Recording - May 2018 - 35

thick metallic thump, rather than a ringing metal ping like many thinner and
cheaper mics.
My first use of the SU-013 was on
drum overheads. The drummer I was
working with was my friend David Blascoe,
the drummer for the chart-topping CCM
band Citizen Way and a recording
engineer himself.
The first thing we both noticed was that
these mics offered more level out of the
box than the mics we were previously
using. Next we noticed that the general
signature of the SU-013 is a neutral,
non-imposing tonality. Thanks to the minimal top end rise the SU-013 is clear, but
in a gentle non-strident way, which gives
the mic a very classic sound. Pushing the
faders up filled out the sound of the kit,
but it still sounded like the kit... and the
cymbals did not take our heads off.
Later I did some tests with the SU-013
alongside my pair of trusted 1980svintage Neumann KM 84s. When people mention a classic, even and neutral
pencil condenser, it is essentially the
KM 84 of which they speak. With the
84 as my benchmark, and tracking

multiple passes of a Martin dreadnought
acoustic, male lead and backing vocals,
tamborine, shakers, and cajon, I found that
the two mics were definitely cut from the
same cloth. Both offered a nice even presence and a great natural slice of reality,
without hype or exaggerated frequencies.
Having said that, I am happy to report
some useful differences as well. As
suggested by its frequency plot, the SU013 is a touch more controlled in the
low end compared to the KM 84, and
its high end is a bit better seated and not
as forward. Switching between tracks
recorded with both mics, I would say that
the recordings with the SU-013 were a
touch less congested by comparison.
This is not a clone or replacement
for a classic KM 84 in any way, but
if I owned a set of the SU-013 mics, I
would probably not go out of my way
to find the vintage Neumanns. The SU013 will easily and happily tackle all of
the same sources with ease.
The SU-013 offers a very natural
off-axis rejection. They also have a
sweet proximity effect from 2" or closer,
but like most small-diaphragm mics, if

you do plan on using them for voice
work, you will need a pop screen. They
are prone to explosive P-popping, far
worse than on a conventional vocal mic.

Final thoughts

Beyond their sound, it is their old-world
craftsmanship that puts the SU-013 over
the top. I am pretty confident that if you
buy a pair of these now, they will still be
serving you well 50 years from now, just
like classic German mics from the 1970s
are still going strong today.
They're not cheap, but they are a
great investment for any studio. They'll
serve the beginner and pro equally well
on a wide variety of sources, and do it
with class.

PRICES: single mic with
cardioid capsule $599; stereo
pair with cardioid capsules
$1199; extra capsules $199 each
MORE FROM:
Soyuz Microphones,
www.soyuzmicrophones.com
http://www.soyuzmicrophones.com http://cras.edu/gainful-employment
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