Recording - September 2015 - 33

This mic has a great clean presence that is tight and evenly weighted, with just
the right amount of mid-forward thrust. It is also very quiet, and has a subtle proximity effect with a nice hint of chest resonance up close with good off-axis rejection. Also, thanks to its thick brass body and demure size, this mic offers very little in the way of body resonance. A tap test yields only a dull metallic thunk vs.
the resonant pitched ringing often found in budget condensers.
In use: studio and stage
I was sent a pair of Mini K47s for review. On my first day with them I placed
them up as drum overheads in a live sound/live recording situation. This is
where I first came to notice their super-tight imaging. They captured the kit with
a good balance of weight, punch, and openess. I also like that the cymbals
sounded full and detailed, but not spitty or sizzly.
My next use was on some pre-production vocal scratch tracks. Again, I was
impressed with the mic, and again the word "balance" comes to mind. This mic
does a great job of having a nice present, classic forward sound, and yet it does
not impart too much of a tone to draw undue attention to itself.
I put the mic up during actual vocal tracking for the album, against five other
mics of varied price points. In blind tests on the vocalist, whom I would describe
as a high tenor, the Mini K47 made the top two or three, depending on if you
asked the engineer, the vocal producer, or the artist. Ultimately it was beat out...
by a real Neumann U 47 fet, which to be fair is a slightly more expensive mic
($3,999.95 vs. the Roswell's $299).
My next use of the mic was during the tracking of a baby grand piano. Rather
than a classical or jazz piano sound, the client was after a classic rock piano à
la vintage Billy Joel or Elton John. I put the pair in the piano in a spaced low
strings-high strings setup. This time the pair beat out pretty much every other
close mic I tried, with the exception of a pair of Royer R-122 MkII ribbon mics
(reviewed elsewhere in this issue). I ended up placing the Royers and Roswells
side by side and using a blend of the two in the final mix. The Mini K47s contributed a solid present forwardness that sat nicely with the smooth laid-back
evenness of the Royers.
I also loved the Mini K47s on a pair of classic Fender guitar cabinets, side by
side with most of my favorite dynamic mics-the Shure SM57, Audix i5, and
Telefunken M81. Again, think solid and appropriately forward.
My final use of the Mini K47 was in direct comparison against a RØDE NT1
(reviewed May 2014), a Shure KSM44 in cardioid, and a new AKG C314
(review forthcoming), also in cardioid. With these four mics set up in a star
array, I tracked a song with an alt-percussion mix of cajon, snare, hi-hat and tambourine, parlor acoustic guitar, high-strung acoustic, and doubled male vocals.
Comparing each version of the song, I found the NT1 was the brightest of the
bunch, slightly scooped in the mids compared to the others, and with the most
weighted low end. Not to give too much of a spoiler alert, the C314 was the
most different of the four, especially in its top end... but you'll need to wait for
that review next month to know more! My big surprise was that the Mini K47
was closest in sound and feel to the KSM44. This is significant, as the KSM44
sells for $1000. Sure, the KSM44 is a multi-pattern mic with a pad, filter, highquality shock mount and case, but that is still great company to keep.
Conclusions
The Mini K47 is an impressive debut for Roswell Pro Audio. It is not just one
of the best entry-level mics money can buy, it is also one of those workhorse mics
that will find use in a mic locker forever, regardless of whatever other microphones one owns.
What I like most is that it offers project studios and beginners alike a low-cost
mic with a different flavor than other quality entry-level mics (like the NT1, also
one of my favorite entry-level models). Now even budding engineers on a budget can amass a small collection of quality mics with different tonal characteristics, a practice that's no longer the province of experienced engineers with
expensive mics.
The Mini K47 makes a great "I'm just starting out and this is my only" mic as
well. There is no sonic task it won't conquer with ease, thanks to its clean, solid
tone. I can't wait to see what Roswell Pro Audio cooks up next!
Price: $299
More from: Roswell Pro Audio, www.roswellproaudio.com; dist. in USA by
Front End Audio, www.frontendaudio.com
RECORDING September 2015

http://www.roswellproaudio.com http://www.frontendaudio.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2015