Warm Audio WA44 - is it any good?

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

To me, the AEA is just so much smoother. The Warm has some odd telephone-y buzz and a weird sort of sizzle in the 3-4k range. I’m sure that could be mitigated with EQing but the AEA is just velvet.

[@kingsgaterecording]

I totally agree, I will not sell my AEA R44CE, its sounds wonderful. However for its price, WA44 sounds great, warm and dark like a really nice ribbon mic.

[@FabianGutman]

El warm es más barroso (muddy?) Saludos desde Buenos Aires Argentina.

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@FabianGutman AEA sounds more airy, maybe that's why the WA44 sometimes sounds a little darker, or "muddy", but both microphones sounds great.

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Right findings.

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@HarvinderSingh-yy8th Yes absolutely!, AEA R44CE are expensive, and for most occasions you are just fine with the WA-44. Both mics are great, and the differences between this microphones are quite small.

[@this_is_jmdub]

I ordered the WA44 today and was looking at some of the testing videos on KZbin. I got a little bit scared because it all sounded like trash. You made the ONLY video with the vocal texture I am looking for, especially the sound from the back was amazing! Can you share the analog chain and processing you used on the WA44? Keep up the great work! The music you record sounds amazing!

[@kingsgaterecording]

Thanx, your att so kind. My chain are simple, WA44 into my Universal Audio volt Interface. In post i used the universal Audio LA-2A plug in, but just a little to even out the signal. I also added some reverb (seventh heaven plugin) Its a great mic! Im sure you will be happy.

[@this_is_jmdub]

@ directly into the volt? That’s crazy! Shows again how important the performance and a good room are :) I will be using it with a Tone Beast, Focusrite ISA or Neve 1073. Can’t wait to get started

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@this_is_jmdubYes i recorded directly into the Volt interface. The room i recorded in is a small mixingroom, and Katja is a great singer. Woov all your micpreamps are great. My favorite prqamp i own are the Neve 1081.

[@restoredoutboards]

The Warm mic seems a little brighter to me, but with the tension on the ribbons being quite varied, all of these mics…like the RCA originals would have differences especially as they are used and aged.

[@kingsgaterecording]

Yes so now we wait so we van buy a NOS wa-44 :)

[@restoredoutboards]

@@kingsgaterecording I’d like to. But I’m good with this WA-44. Very pleasantly surprised.

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@restoredoutboards yes great mic, and not too epensive.

[@SonVoMekongDeltaBluesman]

The AEA definitely has the tiniest smoother tone, while the WA44 sounds like it has a little lift in the high end that gives it more modern sound, and possibly helps to sit in the mix better? I like them both in their own ways. The WA44 is highly impressive for its price point.

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@SonVoMekongDeltaBluesman That’s exactly what im hearing when i did this tests. WA is great but i will keep my AEA

[@drakewatkins2624]

im hearing more bottom end on the warm audio love the grit and warmth from the warm i was impressed

[@kingsgaterecording]

Yes absolutely! For its price, the WA44 are really great. AEA has more air, that's what I hear.

[@mofateam1]

great and fair review!

[@kingsgaterecording]

Thanx! its hard to do fair tests, but i tried to point out what I think is this microphones strengths and weaknesses:)

[@kbb149]

Interesting. I like the Warm mic, but if both are based on the same circuit, there's no real contest IMHO. On brushed drums, the Warm sounds noticeably smaller and congested. In all comparisons, 100% that the frequency response isn't as bad as the transient response - the warm sounds slow and heavy where the AEA is quick and articulate. It's too bad - I was hoping the Warm would be closer so I could buy one to pair with the R44ce for stereo drums, etc., but it's, well, worse. For $1k, the R84 is a better sounding mic. For a little more, a Coles 4038 is an all time great (though entirely different than any R44). The Warm would sound good on compressed sources like electric guitars or ?, but so would an R84 and it's a world class mic.

[@kingsgaterecording]

@@kbb149 i agree, on this case the AEA sound a little better, but im still very impresst, wa44 sounds great If you want more of a modern sound but still the sound from a ribbon mic.

[@kbb149]

@@kingsgaterecording interesting! I hear the warm as a more vintage sound with its rolled off top, but I'm not a 44 collector or curator. :-) Thanks for doing the comparison! I've been really curious, and your video really profiles the differences!

[@user__520]

Listening on my Nokia, i think they sound very simillar, never seen a ribbon mic, but it sounded great. Would be curious how it aligns to like a cheaper dynamic mic.

[@kingsgaterecording]

Hi thanx for watching my channel, yes you are right about that, this microphones sounds alike, however if you listen in good headphones or speakers you can hear differences. So do you have suggestens of any cheap dynamic mic, maby I can do a new test in a future episode.

[@user__520]

@@kingsgaterecording Your absolutely right, i should’ve listened on my speaker, and i will. For test i can recommend the Shure SM58-LC, that one i have at home, i also like how it sounds. But you can go cheaper ones like the Behringer SL-84C.

[@stevenrayphoto1280]

Awesome review! She has a beautiful voice! What mic pre are you using?

[@kingsgaterecording]

Yes Katja is a great singer. I used a simple pre, its the Universal Audio Volt 276.