When it comes to live vocals, condenser mics are really starting to make their presence known. It’s a simple design and gives a lot more sensitivity and dynamics. Swedish manufacturer Ehrlund has just launched their unique EHR-H mic to bring some serious sound.
Design wise, it’s well done, with a sculpted chassis for ergonomic use, and an extremely rigid grille. Ehrlund even incorporated the same triangular capsule found in their more expensive studio microphones. This gives a tight and quick response and a clear and true sound, with very low noise.
It’s HYPER clear, with very little to no coloring. Vocal mics sometimes don’t react with every vocal type or performance, but for super articulate and tight applications, like hip-hop or pop styles this is a great tool to bring that approach to the stage without having to do any external processing or EQ.
It’s very sensitive as well, so sound guys who sometime find that a singer might not want to get on the mic, this is a great thing to have. It brings plenty of output, even when not near the singer’s mouth, and proximity effect where the singer is moving the mic around keeps a solid output overall. It’s rated for a max SPL of 135dB, so even if a singer really gets on it, there should be no issues at all. With all that clarity and natural response, it really brings studio clarity to the stage. If a vocalist wants a mic to color things by having a bit more low-end or raspy depth, this might not be the mic for you.
Now the bad news, all that clarity and goodness has a price, and it comes in at around $799 USD. It does sound great, but at that price it should. There are other options for hand-held live mics that aren’t slouches at half the price, and considering the abuse most live mic go through, it might be tough having to justify shelling out that kind of money. That said, if you’ve got the budget and you’re shooting for the ultimate in clarity and response in a live mic, this won’t disappoint.
PROS:
Excellent clarity and natural response, great for pop and hip-hop.
CONS:
A little pricey.
STREET PRICE:
appx $799