Watching the live stream back afterwards, however, I was astonished at how good the ETHOS performed in these less than ideal circumstances. I also used gentle RX Voice De-Noise doing about 6-7 db of reduction on the stroads story, and no NR at all on the one I tracked in a quiet studio. Some people often try many different microphone models before settling on the one that suits their voice or playing style perfectly. It’s manufactured from gleaming stainless steel (though if the gleaming bothers you, a matte black version is available as a cost option) and the rigid grille that surrounds the sides of the capsule is a work of art.

For users who have to deal with background noise, such as children or busy city streets, using ICON at a distance may present some challenges. The ETHOS B is more sensitive than the RE20, but makes up for potential room noise issues with its tight pickup pattern. Its versatility goes far beyond just recording vocals and might be a little excessive for your average content creator. The sensitive supercardioid pattern picks up sounds from farther away than some competitors, so you don't need it so close to your face. This is an expensive mic, but it offers a powerful low-end without being muddy, a clear and detailed mid section without sound scooped, and an extended and open top-end without sounding over-boosted or artificial.You'll need to use a set of post-processing plugins to shape your recordings into something more professional. Foam Windscreen: By reducing noise from breaths and wind, the supplied foam windscreen helps you achieve clean vocal recordings. The mids are rich, and the lower frequencies, while somewhat difficult to deal with in an untreated space, are manageable and sound nice. Like the ICON, it’s described by Earthworks as a “broadcast mic”, and its industrial design clearly references one of the titans of that world, the Shure SM7B. The Ethos is adjustable without needing tools and remained robust no matter how much I inspected its components, matching its apparent ambition to be a speedy and reliable plug-and-play option.

If you're planning to attach this microphone to a somewhat simpler arm mount, this extra degree of freedom is magnificent. Considering its high SPL handling capabilities and full range tone, the ETHOS might also be a good candidate for snare or toms. In audio, our perception of what feels real and natural is incredibly sensitive to resolution in the time domain.

I also AB'd with an SM7B and an RE-20, and compared other people's tracks to older ones they recorded with their Rode NTG-2 field mics. The next step up is often XLR, an analog alternative that usually offers less latency and higher fidelity recordings. The microphone offers a wide range of frequency response, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which helps to capture the full range of sound in recordings. That has more to do with the Ethos being a condenser and the MD 441 a dynamic than with the small difference in polar pattern. Transients are everywhere though – from the pick attack on your guitar strings to the consonants of your vocal.

One person’s “accurate transient capture” is another person’s “extended high‑frequency response”, so it’s no surprise that Earthworks claim a frequency response of 20Hz to 30kHz for the ETHOS. For example, it can be used up close for a warmer effect or positioned over a foot away for improved plosive rejection and clarity- it truly blurs the lines between broadcast and studio microphones. Keyboard typing tests are usually at best seen as rough examples of how a keyboard will sound in real life.It’s the perfect microphone for On-Air Personalities, Announcers, Podcasting Studios, Streamers, and Competitive Gamers. Offering ultra-high-quality recordings, this condenser microphone is super sensitive with a huge frequency range. Removing the foam filter gives the sound some extra air, and unless you work the mic very close, popping doesn’t seem to be a big problem, so I quite often used it that way. In fact, there is no hesitation recommending this mic for any type of production, especially for those in the broadcasting, voiceovers, and live streams crowd.