Recording - August 2015 - 48

REVIEWS BY PAUL VNUK JR.

MXL CR89 Condenser Microphone
and RF-100 Reflection Filter
A very competent affordable mic, and a way to use it well in less-than-perfect rooms
Back in our March 2013 issue we took a look at
MXL's then-new CR30 large-diaphragm condenser
microphone. The CR30 was rich and clear, with a
great sound that made it a perfect choice as an
entry-level microphone. Its worthy sound was complemented by its stylish looks, and when I say stylish, we are talking about an entire microphone finished in black chrome... hence the CR designation.
This month we look at the big brother to the
CR30, the CR89. As you might expect, the CR89
is also part of the black chrome line, but rather
than being entirely emblazoned in a metallic finish, this time just the capsule assembly and end
cap are finished in the dark shiny metal. The body
of the CR89 is finished in a matte black that looks
just as classy.
Black, chrome, big and bold
An update of the older MXL V89, the CR89
comes in a standard kit with an aluminum flight
case, a black and gray shock mount, and a
famous MXL cleaning cloth. You may chuckle, but
as with the CR30, trust me, you'll want to keep
your shiny mic fingerprint-free!
The CR89 is housed in one of MXL's larger diameter bodies. According to MXL, this design minimizes body resonance and also features a tuned
grille cavity that reduces standing waves and harmonic distortion. The mic is 2.5" x 7.3" and
weighs 1.85 lbs. Buildwise it has a very nice heft
to it and a fantastic fit and finish that truly rivals many of
the more expensive mics on the market.
It has a gold-sputtered 6 micron diaphragm in a 32 mm
pressure gradient cardioid capsule. It is a transformerless design
and internally makes use of two Nichicon Muse electrolytic capacitors. Like most MXL mics, it also internally uses Mogami wiring.
The specs and the sound
It has a 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response, a -30 dB ref: 1
V/Pa sensitivity, a 150 ohm impedance, a 138 dB maximum
SPL, a signal-to-noise ratio of 80 dBA (Ref. 1 Pa), and an
Equivalent Noise Level of 14 dBA (IEC 651). Its frequency
response has roughly a 5 dB rise from 80 to 190 Hz, a slight
500 Hz bump, and a 2-3 dB bump from 4 to 10 kHz.
Sonically the CR89 has a solid and full low/low midrange,
with a top end that is more smooth and natural than it is bright.
However, the top end is not dull or rolled off either. It offers up
just enough highs to be open, yet not overly bright, and only gets
sibilant if the source itself is on the harsh side. Personally I am
always thrilled to see budget mics move away from the "brighter
is better" trend. It is also a very clean and quiet microphone.
48

RECORDING August 2015

Off axis, its level rolls off slowly rather than having a sharp cutoff as many mics do; in other
words it has a wider cardioid pattern than most.
Tapping the mic body will produce a dull 'tink'
rather than a full-on 'ping and ring' as on many
inexpensive mics.
In use
I put the CR89 right to work, cutting demos
and scratch tracks for an upcoming recording
project, mostly on acoustic guitar and male and
female vocals. Additionally, I took it for a spin on
voiceover and podcasting duties. The first two
things I noticed were the overall pleasant top
end, and that despite its low end rise, it has a
very minimal proximity effect that stays consistent
from a foot up to an inch away. It spoke well of
this mic that the producer on the project and I kept
commenting on how many of the female lead
vocalist's scratch takes through this mic could easily be the final vocal take.
A few weeks later, during actual tracking on the
album, I selected the CR89 to try it out on acoustic
guitar. I placed it just off the soundhole, coupled
with a Neumann KM 84 on the 12th fret.
Originally it was just for me to get more test time
in for this review, but everyone involved was so
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - August 2015
