Superlux PRA 628 MKII

I bought this to augment my guitar amp mic collection. I've got heavy sounds covered with MB75s in a Fredman pair, but i was wanting something different for an edge mic.

This works well on its own for cleans just off-centre and i'd probably use it live for distorted guitar in that way too if i wanted a thicker sound than an MB75/SM57 provides. I would not hang it from the cable, it's just not prcise enough to keep the desired sound and this is very sensitve to positioning which makes it very good for creative use.

It's best used positioned near the edge of a speaker cone as a dark mic with a bright mic (SM57/MB75) right on the dustcap. It really brings out the 'roar' soound I associate with a cranked marshall.

The included mount works well to clamp to a mic stand set up to position another the same speaker allowing dual miking with one stand which is amazingly useful, although it is a bit flimsy feeling.

I would very much recommend one of these and something like an MB75 used together over a single e906 or SM57 for guitar in a home studio, and you can afford to do so. I've not had a chance to compare it to either as a single mic live, it's a bit more vintagey sounding and not as tight so I'd probably stick with the SM57 for live modern metal.

Used on spoken word it made me sound a little bit nasal, more apparent on full range speakers, and notably made my vocal fry really jump out, particularly on smaller speakers, giving a very authoritative newscaster sound to my voice, whereas a Unidyne type mic (yes, comparing this to my incredibly smooth 60s Unidyne model B and its descendents the SM57/SM58 and broadcast oriented SM7) is much smoother sounding. It's almost got the vintageyness I'd associate with an old ribbon mic, and I say associate because because it's very easy to listen with your eyes.