Is this Mic an ORDER OF MAGNITUDE BETTER???? | Booth Junkie

[@Arkayem]

The Aston Spirit is absolutely amazing; I've used mine on vocal, guitar, and double bass and never been let down.

[@joeo.8034]

So there's a pretty big difference between the u87i and the spirit, the depth, smoothness, and how it's able to grab and have less proximity effect is huge. I own 2 aston sprits, they sound amazing for what they are, but they have major difference in sound when dealing with proximity. They sound AMAZING up very close, they sound closer to the u87 when getting closer up, however, it locks you into a very close distance and then having to deal with pop filter and plosives. the u87 being further away sounds already deep and smooth, you can move around a lot and the quality of the sound doesn't change much, the spirit, you can hear every little nod and head turn. It's actually very apparent when watching this video. I actually think if you stayed slightly closer and dead center with the spirit, it would sound even closer to the u87, however, keep in mind, you've gotta stay performing or speaking just like that. For me, thats how I use the mic, but I am very limited to movement and have to constantly deal with plosives.

[@JoeSmith9021090210]

Every time the NT1 comes out, it justifies my purchase of it, a few years back. I like the sizzle in the Aston, but would want the OPTION of it, rather than it be the default. The NT1 is so neutral and clean that you can add some presence boost at the top end if you want, or - what most clients want - leave it flat and let them tailor the EQ to their needs.

[@monty5066]

One of your best A/B videos yet, and absolutely true. The Spirit sounds remarkably natural. THANK you!!!

[@lkreesharabinowitz]

i just purchased one got it today .... Looking forward to working with it. I did my research

[@davewestner]

Kudos to this fellah for being able to control his plosives enough not to need a pop filter. That's a talent!

[@rich.hmusic]

The Aston Spirit is my first official microphone 🎙 and the only one I use, and want to use. 🙂 Great video!

[@SuperDerek]

Dang it Mike! I knew you did the switcheroos in the past so I kept an ear out for it and during the video was wondering when you would start switching it up! I did NOT notice. I'm no golden ear, but jeeze there was no hint of it at all while I was listening! :o

[@WarmVoice]

Honestly, you showcased some great mics all round in this video. I use a TLM-103, but they definitely all sound within the same ballpark. I do love the CAD's more focused sound, especially on your voice. I guess the real differences would show when you get into heavier processing. Preamps, EQ and Compression can really shine a light on the signature characteristics of a mic. Great video Mike 😃

[@johnkotches8320]

Between you and Bandrew I've learned so much about mics in the last year or so. The discussion about diminishing returns is worthwhile. The same is true in high-end audio where you have a lot of dollars chasing the last little bit of performance. And the next discussion which is worth/value. That's highly individual and what is "worth" the money for someone who makes a living with microphones might not be for someone like me who is a hobbyist musician.

[@draimondi21]

The A/B tests were very interesting on this one. Thanks for running through that. I think the Neumann and Spirit are actually two of the closest in the comparison, with the Neuman sounding slightly "cleaner" from low to high in your register. The Spirit sounds very sensitive in the higher ranger, and that difference becomes magnified compared to the NT1, but unless you're listening for the differences I don't know that any of them sound good or bad. Like you said, they just sound different. Thanks for the video and the content!

[@MikkoRantalainen]

I fully agree. I think the Spirit sounds like somewhere on the line between Neumann and NT1, being much closer to Neumann than NT1. The Lewitt LCT 540 sounded surprisingly good, too. I would tilt the high frequencies of Spirit a slightly downwards in EQ but other than that, really good sounding mic.

[@nodaysback1]

Hi freq smoothness in particular and low mid body without a lot of proximity effect is where most $400 mics get left behind by many of the high priced Neumanns and similar high end mics.

[@bhgemini]

I watched this video 2 times now. Once for the awesome messaging and the second to see if I could hear any difference at the changeover points with my DAC and editing headphones. I honestly can't and the wording you used that someone who was listening would say "You sound like you. You sound great. That's exactly what a mic should sound like." was nearly identical to what I caught myself saying. Great content as always.

[@danasdas6683]

What a nice way to compare two microphones! I liked the unobtrusive dots. Great video, Mike!

[@astralaudio101]

This demonstration was very impressive and it really shows how far microphone making has evolved.

[@thejonathandoan]

It sounds great but reminds me of those hair curling tubes that come in a handy plastic case. You know, the kind from the 80s...;)

[@kingdan6776]

The Aston spirit is brighter than the others and has some more detail in the mid range, but others have more depth in the bottom range. I would use it on muddy voices like Gucci Mane’s to get a clear sound and use the other mics on higher toned voices to bring out that creamy girth, oh yea baby.

[@clintedmonson]

Just received my Aston Spirit this weekend. Holy frak it sounds good!

[@jimcoffman2839]

Wow - That Spirit is impressive. Very similar in tonal response to the the TLM103. I was a bit disappointed in how the NT1 performed as that was one that was at the top of my list.....

[@gn8stories]

Dear Mike, as a beginner, your advices helped me a lot. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Do you have a special routine to recover your voice after a flu? Guess I am too impatient. 😅 Kind regards

[@celtickendall]

The Spirit sounds pretty good on your voice, for sure. Those side-by-sides really brought that notion home, especially against the Rode that just sounded muffled by comparison. I still think your voice absolutely sings through that LCT-540! (Didn't hate the TLM103, either, but dang, that Lewitt popped!) Some day!

[@TikTok-to8qq]

you need a lot of processing in the post for singing and album making, i found all other mics except u87 so much colored, to perform any thing in post processing, Aston was so genuine and subtle that you can go miles in processing or just listen it naturally, the sound is just pure velvet to ears like u87 , i dropped a long list of mics and picked Aston Spirit.

[@sirnigelcogs]

Fun fact: Aston is now owned by the same company that owns Behringer. Haha I didn't even notice you were switching back and forth between the microphones. Excellent video.

[@ryanwilson5936]

Music Tribe owns Behringer. Which is just Uli Behringer. So Behringer owns Behringer.

[@RockmannMusic]

That's pretty acurate I think haha@@ryanwilson5936

[@TowerKenny]

I've been using an Aston Spirit as my daily driver mic for voice over for about two years now. No regrets at all. Cheers

[@Dracomies]

Absolutely agree! I've been trying tell people to get on the Aston Spirit train. It's honestly on par or performs just as much more hyped microphones.

[@zeitakulobusta]

But....it's not. It's undoubtedly a excellent mic for the money but on par/equal/performs the same? No. Being close enough that that price isn't justified for you is 100% understandable, but on par/equal? Nope. And you don't hear Mr DG saying here he's going to sell his 87 and use the Aston instead.

[@Dracomies]

@@zeitakulobusta It's on par with the TLM 103 imo. I actually feel the TLM 103 is a bit overpriced for what it offers and many other microphones perform comparably to the TLM 103. If you watch the Aston Spirit review from Podcastage and compare it to the TLM 103 they're very comparable. I also experienced the same thing when I tested the TLM 103 side-by-side with the Aston Spirit.

[@zeitakulobusta]

@@Dracomies couldn't see aston vs 103 on podcastage anywhere....quite possible I missed it. Either way the Spirit has some kind of mid over-presence that makes my ears tense.

[@Dracomies]

@@zeitakulobusta Ok I've included both videos here. Again imo they're comparable: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWq0kn2chZ2mmLc and then here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rGGZpJqEfbiCqac

[@ScottJamesLIve]

So, this is a wonderfully done presentation thank you. The Ashton does sound very, very good. There is a clear difference between the two to my ears. The Neumann has more body and a nice low end personality that is missing from the Ashton. The U87 AI Top end is definitely silkier. The Ashton also sounds like it has a bit of bump in the upper ranges making it sound good but a little thinner than the U87 AI. Is the U87 AI 10x better? No, however I don't think that's entirely fair as I don't think you can apply linear math to our ears, budgets and what a person is will to pay to get just a little more out of the mic. Good stuff.

[@zeitakulobusta]

The Aston is great value for money but it's kinda crunchy too round the mids and the 'bite'. Add compression and limiting and that's only going to become more apparent.

[@jackd6129]

Thanks so much for this! And for hammering it home with that little trick you played on us. I’m in the process of setting up a home studio so I can skip the commute into the professional studios I’ve been working at for years. They use Neumanns but then compress the end product to make the downloads manageable. I had assumed I needed the same setup to replicate their product but I’m now convinced nobody will notice the difference. Looks like you just saved me a fortune. I’ll be buying you more than a few coffees once it’s all tried and tested. 🙏

[@liamstrain]

The Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is very real - we run into it in Camera land all the time. Great video!

[@ADSaaron]

Mike.. You're the Fuggin man. You've helped me so much you have no idea.

[@WillianMaier]

Amazing to check out the comparison of the Aston with Lewitt 540 subzero!

[@MikkoRantalainen]

I did notice minor differences in sound between Neumann u87 and Aston Spirit but even the slight movement you had in this video resulted in bigger changes in sound of either one of those microphones. If you tilt your head a bit while talking it makes a bigger difference in the resulting sound than the total difference between these two microphones. Unless you stay totally stationare while you're speaking, getting the Aston and learning to speak at the correct position as much as possible is going to get you the best results you can get. And use the extra ~3000 dollars to reducing echo in your room!

[@johnheiser2604]

A great video Mike. Definitely a law of diminishing returns which leads me to believe to pick something that suits you, that you can afford and learn how to use it well.

[@NIXNE]

Id love for you to cover the Elgato Wave XLR

[@BunkerAudioPanama]

I tested this in a known store and it was amazing vs a lot of others higher priced but after your theory, comparison and crazy awesome analytics, I'm definitely getting this now!

[@matthew.datcher]

8:59 It me a moment to realize that Mike flipped the specs (at least compared to how the mics appear on screen). The Spirit is on the left of the spec screen and the U 87 is on the right (not that it matters much considering they are so similar).

[@nachocabrera]

7:00 Absolutely!!

[@StreetsOfVancouverChannel]

A truly fantastic sounding microphone. Natural, warm and pleasing to my ears.

[@DoctorJezz]

Brilliantly done - thank you. I've just bought an Aston Spirit and while I'm waiting for it to arrive, I was was starting to get buyers remorse over not getting the Lewitt LCT 440, but this great overview next to the U87 in particular has settled my nerves! I think the Aston is just this side of the Lewitt's family brightness heading back towards a more classic sound, but still nice and very present. Thanks again so much - very clever and one of the best reviews I've seen on any gear on KZbin 👍👍😎

[@SonicStates]

What a wonderful Mic, Mike! To my ears, it has just enough representation in all the frequency bands. Using a pair of Lewitt 540s for everything from outdoor nature recordings to indoor Foley and voice. I absolutely love those! But the Spirit would be great companion mic; especially for narration (in my opinion). And the price! Wow!! Thanks, Mike. Always love hearing your thoughts on all this great gear!!

[@amusik7]

It’s really good that you talk about this ! Sonically the difference is hair thin. Even for music production, once your vocal track is done with all the compression, eq, saturation and what not - it’s no longer really recognizable. One thing though is that these high end microphones like Neumann a) are reliable and b) give you always good results so they are good for a professional environment where you need to use the mic every day for ten years in a row. That being said though - there is a noticeable difference for a trained ear that can be heard on even a phone speaker. I did notice the switching (just didn’t know which one is which) but in side by side comparison you definitely a richer, more pleasing sound from the Neumann - the big difference is the top end which is somewhat too sizzling on the Aston.

[@Videditor1067]

Mike, how often if ever, do you send a client a performance from two different sounding mics? An option for post production if you will…

[@maucantu]

I can Tello the difference between u87 and spirit un myphone fiio btr3 and Philips Fidelio x2hr, i can Tello the u87 is deeper, and spirit like Open, wider idk how to explain it, i'm not a profesional 😅 but feels good can Tell those things

[@ExquisiteMotivation]

Love this video. I also love your creativity on how you made the video. Great review and to my ears the Aston Spirit is one of the best mics at that price range and it’s simply a top tier product.

[@stirado]

I know someone who, when buying microphones, cameras, lenses and other equipment, the way they look is at the top of his list. That has never (ever) been something I care about, but now you've made me wonder. Those new Rode headphones look great on you!

[@jannicknielsen]

Exactly, Mike. It's a good point. I began with small "cheap" microphones and laid sleepless at night worrying about "if my mics were pro enough?" I only use two mics now: my Behringer B2 Pro condenser and my EV RE20 dynamic. And when I have turned the knobs and slided the sliders, everyone think I sound great. 😊

[@MrEmptyhead]

Lewitt 540 and the Aston Spirit sound excellent, the CAD100 and NT1 sound darker but again sound good. I would definitely go with the Aston if I was in the market for a new vocal mic.

[@zenogram]

It’s a great mic - the Aston. I recorded a whole album and I feel the vocals sound very good. Jumping up in the region of thousands for another mic doesn’t sound necessary so far.

[@MattSkalski]

I like the term "last and forever microphone." For me that is my Neumann TLM 102. Best for my voice.

[@ConcernedPublic]

The Neumann's sounded best to me, by a hair, with smoother highs and richer lower-mids over the Aston Spirit. Thanks for another helpful review, Mike.

[@ClearAdventure]

For $2,000 more it better sound a hair better, lol.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

If its by a hair then go Spirit lol.

[@halfsourlizard9319]

Literally the point of 'diminishing returns' ... You pay *a lot* more and it's *very slightly* better.

[@davehammond1480]

I am so grateful so the knowledge you share here. I have learned, and am still learning . . . Thank You for sharing

[@massimilianoasara]

I'm watching comparisons. Hundreds of comparisons. I started from the "around 300", then refined my ears and felt the need to go up and check the "around 500" class. You realize there's really a sort of asymptote in sound balance going further and it seems the Spirit is a spike in the middle of the curve. Thanks a lot.

[@crimecrimson9153]

You be would wrong though, that’s not what’s happening on the spirit scientifically. Interesting perspective though

[@BeatsBangcomtv]

Although some might argue that quality control is a factor, often times the expensive price tag is due to the expense of where a product is manufactured and how much folklore is attached to the brands reputation. Advancements in automation have evened the playing field dramatically.

[@hundertprozent100]

Anton spirit IN SETTING : Figure8 is better i think for vocals because of the frequencies 3,5 - 5 kHz . Very harsh. Ive got the aston spirit. But i dont know if the tlm103 is maybe better because of the 3 - 5 kHz range .

[@ModulerDrone]

I knew from the moment I saw the setup and the premise that the twist would be “oh he’s switching back and forth” so I tried to focus on the quality of your information and VO performance so the result was that, honestly even knowing that definitely this will be the case, guess what, I DID NOT NOTICE IT AT ALL. Ofc once I focused precisely on that I could hear how much “better” the Neumann sounded. It just confirmed my theory from working in audio for the past 25 years, that for the last “10%” you need to spend “10” times more. Basically once you reach a threshold there’s the law of diminishing returns. Now I just buy really expensive gear that serves a very specific reason an purpose. I.e. a boutique and really expensive synth that exists as an app and probably sounds very close to the real deal will cost me not 10 times but 200 times more. But the experience of creating sound on it will be infinitely valuable for inspiration and creation. And if my budget and GAS justification allows me to do such excesses for the purpose of fulfilment then it doesn’t matter that I could get similar sounding results with less expensive gear. As for mics this is true as well. I stopped on the Sony C-100 because I can do sound design (as it reached 50ks with it’s dual capsule design) but that is a niche use. I wouldn’t spend a huge amount on a mic if I sparsely use it. If recording bands/artists is your business and you need to impress clients or get a very particular sound that only one particular mic can give you, and you have the budget just go for it. It will make mixing much easier etc But if you’re a small studio or actor that does VO there’s tons of stuff that you can improve before improving the mic by 5-10%

[@cristopherjohansson1323]

Have only compared the spirit to a U87 from -78. The U87 sounded smoother and had bigger lows, actually prefered the tighter bottom end on the spirit. But what made me keep my U87 was the natural compression, comparing the wav files the Aston looked more spiky. Maybe noone cares about that lol but in post or in tracking the compressor will work better imo. Is it worth the price difference, maybe, maybe not. :D

[@Thecando]

Great vid Mike! Really appreciate the effort you put into this hobby.

[@Dazz1806]

Amazing comparison video. This was a great way to run a blind test! I hadn’t heard of Aston mics but you’ve proved to me that they’re serious mics. Great sound. Personally I thought the U87 was richer with more bass response, but for the price the Aston held its own in the mids and highs. And I really liked the Lewitt. Sounded a bit more open, but again the Aston was superb. Thanks for doing this.

[@jmclaughlin3728]

Well articulated. High-end gets to a point where it’s about the price more than the quality.

[@BayouJosh]

Damn. I did not notice and I am listening through HD 660's. That is a fantastic Mic.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

I found the Aston Spirit to be so much better than the Origin. I mean night and day difference in my opinion. After watching video over a couple of times I stand by that after owning the Origin. Love the video and my respect for Mr Mike grows every day. What a fantastic channel and a great person to review mics.

[@jamesb44]

I’ve had 4 different Origins in my studio, and currently own two. I completely understand you saying that. However, out of the four mics that I’ve had, none of them sound the same. The best one sounds every bit as good as the Spirit, only different. That said, the Spirit is a great mic. (I own one.) I just wish the Origins were more consistent in sound from mic to mic. Get a good one, and it’ll blow your mind.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

@@jamesb44 I had 2 Origins that failed on me. One just stopped working alltogether and one only gave like a humming noise and no sound so I said It's not meant to be. The Spirit i didn't have any issue s so yeah you are right you just need to find the right one.

[@rizzoprod_]

NT1 or Aston Origin?

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

@@rizzoprod_ NT1 because of how it deals with the noise floor and versatility in sound. NT1 though not the same for NT1A.

[@rizzoprod_]

@@QuantumGamingUploads I have the option to take the used NT2A. Do you think it's a great upgrade to NT1?

[@spacemandave2345]

definitely didn't notice the switching at first but after my brain realized the difference in sound, i started to know when it switched. The Neumann certainly sounds better but you're absolutely right, no need to get something like that unless you're doing something highly specific or if you just want it as a like a trophy mic

[@AlfredNazGates]

I use headphones so I heard a difference of what I was hearing. I didn't know which one till you showed. I'm looking to get a rode broadcaster, earthworks ethos, or some other "broadcast" condenser mic. So far the rode broadcaster is still my favorite on top but theres a used spirit mic near me I might just pick it up.

[@rylandweet7750]

I could tell when he was switching them back and fourth and I’m listening on my iPhones 7 lol , it’s definitely noticeable in the top end, but if you were to look off axes on the spirit I would sound alot like the u87 for sure actually, I might check this mic out, know if you get a “good” at4040 ( they all sound quite different from each other) you can get ones that sound nearly identical to a u87, except the 4040 might be a tad bit brighter , all you have to do is compress to get it to sound like a u87

[@BobHarperProductions]

At one point while viewing, I definitely heard a difference. It seemed like a little honey was poured down your vocal chords across ALL frequencies. There was a smoother vibe of sorts. It's always so difficult describing mic sounds but my description pretty much explains what I heard. Yes, it was the U87i. Then, I focused on seeing if I could detect it again and I did. WAS THAT 'VIBE' worth $3,200? Ah, like ya said, if a specific sound is being sought. I think maybe if ya kicked-up the lesser budget to around a grand, one would be hard pressed to discern the subtle differences. I've had 'em all and I think that law of diminishing returns is more like at $1,000ish on condensers. You also have to throw in that certain mics are just better on some vox than others. Great job BTW...as usual. '-)

[@foreverthestudent]

I thought you were switching the whole time. But i am a audio engineer Those headphones are sweet looking. Your one of the best YT channels out there.

[@DynamixWarePro]

I am listened to this through Sennheiser HD 600 headphones and then M-Audio monitor speakers and from what I can hear, the Aston Spirit sounds great. Before you mentioned the price, I thought it was going to be expensive and cost a lot more than it does! I could hear the Neumann U87 has a bit more clarity but the difference isn't that much. The NT1 is darker and flatter sounding The CAD e100Sx sounded darker and almost muffled compared to the Spirit and I preferred the Spirit. The LCT 540 sounded like it has a bit more bass. I think the TLM103 is a little bit smoother but there isn't a vast difference between it and the Spirit. Again, what a great mic! I began with a Samson c01u, then a Rode NT1-A which I hated as its way too bright and no amount of processing could fix that for me, then a Sennheiser ME66 which I now use for wildlife audio recording and I tried a lot of other mics including a Neumann TLM 102 (too harsh on my voice in the higher frequencies), Rode NT1 (newer one which is too flat and muffled for me) and some others, but I now use a Sennheiser MKH-416. I didn't get it because it was expensive and an industry standard as that wasn't a factor, it was the first mic I tested that actually suits my voice well. I am sure there could be others I haven't tried that might work just as well but for now I just use it for voice overs.

[@Tsunamoly]

I've been watching a lot of your videos recently and had seen the same switching trick in a different video, thought the same thing would happen here. My suspicions were correct and I still didn't even notice!

[@halfsourlizard9319]

I listened (without watching) to most of the video while making coffee, and I *expected* that you might do something sneaky like swap to the U87 at some point, but ... with YT processing + using the DAC in the mid-range wireless phones that I happen to have on I didn't *hear* it ... Fantastic point about considering the use case -- podcasts and YT vids are *not* things that people listen to on their Orpheus (or whatever ridiculous audiophile-approved way-beyond-diminishing-returns cans) ... although, let's be serious: the Neumann is, by far, the prettier mic.

[@casemcdonald2152]

I've done some thinking about this too... The benefit of the U87 isn't that it's that much better, it's that it's so incredibly consistent. When you're recording a lot, in a commercial workflow, the consistency of the U87 pays itself off in the labour to normalize the recordings. If you can apply processing exactly the same in every recording, every day, and have them perfect every time... The spirit can't do that. For the home recording, you'll be using that one microphone, and process it the same, so it'll work perfectly well. If you're using 10 different microphones, and recording a lot of different people, it'll be more cost effective to use the U87, because all of those microphones will be almost exactly the same. The spirit will have more inconsistency between them. In summary, almost everyone will get what they need from the spirit. Mass production studios would be better served by the U87. If you need a U87, you already know why.

[@AG_before]

I was _really_ hoping you would do the sneaky switching! Thank you. 👍 I think it's down to a 'marketing' thing now. What does the client hear you're using when you tell them. I have the Rode NT-1, love it, but I like the Aston's sound signature - as much as I can hear on YT at least. To anyone reading this: spend the money on treating your booth rather than paying 10x for a 'better' mic. Please! 🙏

[@davidhasbrouck7948]

This is why I like the AKG C414s so much. Smaller, more polar patters, well know so it keeps its value and sounds good enough for most things. Double the spirit but 1/5 of the Neumann.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

Always wanted to try an AKG C414 mic. I own akg c3000 90's mic and akg p420 but always heard about how good the AKGC414 Mics are.

[@maxpino4384]

Hi 🙂 Congratulations for your videos and their great content! Do you prefer Aston Spirit or Rode NT1 ? Thank you very much Max from Italy 🎶

[@marcchapleau8343]

I would have love the hear the comparison between the Spirit and the Stellar X2

[@ww1www]

This Spirit sounds great. But I got my NT1 on FB Marketplace for peanuts. Well, not exactly, but around 100 bucks with good number of years of warranty remaining. Nothing beats that, and any time I hear the NT1, I just find it to be more than satisfactory for what I need such a microphone for :)

[@GingerDrums]

i record ADR for a living, can confirm. if i can get a Gefell 930ts ill take it, but the NT1 is almost exactly as good given a good sounding room.

[@demodeiowa]

What would be the ultimate difference in build quality? Is it the pcb quality, metal used, components figured out with schematic design? Design of the components n where they were made? What ultimately makes a “high end mic” high end compared to others in the sub $800 range of mics? Don’t the all have very similar structure and build?

[@wwellsofficial]

Aston sounds so good

[@RudolfWolph]

I did actually hear a really subtle change in timbre now and then throughout the video that made me question whether you were switching between the two through video editing or if my brain was playing tricks on me because you had pulled the Neumann close and things suddenly sounded... Neumann-y, I guess? But that wasn't even something I'd characterize as better or worse. Certainly not a difference I'd pay for unless the microphone was making me far more money than it cost.

[@8KKlips]

The bigger of the 2 Neumanns looks like the microphone Olivia Newton-John used in her "A Little More Love" video. Gr8 vid. 🎤 🇺🇸

[@MelborneMoon]

Great video. Would love to hear your thoughts on a new microphone from United Studio Technologies called the UT Twin87. There are really not many reviews of it all online. It's a pretty cool concept and can switch between a vintage and modern (a.i.) U87 sound. That's the goal anyway.

[@bryantfalk7021]

The problem here is you can list that you are using a TLM 103 or a U87 but I don't know if you can safely list an Aston as part of your rig and have remote engineers ok with. I'm finding on the high end they require either a U87, a 103 or a 416 shotgun. For other production studios this allows them to not even have to worry. This is the issue on the production side. For only you in a closet and know one knowing what you have I think the Aston's are awesome. I also think the MXL 990 is shockingly good as well and incredibly inexpensive.

[@LightningSpiritVA]

I am debating weather to get it or not. Like curious you think this mic be good for screaming like for voice acting

[@NBproductionspresent]

the u87ai was slightly louder, but it has a softer top end with crazy bass in comparison. the spirit is a great mic for a set it and forget it kind of situation. but the u87ai is MADE to be processed, because it isn't exciting on it's own.

[@GingerDrums]

not sure I agree. u87 has a better sounding midrange to me, and this is much more relevant in music than voiceover. for VO id prefer a sweeter souning / slightly hyped mic

[@JothanGurr]

Damn that LCT 540 makes all the other mics sound so muddy to my ears. Your still sounds deep through it too so I think it's the clear winner. I did like the Spirit for the price though

[@jean-francoisgroulxmulti-i1500]

Great video ! I like the surprise punch line. I never thought the U87ai was that great, when you know the original version...the new one practically never wins the shootout, too bright and way too expensive for how it sounds.

[@laurieegbert9052]

It sounds incredible!!

[@legacyShredder1]

Beyond a certain price threshold I don't look at microphones as being a better mic when comparing them. I purchase microphones for very specific reasons with very specific tonal qualities, frequency, and timbre in mind. I live in the recording studio environment so I need specifics, but I've been trained to hear the differences. (Even then sometimes the closest microphone is the best microphone regardless of typology.) If I were in just the voiceover world I would have a small selection that compliments different voices well. My wife sounds awful singing and speaking through a FET even though she has an angelic voice, and this includes my Neumann FET 47. This does not make FET microphones bad; they're not. FET's are awesome. Put her on a broadcast dynamic, tube or non-FET solid state mic with a transformer and she sounds beautiful. After a certain price threshold microphones are simply just good. The question then becomes is that microphone good for you?

[@anthonydevito1298]

Wow, hadn't even noticed you were switching, yikes! Now that I know, when I re-listen I prefer the Aston. Awesome.

[@EmoEmu]

I've been a big fan of the Origin since I first saw it and watched a few reviews. And it's also something of a looker. I really like that design.

[@EmoEmu]

It kinda makes the NT1 sound boring.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

@@EmoEmu It is way better than the Rode NT1 in my opinion but still the Spirit is miles better than both.

[@MrCameraJunkie]

Great video. I had to go back and re-listen with the dots. My honest opinion, on the second pass you can notice a difference between the microphones. But nothing that couldn't be regarded as the inflection and projection of your voice. But nothing I would have noticed if you wouldn't have mentioned it 💯 (Listening on Airpods 3rd Gen) 👊🏽 #JunkiesUnit

[@punsiwuxi]

I bought a used one which top part has been ripped off for about 80 bucks. The audio is fine but I'm a lil afraid what thus could cause in the long run

[@JR-lx8nn]

Good blind A/B comparison. This is the only way to do it, because it precludes the listener from imposing his expectations on what he hears. Side comment: Thank you for demonstrating what microphone we use does not really matter. Real "influencers" do not obsess over their equipment; they discuss substantial social, political, economic, religious, health and other issues with meaning and significance. You have reviewed and praised so many microphones, I am convinced one can put his message across with practically any microphone and reasonably good mic technique. Parenthetically, I believe the CAD e100x uses a $13 US (retail cost) 26mm dia. Transsound capsule, suggesting there may be a BIG margin in selling this type of microphone. 🙂 (You look much better with this hair cut - improves your professional image and credibility.) Just saying - your mileage may vary. JT

[@danielpatrickswain]

For me the Neumann had a noticeably more refined smoother bottom end which is lacking in the Spirit.

[@kingyasofficial]

Almost any mic sounds good just for KZbin tho 🤷🏾‍♂️ had the origin and I loved it but i had to eq alot. When i got my tlm 103 it’s definitely a big difference when it comes to mixing and its way easier.

[@hundertprozent100]

I THINK ASTON SPIRIT in FIGURE 8 has the same frequency response like TLM 49 CAN U MAKE A COMPARISON PLEASE!

[@caspermaster-com]

As a mastering engineer for your vocal here, the aston feels certainly up for the task. Rode nt1 however, does for me however, reduce some charisma and heartfeltness. But between the neumann and aston, nope. It may change a bit for sung vocals etc where it may differ when you wanna draw out some stuff more in the mixing, but not necessarily.

[@MyStutteringLife]

I'm just starting out in VO and I have 2 mics 🎤: RE20 & SHURE SM7B. As I progress, this Astin mic might be a good choice for me......

[@SusheelChandradhas]

Can't see the dots cos they're the same colour as the background.

[@scottrogers2831]

Is it possibly the best U87 alternative for male/female vocals/singing?

[@CardBug]

Aston Spirit or LCT 440 😟

[@TheWolfCub71]

I have the Spirit. I’m glad you did this review/comparison. To me the Aston really sounds very close to the Neumann mics. I went with the Spirit because it seemed to not color the sound like many of the other mics. I figured that if I can get the largest range I can sculpt frequencies out of the recording to get darker voicing but I wouldn’t be able to add the higher frequencies in if I wanted a brighter tone.

[@QuantumGamingUploads]

I found the Aston Spirit to be a fenomenal mic for the price. I had the Origin but not super impressed by it. It was OK but it just didn't stand out against some other mics I had. The Spirim in the other hand entirely different . I think best mic in that price range.