M-Audio Sputnik Microphone

[Ted Spencer]

After much debate about this mic (mainly about the fact that I hadn't heard it at the time) in another thread here "AKG 414 or Neumann U87 for voice over???", I went ahead and bought one. I posted this in that thread as well, but thought it might warrant a new one of its own. Here's the post:

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Well, I just finished a series of comparisons with the M-Audio Sputnik that just landed (pun intended) on my doorstep. I recorded myself speaking into it through an Avalon VT737sp (with light compression and no EQ), into a track in Pro Tools HD through their 192 converter at 24 bit/44.1 KHz, monitoring through an Apogee PSX-100 on Genelec 1030a's.

The other mics in the comparison (with approximate prices in parenthesis) were:

Neumann U87 with Stephen Paul Audio 3 micron mod ($4500) aka SP87
Sanken CU-41 ($2700)
AKG 414-EB ($1000)
Audio-Technica 4050 ($550)

I paid $418 (+tax/shipping) at Alto Music in NY for the Sputnik.

One word: wowowow!

It easily topped the 4050 and 414, and easily held its own with the two big-buck numbers. It was probably closest in sound to the SP87, which is a truly amazing mic, far superior to a stock U87. After pretty extensive listening, I have to say that I (slightly) preferred the sound of my voice on the Sputnik over all the others.

It has a nice, beefy low end, a slightly forward top half (as does the SP87, which I like), and a very clear midrange, which is where it most clearly surpassed the 414 and 4050. The CU41, a superb mic, is very neutral and very clean, and if that neutral qualilty is desired, it's hard to beat. Given that, it certainly rivaled the Sputnik overall, but the fact that I'm wording the sentence that way should definitely tell you something.

Overall, my impressions thus far (certainly "preliminary", since I've had it for all of about 3 hours) are very similar to what Dr. Fred Bashour indicated in his Pro Audio Review Magazine article (see the link to it in one of my previous posts in this thread). Which is to say, at the very least, that the Sputnik is a stupendous value. At best, it could actually be preferable overall to mics costing 10 times as much or more.

Some time soon I'll break out my Telefunken U47 ($6000) and compare it to that. It won't surprise me to find that it holds its own there too, even when disregarding the price difference.

This mic is nothing short of groundbreaking. Believe the hype. It's true.

 

[Derrick_SA]

Hi Ted,

would you use the Sputnik on a movie set on eg. a boom?

or is this more vir VO work and instrument recording?

thanks,
Derrick

 

[tigeba]

You might be able to boom it if you had a trained gorilla to hold the boom

 

[Ted Spencer]

You might be able to boom it if you had a trained gorilla to hold the boom

Correct. It's a large, particularly heavy mic that sounds phenomenal. If it were on a fixed boom mic stand it would be fine as long as a standard cardioid pattern is acceptable.

Otherwise, for filmmaking purposes it would make an excellent, affordable VO/Narration/ADR/Foley mic. And yes, instrument recording for sure. It's basically a recording studio mic, not designed with the film/video market in mind.

 

[ESTEBEVERDE]

After much debate about this mic (mainly about the fact that I hadn't heard it at the time) in another thread here "AKG 414 or Neumann U87 for voice over???", I went ahead and bought one. I posted this in that thread as well, biut thought it might warrant a new one of its own. Here's the post:

-----------------------------------

Well, I just finished a series of comparisons with the M-Audio Sputnik that just landed (pun intended) on my doorstep. I recorded myself speaking into it through an Avalon VT737sp (with light compression and no EQ), into a track in Pro Tools HD through their 192 converter at 24 bit/44.1 KHz, monitoring through an Apogee PSX-100 on Genelec 1030a's.

The other mics in the comparison (with approximate prices in parenthesis) were:

Neumann U87 with Stephen Paul Audio 3 micron mod ($4500) aka SP87
Sanken CU-41 ($2700)
AKG 414-EB ($1000)
Audio-Technica 4050 ($550)

I paid $418 (+tax/shipping) at Alto Music in NY for the Sputnik.

One word: wowowow!

It easily topped the 4050 and 414, and easily held its own with the two big-buck numbers. It was probably closest in sound to the SP87, which is a truly amazing mic, far superior to a stock U87. After pretty extensive listening, I have to say that I (slightly) preferred the sound of my voice on the Sputnik over all the others.

It has a nice, beefy low end, a slightly forward top half (as does the SP87, which I like), and a very clear midrange, which is where it most clearly surpassed the 414 and 4050. The CU41, a superb mic, is very neutral and very clean, and if that neutral qualilty is desired, it's hard to beat. Given that, it certainly rivaled the Sputnik overall, but the fact that I'm wording the sentence that way should definitely tell you something.

Overall, my impressions thus far (certainly "preliminary", since I've had it for all of about 3 hours) are very similar to what Dr. Fred Bashour indicated in his Pro Audio Review Magazine article (see the link to it in one of my previous posts in this thread). Which is to say, at the very least, that the Sputnik is a stupendous value. At best, it could actually be preferable overall to mics costing 10 times as much or more.

Some time soon I'll break out my Telefunken U47 ($6000) and compare it to that. It won't surprise me to find that it holds its own there too, even when disregarding the price difference.

This mic is nothing short of groundbreaking. Believe the hype. It's true.

Can you post some samples from your comparisons?

 

[Ted Spencer]

Can you post some samples from your comparisons?

Unfortunately they weren't suitable for public consumption. Just me rattling on to myself about this or that, full of pops and other nonsense. I'm afraid it wouldn't make much sense to anyone other than me, so I'd have to redo the whole thing to make it presentation-worthy.

But the mic is so stupid-cheap and so stupid-great that I'd advise anyone interested to simply buy one at a store with a return policy. Alto Music in NY, where I got mine for $418, allows you 7 days.

But if you understand what you're getting into, which is a large, heavy, high quality studio mic suited for voice and music recording, and not a boom mic for video shoots etc., the chances are about 99.99% that you won't be returning it.

 

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Unfortunately they weren't suitable for public consumption. Just me rattling on to myself about this or that, full of pops and other nonsense. I'm afraid it wouldn't make much sense to anyone other than me, so I'd have to redo the whole thing to make it presentation-worthy.

But the mic is so stupid-cheap and so stupid-great that I'd advise anyone interested to simply buy one at a store with a return policy. Alto Music in NY, where I got mine for $418, allows you 7 days.

But if you understand what you're getting into, which is a large, heavy, high quality studio mic suited for voice and music recording, and not a boom mic for video shoots etc., the chances are about 99.99% that you won't be returning it.

Actually, I ordered 5 but I just wanted to have the comparisons with the other mics for illustrative purposes when I introduce the mic to others.

Thanks all the same though.

It's cool you took the time to do the test and make the thread! :thumbsup:

 

[Ted Spencer]

Actually, I ordered 5 but I just wanted to have the comparisons with the other mics for illustrative purposes when I introduce the mic to others.

Thanks all the same though.

It's cool you took the time to do the test and make the thread! :thumbsup:

Well, no one can say you don't have courage! I hope you find them as exceptional as I (and the others) have. Please post again when you've had a chance to use them a bit.

Enjoy!

 

[ESTEBEVERDE]

No problem.

And in the interest of full disclosure I have a friend who is a recording engineer who works for M-Audio so I asked him as well.

They have a good reputation inside the company with tech support/quality control as well.

Thanks again for the heads up!

 

[Ted Spencer]

No problem.

And in the interest of full disclosure I have a friend who is a recording engineer who works for M-Audio so I asked him as well.

They have a good reputation inside the company with tech support/quality control as well.

Thanks again for the heads up!

My pleasure.

Please congratulate your friend on M-Audio's remarkable accomplishment with the Sputnik for me. And I'll look forward to hearing about how your own experiences with the mics.

 

[ESTEBEVERDE]

Will do!