Recording - March 2013 - 21
In use
The CR30 comes as part of a standard
package, with an aluminum case and
one of MXL’s newer, low-profile shock
mounts, as well as extra elastic bands
and one of MXL’s famous blue polishing
cloths—essential with this shiny mic.
Upon unboxing it I was seriously
impressed by its build quality. I am not sure
if it’s simply the thick chrome finish (I am
attracted to shiny objects...), but the quality and construction of the CR30 look to be
a notch above many other entry-level mics.
I put the mic to work on nylon and steelstring acoustic guitars, percussion ranging from cajon to congas, shakers, tambourine, as well as on voice, drum overheads, and electric guitar cabinet.
For reference I compared it side-by-side
with a few other entry-level condensers like
the KEL Audio Song Sparrow (reviewed
February 2012) and one of my favorite
older MXL models, the now-sadly-discontinued Silicon Valve V6 (reviewed July 2005).
I also threw up my usual benchmark condenser mic, the much more expensive Shure
KSM44 in cardioid mode, which is similar
to Shure’s budget SM27 (November 2009).
Surprisingly considering its price, the
CR30 firmly held its own with all of them!
Tone for tone, aurally it is the most similar
to the Shure, although the KSM44 was
more open and high-fidelity. The CR30
was also significantly less bright than the
MXL V6, and a touch more neutral than
the vocal-focused Song Sparrow.
For most of my tests, I can’t say it stood
out on this source or was bad on another, it
worked admirably on them all. But at the
end of my initial testing session there was
one standout performance, on a source for
which I would almost never use a budgetlevel large-diaphragm condenser—drum
overheads! Where most entry-level import
LDCs are painfully thin and bright on drums,
the CR30 just worked—so much so that I left
it up for three weeks of rehearsals, live performances and demo recordings and never
once had the desire to swap it out. This
alone gains my admiration!
Conclusions
The CR30 is a great choice as a first largediaphragm microphone for studio, stage,
home recording setup, and more. What’s
more, its rich yet clear sound is good enough
that it will continue to see use as your mic
locker expands with more expensive models.
Plus—the picture can’t come close to
showing how really freakin’ cool black
chrome looks!
Price: $199
More from: MXL Microphones,
www.mxlmics.com
http://www.radialeng.com
http://www.mxlmics.com
Recording - March 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - March 2013
Recording - March 2013
Fade In
Table of Contents
Talkback
Fast Forward
Behringer X32
MXL CR30 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone
Plug-in Performance on Windows-based DAWs
Steinberg CMC Series USB Controllers For Cubase
Recording’s Showcase of Sounds: Rob Papen Punch
Plug-in Outlet: 2C Audio B2
Universal Audio Precision K-Stereo and Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
Big Money Drums—Part 2
Reviewed & Revisited: Acoustica Mixcraft 6
Plug-in Outlet: Massey Plugins CT5 Compressor
The Mixing Workshop: Better Mixes Through Creative Editing—Part 2 (The Band)
Readers' Tapes
Kush Audio Clariphonic Parallel Equalizer and Clariphonic DSP Plug-in
Plug-in Outlet: Eventide H3000 Factory
Reviewed & Revisited: iZotope Alloy 2
Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 15: Sweet Spot Conundrums—Part 2
Plug-in Outlet: PSP Audioware PSP BussPressor
Advertiser Index
Fade Out
Recording - March 2013 - Recording - March 2013
Recording - March 2013 - Cover2
Recording - March 2013 - 1
Recording - March 2013 - 2
Recording - March 2013 - 3
Recording - March 2013 - Fade In
Recording - March 2013 - 5
Recording - March 2013 - Table of Contents
Recording - March 2013 - 7
Recording - March 2013 - Talkback
Recording - March 2013 - 9
Recording - March 2013 - Fast Forward
Recording - March 2013 - 11
Recording - March 2013 - 12
Recording - March 2013 - 13
Recording - March 2013 - Behringer X32
Recording - March 2013 - 15
Recording - March 2013 - 16
Recording - March 2013 - 17
Recording - March 2013 - 18
Recording - March 2013 - 19
Recording - March 2013 - MXL CR30 Large-Diaphragm Condenser Microphone
Recording - March 2013 - 21
Recording - March 2013 - Plug-in Performance on Windows-based DAWs
Recording - March 2013 - 23
Recording - March 2013 - 24
Recording - March 2013 - 25
Recording - March 2013 - 26
Recording - March 2013 - 27
Recording - March 2013 - Steinberg CMC Series USB Controllers For Cubase
Recording - March 2013 - 29
Recording - March 2013 - Recording’s Showcase of Sounds: Rob Papen Punch
Recording - March 2013 - 31
Recording - March 2013 - 32
Recording - March 2013 - 33
Recording - March 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: 2C Audio B2
Recording - March 2013 - 35
Recording - March 2013 - Universal Audio Precision K-Stereo and Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor
Recording - March 2013 - 37
Recording - March 2013 - 38
Recording - March 2013 - 39
Recording - March 2013 - Big Money Drums—Part 2
Recording - March 2013 - 41
Recording - March 2013 - 42
Recording - March 2013 - 43
Recording - March 2013 - Reviewed & Revisited: Acoustica Mixcraft 6
Recording - March 2013 - 45
Recording - March 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: Massey Plugins CT5 Compressor
Recording - March 2013 - 47
Recording - March 2013 - The Mixing Workshop: Better Mixes Through Creative Editing—Part 2 (The Band)
Recording - March 2013 - 49
Recording - March 2013 - Readers' Tapes
Recording - March 2013 - 51
Recording - March 2013 - 52
Recording - March 2013 - 53
Recording - March 2013 - 54
Recording - March 2013 - 55
Recording - March 2013 - Kush Audio Clariphonic Parallel Equalizer and Clariphonic DSP Plug-in
Recording - March 2013 - 57
Recording - March 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: Eventide H3000 Factory
Recording - March 2013 - 59
Recording - March 2013 - Reviewed & Revisited: iZotope Alloy 2
Recording - March 2013 - 61
Recording - March 2013 - Recording Fundamentals. Chapter 15: Sweet Spot Conundrums—Part 2
Recording - March 2013 - 63
Recording - March 2013 - Plug-in Outlet: PSP Audioware PSP BussPressor
Recording - March 2013 - Advertiser Index
Recording - March 2013 - 66
Recording - March 2013 - 67
Recording - March 2013 - 68
Recording - March 2013 - 69
Recording - March 2013 - 70
Recording - March 2013 - 71
Recording - March 2013 - Fade Out
Recording - March 2013 - Cover3
Recording - March 2013 - Cover4
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