Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarAustrian Audio launches MiCreator USB mic system featuring dual-channel audio and a classic look
For a relatively new company, Austrian Audio has certainly made a name for itself with its excellent studio microphones and headphones. Not to be left off the content creation gear bandwagon, it has now launched its first USB microphone for home-based musicians and podcasters. Its new MiCreator series consists of three devices: the Studio, a standard USB microphone, and a pair of accessory mics – the Satellite and Y-Lav – which connect to the Studio via TRS cables as additional audio inputs.
Austrian Audio is known for its high quality, in-house condenser capsules, so the one used in the Studio and Satellite units should sound pretty good. It's housed in an integral shock-mount on a tilting head for easier positioning, which also gives it a classic, vintage microphone look. The solid all-metal body of the Studio, however, is sleek and modern, featuring a jog-wheel to set headphone volume and a three-way switch to set gain or mute the mic. Connections include a USB-C port, two 3.5 mm connectors for direct headphone monitoring and additional mic inputs.
The Satellite unit has the same mic capsule, but only two 3.5 mm connectors, one to connect to the Studio for dual channel recording via USB (though it can also be used standalone) and the other for direct monitoring. The Y-Lav is a standard lavalier mic except with a direct monitoring output.
Standing out from the countless USB mics out there is a challenge. Apart from its classic design, the MiCreator Studio's face-plates can be switched out to customise the look, even if the current red and black options are fairly understated. The flexibility to capture two sources using the additional input is also uncommon, and potentially useful for interviews and stereo recording. The mic also comes with Steinberg’s Cubase LE and WaveLab Cast audio production softwares.
Each of the units can be purchased alone, but there's also a MiCreator System Set, which bundles the Studio, Satellite, necessary cables, 2 face plates for each mic, a stereo bar for optimum mounting and a custom case. MiCreator mics are available now from the company’s many global distributors. The retail prices are set as follows: System Set – US$299; Studio – US$199; Satellite – US$99; Y-Lav – US$49.
For an upgrade to true studio grade sound, you can buy the latest RØDE NT1 large-diaphragm studio condenser microphone with patent pending dual XLR and USB connectivity on Amazon. Or you can go for the ever-popular podcasting champ, the Blue Yeti X.
Source(s)
