Milab DC-96C news

The Milab DC-96C is our latest model in the DC series. It combines elements from the classic DC-96B with our most modern technology. The DC-96C was released last year at the Frankfurt Messe and is truly on a winning streak. It has just been nominated in the microphone category in the 2011 Resolution Awards and in the latest issue of Tape Op there is a great review. More reviews will follow shortly.

More about the 2011 Resolution Awards: http://www.milabmic.com/news.asp?show=one&id=95 and http://resolution.nodecube.net/vote/nominations.php

The DC-96C review in Tape Op: http://www.tapeop.com/reviews/833/

The Milab DC-96C product page: http://www.milabmic.com/showproduct.asp?id=1138

There is a chance to win a DC-96C in the Recordinghacks Microphone Giveaway contest in September. Check it out here: http://recordinghacks.com/contest/

For the latest Milab news I recommend that you "like" us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/milabmic

Setting up for the LLB Expo in Stockholm

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I focus mainly on the the Milab facebook page at the moment: www.facebook.com/milabmic

I am in Stockholm for the LLB Expo and today we have been setting the booth. It is a very nice booth and the location is excellent. I'm sure we will have a great show.

We are showing the new supercardioid capsule for the VM-44 for the first time at this show.

NAMM and more

I've spent a few days at the NAMM show in Anaheim and met many interesting people there, including guitarist Martin Taylor. I was invited to a guitar concert with some of the world's greatest players on the same stage: Don Alder, Muriel Anderson, Vicki Genfan and several more. And Martin Taylor of course, who used his Milab DC-96 as usual.

Today I drove up to Agoura Hills to visit Joe Vannelli, owner of Blue Moon Studios LA. Joe is probably most famous for producing and playing with his brother Gino, but he has also worked with many other artists over the years. He owns two Milab VIP-50:s and two DC-63:s that were all in mint condition. As I've said before, if you take well care of your mics they will last for decades.

Press release is out: Custom Rycote mount for the SRND 360

PRESS RELEASE LINK

SDC shootout in Tape Op part 3

I've written about the massive SDC shootout in Tape Op (No. 72 July/Aug 2009) previously. Part 1 & Part 2.

Andy at Tape Op just informed me that there is an unedited version of the article on reviewer Mike Jasper's website.

The shootout involved some 90 mics and both Milabs (a VM-44 and a DC-96B) were selected as top choices. It was a blind test on acoustic guitar. The competition was very stiff and the way I interpret it, no other brand did as well as Milab.

How to get a free Milab DC-96C

The contest for a free Milab DC-96C is up at MM:s website (in Swedish):

http://www.musikermagasinet.se/index.php?sida=tavling

Milab Microphones - News - Rycote shockmount for the SRND 360

Milab Microphones - News - Rycote shockmount for the SRND 360

Win a Milab DC-96C

In the upcoming issue of Swedish music magazine MM (Musikermagasinet) there is a chance to win a brand new Milab DC-96C! Out November 23.

Mic size comparison

Neumann U87, AKG 414 (EB?) and PML (Milab) DC-96

Buying a used microphone

We come across customers from time to time who have bought a used mic at a great price, only to find out that the mic needs a new capsule - which can be quite expensive.

Buying a used mic with a bad capsule is like buying a used car with a broken engine.

I am working on adding a page to our website about general advice when buying a used mic. However, there are a couple of things I can say right away:

#1. If you buy a high-end microphone - like a Milab - and take proper care of it, you will have a great tool for decades. But if the microphone is abused, the capsule exposed to dust, dirt etc., you may shorten it's life-span considerably. So the first thing to look for when buying a used mic is the general impression. If the outside is in bad shape - there is a big chance the inside is just as bad.

#2. Always listen to it carefully. Some problems can be caused by electronic components or be solved by a good cleaning or some soldering, but if it doesn't sound good, chances are there is something wrong with the capsule, which is by far the most complex and expensive part of a condenser microphone.

#3. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions about a used microphone. You may even want to send us the microphone for a check-up before you decide to buy, if it's possible to arrange with the seller.

You can make great deals on used gear, just be careful.

Milab + Rycote

We've been working with UK based Rycote for a while now. They make some of the best shockmounts and windscreens on the market and they have helped with a new shockmount for the SRND 360 surround microphone.

From now on all SRND 360:s will be delivered with the Rycote mount - which is a custom modified version of the Invision USM. The standard version has received brilliant reviews, e.g. in Sound on Sound: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar10/articles/rycoteinvisionusm.htm

I'm working on a press release to make the collaboration official.

The standard Invision USM.

Press release: Milab appoints Huahui Audio as distributor for China

I've mentioned it previously on the blog, but now the official press release is out.

Milab DC-96C reviewed in Resolution Magazine

The latest issue of Resolution Magazine contains a very nice review of the Milab DC-96C.

You'll find some excerpts here (the bottom review): http://www.milabmic.com/showproduct.asp?id=1138&show=reviews

John Bonham

I found this cool picture on the Prosoundweb forum. It's John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, probably taken around 1969. Members of the forum are trying to determine what mics are on the kit - and the one above the cymbals to the left seems to be a PML/Milab. My best guess is that it is a TC-4, but I'm not sure - it may very well be a different brand altogether.

Click here for the full size picture

Anna with an LSR-1000

Isn't this a beautiful picture? My friend Anna Ekman singing into a Milab LSR-1000 at an outdoor wedding (the mic is fitted with a windscreen).

Queen

A great picture of Queen drummer Roger Taylor in action. If I'm not mistaken there are at least three Milab DC-96B:s visible in this shot. See if you can find all three.

http://www.milabmic.com/showproduct.asp?id=1108

New distributor for China

I'm happy to let you know that Milab has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the Chinese market with Huahui Audio Technology.

Huahui is a highly regarded company, mainly working with radio, TV and theatres. They have offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Hongkong and have exclusive distribution rights for several high-end pro audio brands including Midas, Klark-Teknik, Adam, Focal and L-Acoustics.

The partnership will be officially presented at the BIRTV tradeshow in Beijing next week.

Full contact info: www.milabmic.com/distributors.asp?region=asia

DC-96C reviewed

It's been a while since my last post - but after a good summer holiday I am now back at the office and I'm looking forward to a busy autumn.

The first review of the DC-96C was published a few weeks ago in Swedish pro audio magazine MM. In the test the DC-96C was compared to a Microtech Gefell M930 and a vintage AKG C414EB.

Some excerpts:

"Milab's theory about the rectangular capsule seems to be correct. When I turn the DC-96C 45 degrees from the source, the very highest frequencies drop slightly, but not much, and the drop feels very natural and smooth. The two other mics are definitely not bad, but both sound significantly darker in this position. It seems obvious that the DC-96C would be an excellent mic for stereo recording - both for XY and AB setups - probably just as good as a small diaphragm condenser."

(Testing all mics on a drum kit): "I know my C414 well. It delivers what I expect - a clear but nice sounding HF lift, a pretty neutral mid range and a steady low end. But when I switched to the DC-96C recording I almost fell out of the chair. The top is a little softer than the C414, but it's really "there" - and so silky and beautiful! Cymbals and hi-hat shine beautifully and there's not a trace of distortion. [...] But the most obvious difference is the incredibly "juicy" low end. The punch in the kick drum and the toms is "present", fat and full, and the two other mics sound much thinner. Let me be clear: The bottom end in the Milab is huge. Huge."

"I am once again reminded of the good transient response, which is excellent for vocals when you want a clear and natural vocal sound at the front of the mix."

"The steady bass reproduction has been impressive throughout the entire test."

"I gaze at the tiny Milab mic that looks so innocent on the other side of the control room window. It seems as harmless as Clark Kent when I set it up in front of the different sound sources. But when I turn my back on it and make my way to the control room, it transforms itself - and comes out like Superman in the studio monitors."

"With its silky smooth top, its neutral mid range and a low end that can only be described as gigantic - the DC-96C is an extremely useful tool for any serious recording engineer. A matched pair of DC-96C:s ought to be one of the best foundations imaginable for any mic collection."

Not bad huh?

First review of the DC-96C

The next issue of Swedish Musikermagasinet contains the first ever reivew of the new Milab DC-96C.

The magazine will be out July 13th and i believe it will also be available for purchase/download at their website MMonline. For you non swedes out there I will make sure to translate some excerpts and publish here on the blog.

Back from London and AES

So I'm back from the AES convention in London.

The "Single-unit surround microphone" workshop went really well. We had some different recordings to choose from, but a Händel concert that I got from Andreas Scholl (german world-class countertenor) sounded absolutely amazing, so we decided to only use that and play a full five-minute piece instead of different short demos as we had intended from the start.

Mikkel Nymand of DPA and Helmut Wittek of Schoeps presented their surround solutions and all in all it was an interesting workshop with some nice sounding demos.

In the afternoon our distributor had arranged a meeting with the BBC (at Maida Vale) and their chief engineer was kind enough to give us a two-hour tour of the studios. Very interesting. They use some of our mics there.

Later that night I was invited to see the musical Jersey Boys and got to sit with the sound engineer, Digby Shaw, for the entire show. It was a great show and for me it was very interesting to get a backstage view of the production and to see Digby work. You need multitask talents to be able to handle that kind of work for sure.