Aston Microphones - Origin

VK is giving away a free Rycote shockmount with these puppies too.

Hmm. That looks cool.. Wonder how they sound in person though..

tyford, any thoughts?

...they are doing a very solid blitz promoting these mics via youtube (various demo videos)...there's no pics of the insides other than a pic where the capsule is visible...in one of the videos I posted, the reviewer refers to the mics being developed with the assistance of sE Microphones (China)...considering their low pricepoints (including the costly Rycote shockmounts) I have a strong suspicion that these mics are a very smart, well-executed re-packaging of proven Chinese technology (sE makes a very good mic)...I'm impressed with the look and implied technology (built-in pop-filter/shockmount)...but I would guess they equate with sE's own products that fall within Aston's price-points, which are very good, neutral, clean sounding mics (same as Aston touts)...reminds me a bit of a company I beta-tested for about 10 years ago, Karma Audio, that also grew out of sE Microphones, and packaged their mics in very unusual, innovative body/headbasket designs and shockmounts (suede-wrapped bodies to reduce any resonances, and a futuristic headbasket design...see pic below)...

...I reached out to a buddy in England who has both models, as well as a couple of the 3U Audio mics to get his thoughts...time will tell...I'd love to test one, but not so quick to drop $400 until I get some line on the inner workings...often, these innovative looking mics, which are attractive at first, don't fare that well over time (gimmicky?)...but I'm intrigued...

...charts are interesting...that's quite a bump in response from 7-10K in omni on the Spirit (2nd from top graph)...the Origin (bottom graph) remains more flat:

...OK, so I quoted myself, because I did a bit of investigative work, and I uncovered some interesting info...my hunch about the similarity to Karma situation wasn't far off the mark...turns out James Young (the spokesperson for Aston Microphones) is one of the partners in sE Microphones (thought that name was familiar)...so Aston is obviously an extension of the sE Microphone company (with more eclectic packaging and marketing)...and just to illustrate what happened with Karma Microphones almost 10 years ago when they split from sE, here's an exchange on the purple site, between James Young (sE Electronics) and former sE US distributor Waylon Ford (then newly formed Karma Audio):

www.gearslutz.com/board/610512-post24.html
www.gearslutz.com/board/618554-post25.html

...I also heard back from my buddy in England who has purchased the Aston mics as well as a couple of the 3U Audio Warbler mics...he is currently selling the Aston on the GS classifieds...he said the Astons are decent, but "crisp" sounding, and best paired with character preamps that will add some weight and round off their top-end...he also said they pale in comparison to the Warblers, which are much warmer and smoother (he commented he can "run the Warblers straight into his Zoom UAC-2 interface and the warmth from the mic alone cancelled out the need for an external preamp")...

...now, if we could just put the Warbler innards in those spiffy Aston bodies, that would really be something!

Yeah not to spam the thread, but it's gonna be damn hard to compete with the guts and capsules in the 3U stuff at these prices.

They look kinda cool I guess. And hey, maybe they're great, neutral mics.  

So sorry to hear, Ty.

Ty, so sorry to hear of your loss, I think I speak for all of us when I say our thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones. We hope you can find the time to escape the real world and talk the insignificant world of audio.

Thanks. HepatoCellualarCarcinoma. Took a little over a year after they found it. Four chemo treatments maybe slowed it down, but as of this past january, it was all down hill. She died on St. Patrick's Day. To be in the presence of someone when they are born into the spirit world is pretty amazing; very powerful. Immediately afterwards, I "saw" that I was surrounded by angels sent from God or as a final embrace from Bette….or both.

My take on it. We all have an expiration dated stamped on us somewhere. We don't know that date. I do believe in God. He has a plan and we frequently don't know what that is. He had other plans for her. I'm cleaning up the details and waiting for new instructions.

Obit: Betty Jo Ford, 64, died peacefully, surrounded by her family, Thursday March 17th at Gilchrist Hospice in Towson, Maryland. She was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania to Marian Georgia Flater Gassman and Joseph Porterfield Gassman. Surviving are her husband, Tyree Ford, two sisters and their families.



Regards,

Ty Ford

Damn.

Blessings upon you and yours.