Recording - August 2020 - 23

In Use

I haven't had the opportunity to use the
original Revelation, so I'm coming into this
review with fresh ears. The Revelation II top
end sounds smooth, though I wouldn't classify it as bright. The 8k bump is noticeable,
especially on vocals. It's not high enough
to result in an airy or bright character, but
it does provide some crisp detail in that
range, which helps sources cut through the
mix. The low frequencies sound full and
tight. It doesn't feel as thick as other tube
microphones I've used, but this actually
makes it easier to manage sources when
blending into a mix. The midrange is very
detailed and honest, with plenty of clarity.
As a whole, it just feels natural, with a transparent and non-aggressive tube character.
I tried the Revelation II on a Yamaha
C7 grand piano, an acoustic guitar, and
vocals. I've recorded this particular C7
for several years and consider it to be a
reasonably bright piano, but the smooth
top end of the mic really balanced it out
and paired nicely. In fact, the tonality felt
very much skewed to the warmer side. The
bottom end felt punchy and focused, while
the mids were true to the source. When

playing in the lower octave of the piano,
there were times when I felt the 200-400Hz
range built up and sounded a touch wooly,
but that's easily remedied with some corrective EQ. On piano, I generally found
myself adding EQ for a bit more air, but
that comes down to personal taste.
The C7 grand provided a great source
for experimenting with the variable polar
pattern. I found that turning the selector
halfway between cardioid and omni really brought the room and resonance of
the piano to life, adding dimension and
depth in comparison to a straight-ahead
cardioid. On all the sources I tried, there
seemed to be a sweet spot for the pattern-when the sound and resonance of
the room would blossom, that's when I
knew I found the right setting.
I especially enjoyed the Revelation II on
acoustic guitar-the midrange translated
beautifully, and the top end was balanced
and round enough to keep it from ever
feeling too jangly or hyped. The bottom
end can get a bit loose if placed too close
to the body, but moving it a bit further
back (and up the neck) than usual resulted
in some sweet and balanced tones.

On vocals, I found the 8k bump to be
most pronounced, providing a gentle
sheen or slight bite. On some vocalists,
it may over-emphasize sibilance, but of
course that will vary from singer to singer.

Final Thoughts

The MXL Revelation II has a unique voice
that isn't necessarily what you'd expect
from a tube microphone. It has a natural
response with a slightly warm character,
though it's mostly very balanced and honest. The gentle bump in the upper midrange
helps with clarity, while the variable pattern
selection can bring more dimension when
recording in a quiet room. I noticed a bit
of noise with softer sources. Paul Vnuk Jr.
made a similar observation when reviewing the original model, so this is probably
not unique to the new edition, but I thought
I would make a note of it here.
I don't have much to nitpick. The Revelation
II is a great-sounding mic, it has its own voice
and it's more accessible than ever, thanks to
its significantly reduced price tag.
Price: $499
More from: mxlmics.com

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*Basically the most gorgeous, wide-open and musical sounding mic preamp we have ever created. 2 channels complete with our finest 24 position
gold contact rotary gain switches, 48V phantom, phase reverse, 20dB pad and
our signature Ribbon Mic Mode. The m201mk2 is the new go-to transparent option
for your mic preamp collection. Backed by our industry leading EON 20 year warranty.

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Recording - August 2020

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