, and I said no as long as it wasn't a kludge. Then later he realized the PSU was set up for the pattern pot already. The metal work already had the hole for the pot, but the vinyl covering on the front with the lettering covered it up. Anyway. Long story short, I converted my NTK into a K2 with a capsule upgrade.

[@markusfuller]

Sounds great what you did with the rode, the K2 was just too big for my needs (power supply great big cable etc) I just wanted a mic to plug in on the desk and use without extra psu etc. the aston mic is perfect for my needs and i use it often, plus the added bonus of it being almost indestructable. i have dropped it a few times but never been worried.

[@Wizardofgosz]

@@markusfuller I'm thinking about getting a Stealth from them.

[@flatfrog69rr71]

Hi Markus Thanks for another brillant video Now that is getting close to Xmas,could you please give us a treat by giving us a look at inside some of your big Moog's module's please ! If not would it be possible to make a video on how it works and a sound demo Thanks once again

[@elijahmant2855]

Interestingly good video, Man. Thanks

[@SlightlyNasty]

Interesting that their Starlight mic uses the sintered metal basket - I'm not sure I've seen another mic use that since AKG toyed with it in the 70s. Aston seem to be quite keen on using unusual construction methods, I suppose it's a nice way to differentiate your product in a market as saturated as studio mics.

[@francopolo510]

Very nice review. I bought it and for me personally it sounds fantastic, brillant, warm but same time clear. Maybe it has a touch from a valve? It's interesting the microphone don't earn that much 'fame' instead of sm7b. I mean both mics are different types. But I think it's strange why people buy and praise the Sm7b so much and in fact it's really muffled So I would wish Aston built this Spirit with the very nice mount system from sm7b which is just brilliant I would like to have that mount in that nice metal tone and maybe a better pop filter than this... It would be a great microphone Deserve more attention

[@DoctorBlankenstein]

05:40 got me... lol I was like "WTF is he doing to this thing!!!!" :)

[@qwerty6789x]

they did not use ceramic capacitors. is that a downer? i really like this mic for my guitar. seeing its guts but i still like it. youtube algorithm got me here by the way.

[@markbon5146]

Fantastic content . I have been looking at this mic from not a million miles away west of you in worthing for 2 years . I am very impressed with your verdict and am so bullish on the fact that its British. Only in the fact that I want to see innovation. Your setup is dream stuff . If I could only. Starting from the bottom and working my way up . Promised myself to try and set up a home studio, my only problem is getting started . Any tips would be so greatfuly accepted .

[@Thecando]

I was rewatching this great video and I started wondering.... 1. how well does the circuit handle the high frequency bump of the k67/87 capsule? 2. Does the circuit have a built in EQ in the circuit? 3.Is the circuit based off of any existing designs or is it totally original? 4. How would you customise or improve the circuit? I’ve been enjoying you content for a couple of years but I’m really wondering what your deeper thinking is on your microphone and their designs! Please contact me if you would prefer not to share publicly :)

[@DonKelleyMusic]

From listening tests on youtube and several discussions with owners, I can say that it clearly has a high frequency de emphasis circuit of some type. It sounds nothing like the classic alctron k67 mikes, like the apex 460, 520, and nearly all other mics like that (art m four... the list goes on and on about the mikes that are basically all the same model with different cases or a few small changes to the circuit). This sounds nothing like them at all.

[@jakel8879]

markus man I gotta ask, are you ever worried about the carpet covering of your desk creating any sort of esd on some of the electrical components you work on? I realize you ground yourself out but the desk itself, is it grounded despite the carpet?

[@markusfuller]

Cool Ski Mask Hi no im not worried, I have done it this way for many years and have never had a problem. I do use antistatic mat and or earth wrist straps if I think something has static sensitive devices but I guess I have just been lucky.

[@anthemmakersmusic]

Aston did a great job

[@jouebien]

Shure actually sell replacement grills/birds nests for the mics.

[@GigiUK]

Excellent video. Thank you :)

[@noordermaatstudios]

Hello Markus,I like your videos and I am amazed how you manage to fix everything.I have a YAMAHA 02R with display problems.I wonder if it is possible to get the display information on something bigger,like a computer monitor so I don't need my glasses all the time? Please go on with everything you are doing,I love it.

[@markusfuller]

Paltrock City Studios I wish I had the answer for you. I just got one of those analogkeys synths and the display is like an 80s digital watch. great synth but i need my glasses on to see also.

[@anthemmakersmusic]

So did the sm7b,the bluebird, the 214 but the tlm102 was the best of the ones I tried. The Rode was the quietest but it made me sound silent. The Warm 47 jr was excellent on my voice as well.

[@curiosity1109]

I have a question for you about the Aston Spirit. Since i bought it. It has had a rattling internally. I was wonder if you think that it might be fixable by opening the mic and reattach it?

[@markusfuller]

Hi Christopher. If it is within giarantee I would take it back to the shop but if not then I would open it up and find out what the rattling part is inside. I wonder what is causing the sound ?.

[@curiosity1109]

@@markusfuller Hi Mark, i uploaded a video on my youtube channel so you can see the microphone. The store that i bought it from went out of business. I guess i could try to contact the Aston company for advice as well. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGrbe4F-oZZ5qac

[@rhalfik]

8:43 What's that coppery looking thing sandwiched between the top boards right under the capsule?

[@BudgetBassD21]

Do the aston origin teardown next please!

[@SuperBratan]

When looking for damage on my spirit I noticed that the top screws are almost touching the capsule sides (the ring around the membrane). Is this right ? Can there be Smth like a short-circuit?

[@SuperBratan]

So my mic dropped off my mic stand, the screw holding the orthogonal arm was loose, because of twisting the arm. So it fell down, no real damage, only minor deforming of the metal mesh spring thing. Can there be any damage to the sound? I removed the casket, capsule looks fine, cables are in place, a quick recording test didn't show any changes, tho the sound was different because of my voice, Time of day.

[@CONCERTSEC]

Great video again Markus. Eagerly awaiting a GENOS tear down 😂😂

[@markusfuller]

CONCERTSEC I think he would kill me if i took the Genos apart.

[@CONCERTSEC]

markusfuller you took the Tyros apart and survived to make more videos😂

[@matthijsblomjous3671]

why are you laying that ribbon mic flat? that will wear out the ribbon so much quicker than when you have it vertically stored

[@fitzjameswood5486]

Coles, Hebden, Sontronics are'nt they British design and made?

[@anthemmakersmusic]

I tested it today it sounded really good on my voice.

[@anthemmakersmusic]

So I will pick up an aston origin and akg 214, a Bluebird sl, a shure SM7B, already have the rode and the warm. Want to test the K2 as well

[@samchoate1719]

Marcus Gonzalez audio test kitchen

[@GoreMelian]

Hi Mark great videos I've sub... I would like to ask for your opinion on cleaning a dirty microphones capsule... there's a video I saw on youtube, a guy does it using artist brushes with alcohol and water . Thanks in advance.

[@Scott-dx7uc]

could you make a TZ Stellar x2 comparison test? I was planing to order one microphone, but not make decision yet.

[@sauce_aux]

Funniest episode yet. I'm dyin over here in my cubist work. Can't stop laughing

[@lordjoshuarobindumbleton275]

I believe Sontronics is a UK brand

[@JohannesLabusch]

Shure SM58 replacement grille, $7.78 at Sweetwater ... don't know about the UK.

[@mastershake9374]

you can easily replace the headbasket on the 58!

[@derekriggs7659]

So why, exactly, did you open up a microphone? what did you expect to find in there? Did you think they might have left something out?

[@DonKelleyMusic]

Tear downs are very revealing if you know what to look for. It is using a K67 capsule, like nearly all other cheap chinese condensor mics.. but the circuitry (Based on the sound quality) is clearly doing either the correct neumann designed HF de-emphasis, or they are doing their own high frequency de emphasis. Either way it sounds MILES better than nearly all of the apex and art and nearly all of the other alctron mikes I've heard. So the capsule is likely made in china (which isn't a big deal, most are these days, and some of them are terrific). But the circuit was at least designed in the UK, I presume. Unsure if that surface mount board is actually made in the UK, but the physical build of the mic is certainly unique, so I'll chalk that up to an original UK design. So you learn a lot from a teardown. Absolutely. Also interesting was the transformer. I'll have to do some research to try to identify that one. All in all, I'd say it makes sense that it costs what it costs, seems fair, and worth it.

[@ThePandaPhotographer]

It's a nice design

[@joeldenney157]

Aston please pay this man!

[@astralaudio101]

Sontronics is another successful English Microphone company.. 👌

[@BMRStudio]

SOLD!

[@anoopsahal1202]

Knitted Mesh , could it be replaced by an old brillo pad?

[@NeoMufasa]

Excuse me, and in Aston Origin and Aston Spirit the aperture is one inch?

[@benc438]

one thing they didn't think of is the mesh on the top of the mic. it has no guard and mine has collapsed from holding my finger on the top :(

[@k_watts]

Damn!! You were about to cut that beautiful mic open.

[@anthemmakersmusic]

Akg 214 was very clean.

[@chemicalBR0]

it's built like a sherman tank as with the tank you could also probably kill somebody with this :) I love well built stuff regardless of it's purpose, great video as ever Markus

[@markusfuller]

I did film that bit 4 times and there are no mark on the mic at all.

[@IljaSara]

I want to buy that mic just for the amazing build quality. If only, for example, mobile phones were made with the same quality standards as Astons...

[@TeatruSubtitrat]

IMHO good mobile phones have way higher standards. This is a really simple circuit based on decades old german design. I mean, simple as it can be. The "innovations" are only in the product packaging-marketing side, while the inside is just another Neumann clone. I also don't understand why is it so special it is UK-made - I'm not hating, but this is also obvious non-sense marketing because the chinese are able to build hi-tech Iphones, why would one doubt their capacity to build something THAT simple ?!

[@TeatruSubtitrat]

I had this mic on my radar, but all the marketing didn't hold up to it's actual sound.

[@juicy_oranges5529]

Speaking of Aston quality standards: The first Spirit I bought literally had been put together the wrong way. The capsule was facing backwards...so I needed a replacement. Also I have never seen them to successfully put on their logo straight onto a microphone, it's always tilted a bit. But other than that I like my Spirit a lot.

[@documentingordinarythoughts]

would it be possible to upgrade the transformer ?

[@simontucker8210]

Is that a Genos in the background ??...how about a video of it perhaps? Montage & Genos in the house now?😊😉

[@markusfuller]

Hi Simon. yes the Montage is mine and the Genos belongs to youtube channel "organaut" i'm sure he will be making some videos soon about it.

[@simontucker8210]

markus... are yes of course will keep an eye out for that 😊

[@Manuel-Anthony]

The top part of my aston mic seems to be bent on the top mesh a bit... will that affect the mic?

[@franciscojoseleandromarcel7043]

Hi Tomxico here from Portugal. My studio condenser mic works just fine but sometimes then the signal is very low or even vanish away. Is there a bad condenser or something ? It's not about fantom Power cos I have oneother condenser mic and works just fine. Can someone help me ? Please I am locked a home due to the virus. Heath to you all. thank you

[@JamZuka]

Ja ouvi dizer que os Aston reagem diferente conforme o cabo que usam... É recomendado usar um cabo de boa qualidade. Já agora, depois destes meses todos, continua satisfeito com o microfone? Cumprimentos

[@norilizamacdon8350]

This is what i want to watch

[@nihonam]

And would you make a recording test?

[@markusfuller]

nihonam nope theres many youtube vids with recording tests already with this mic. I am surely not the best person to do that as theres much more professional audio guys out there.

[@oreillykepadisa2871]

i love this video❤️❤️❤️

[@julznartey]

you can buy replacement top parts for sm 58 bro

[@kgreggbruce1552]

julius Nartey only hacks use a 58, bro.

[@anoopsahal1202]

Markus will be anodising this microphone to dip it it dye ?

[@markusfuller]

I have just received a new batch of acid today so will be trying the anodising panels again real soon. i would not want to anodise this mike as it looks nice already.

[@anoopsahal1202]

That mike is stunning looking, in the same vein I have a Nagra ST reel to reel on display in my Surgery, the case is milled from a single piece of aluminium . I opened it up and it is through hole discrete components. I had a cable made up by Nagra there four pole to 3.5 mm jack £139!

[@markusfuller]

Anoop Sahal My friend has the nagra-D which is the digital reel to reel and it simply looks beautiful but it is getting more difficult to find tape for it now and the battery needs replacing.

[@anoopsahal1202]

He can get a Nagra battery for £350 I’m sure I watched a Vlog about it!

[@markusfuller]

Anoop Sahal Im not going anywhere near this one Anoop. i got a grilling over the last nagra video so im staying away from it. I will never repair any of their gear ever again.

[@hirokikyoku]

Points for Dramatic Reenactment of Standard Microphone Mishap. Boy do I hate when I accidentally clock my microphones with my aluminum bat.

[@squeezemypimple]

Great!...thanks

[@ณัฐวุฒินันทศิริ]

Hi.Guy i like it .I got one Aston Spirit.

[@jamesjustice6837]

The effort and humor of the flag joke was beyond the view count this video has

[@markusfuller]

yep thats my stupid humour.

[@lucianoluggren]

Coles electroacoustics are UK based.

[@Mksin42]

Acoustically it sounds great even through KZbin

[@parusha33]

Sontronics are British

[@aceholeas]

That thing looks skookum as frig

[@markusfuller]

aceholeas I have been binge-watching AvE . you speak the language well :-)

[@Wagoo]

I like the cut of its jib

[@IMChrisThom]

What is the internal potentiometer for?

[@markusfuller]

Hi Chris. I am not sure what it is for. maybe its used to calibrate something when it is put together.

[@m.studio1210]

I own that mic i lovet

[@BudgetBassD21]

Cad gxl2400usb next please

[@RealGingerTea]

"a nice little destruction manual"