For anybody unfamiliar, Ed Thorne is a recording artist, mix engineer and multi-instrumentalist who currently reviews the hottest pro audio equipment across various price ranges to (in his own words): help you get the most from your home studio.
In one of his most recent reviews, Ed does a deep dive on the new and highly anticipated Audix A133 condenser to give home studio owners a full rundown of its benefits as well as putting the microphone to the test in real-life recording settings.
Ed & Audix
Ed Thorne is an existing Audix user and in his video gives a shout out to the DP5A 5-piece drum mic kit – including Audix's D6 kick microphone which he still uses on drums to this day.
Recently Ed also included the A133 in a condenser microphone shoot-out which featured well-known names such as the U87 and C414. The A133 was praised for its standing against stiff competition, with particular nods to the microphone's impressive neutrality and the level of clear detail exhibited in performance.
The Best Mic To Record Everything?
Ed's review includes a range of live demo scenarios from acoustic guitar to vocals and drums, but his review kicks off with a rundown of the A133's technical spec in excellent depth. Ed notes Audix's specific choices with the microphone's construction including internal shock-mounting, the 33mm gold sputtered diaphragm and what he rightly refers to as an 'apocalypse proof' aluminium machined body.
Built-in pop-shielding in the form of the A133's acoustic foam membrane was also earmarked as a great environmental feature for podcasters.
In The Studio
The A133 is put the test by Ed alongside some excellent recording equipment to give a full and real-world demonstration of the microphone's talents. On recording acoustic guitar Ed mentions the A133's crisp, clear and detailed sound in close keeping with the other members of the Audix mic families, describing the range as a smooth low-end combined with detail in the upper frequencies without harshness or being overly bright.
On vocals Ed tests the microphone for both spoken word vocals as well as a singing excerpt, pairing the A133 with K&M dual pop filters and an sE Reflexion Filter). Ed remarks that for his particular voice the results were slightly harsh, but that for a variety of different vocals the A133 would serve as a good match.
For drum testing Ed uses the A133 first as a dedicated hi-hat mic harnessing the dark elegance of a Zildjian 14" K Custom for the audition, followed by a full kit demo using the A133 as an overhead. Even in mono, Ed notes that the mic served to reinforce the sound of the toms and especially the snare drum and that, doubled up, a stereo pair of A133s would also likely bring out some beautiful detail in the cymbals.
The Conclusion
In Ed's opinion, the A133 is a good choice to have in any recording toolbox, and in particular he comments on the microphone's ability to blend easily into almost any mix – a good trait and handy time saver for almost any studio.
While the A133 is limited to a single cardioid pattern, Ed notes the careful balance of quality vs. cost and that the A133 has quality specifically in abundance.
See More From Ed Thorne
Ed currently has one of the fastest growing YouTube review channels in pro audio - and with good reason - we encourage you to give him a follow here and on EdThorne.com to check out his new and upcoming videos!
For more information on the A133 or to find your nearest dealer contact our Audix UK sales team.