Studio equipment manufacturer Earthworks showcased its latest creation – the SR314 – at NAMM 2019. The SR314 is a cardioid condenser microphone designed for stage use. In other words, this is a live vocal condenser microphone, which still sounds a little odd all these years in. Live vocals are traditionally dominated by dynamic microphones for a reason, but spotting the odd condenser in the hands of a vocalist isn’t that rare a sight.
With its shiny good looks alone, I’m pretty sure the SR 314 will make it into many a stage setups this year. That’s not to say the microphone is all style over substance. The SR 314 has a terrific 20Hz – 30kHz frequency response and is ready to handle as many as 145 DBs worth of stage volume. According to Earthworks, the microphone sounds rich and open while retaining a tight, consistent cardioid polar pattern across the entire frequency range. Sure, that’s a lot of promises to deliver on, but something tells me the SR314 is up for the challenge.
Coming with a mic clip and padded protective bag, the Earthworks SR314 will start shipping in March with a minimum advertised price of USD 699. In India, it will be available from Audio Media who are the authorised Distributors for this product for the Studio market at the same equivalent rupee price with 18% GST.
