Aim Audio Essence Cardioid Studio Microphone

Truly innovative, with patented featuresMade in Berlin, Germany, this new high-performance studio mic is a world first and comes with a host of unique, useful and innovative features, including our patented switchable Transformer/Electronic Output stage. From a direct, beautifully open and fast response, to smooth and intimate sounds with sparkling harmonics and deep lows, ESSENCE is surely going to become a top choice wherever and for whatever source you wish to use it on.

Add to this a fresh look, backlit and tactile controls, built-in Peak Level Metering, a hand-built 1” Gold Sputtered Mylar true condenser capsule (externally polarized) and you have one of the finest new audio products to ever hit the market – all at a price/performance ratio that defies regular convention.

Amazing Features • Developed by an experienced team of experts in audio
• All-metal housing with unique oval design
• Class-Leading Audio Performance (>140 dBA internal headroom)
• Switchable between Electronic or Transformer Balanced Output stages
• Custom-wound Toroidal Audio Transformer with VITROPERM core
• 1” Large Diaphragm True Condenser (Gold Sputtered Mylar)
• Sound chosen by blind listening tests, using our industry leading panel
• -10 Pad option, 80 Hz Low Cut switch
• Integrated Peak-Level Metering
• Backlit Controls (dimmable and lockable)
• Built-in direct-to-stand mounting
• Powered by regular 48 V Phantom Power

ultra versatileWhile Aim Audio wanted to provide the best quality that they could electronics wise, the question came up whether they should use a Transformer or Electronic Output stage. So why not have both in the same mic?! It really was a challenge, but they made it happen. To many, one of the reasons they chose a certain condenser mic for a source is because they fall into either one of these two output topologies.

For the Transformer-based circuit, the Aim Audio team developed a Custom Wound Toroidal Transformer with a nanocrystalline VITROPERM core. This special design doesn’t sound harsh or just add distortion, like many off the shelf transformer circuits can do, but it provides a slightly thicker and richer LF, plus a slightly airy top end and a slower transient response. Useful for all sorts of audio; from aggressive or velvety smooth vocals, to heavy guitars or a brass section, this mode gives a beautifully open sound with shimmering harmonics.

While the super clean Electronically Balanced Output will react much faster with transients and can handle higher SPL, even at ultra-low frequencies. Perfect for catching fast moving audio like shiny drum overheads or tracking acoustic guitars, without any ‘smearing’ of the audio, this mode gives stunningly transparent and natural recordings. It captures all the detail in the HF but without adding a zingy quality that some condensers can be prone to.

Aim Audio’s patent-pending output switching technology is a world first. Now for the very first time, you can easily swap between these two distinct types of output and choose exactly which style best suits your source, at source. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder why it’s not been done before!

lights out!Many mics can be difficult to read when setting up on dark and moody stages or in studios, where you often want to get the best atmosphere for a performance. Aim Audio thought about how best to change this, so the LED backlit controls on ESSENCE make it easy to see exactly what settings the mic is set to, at a moment’s glance. They’re also completely powered by regular 48V Phantom Power – no extra hardware is required!

Although LEDs are cool, not everyone will want them on all the time and they can potentially distract an artist from a performance. With this in mind, all of the controls can be easily dimmed to three levels or even turned off. This makes ESSENCE a perfect ‘invisible mic’ for video, calming studio environments or in live settings.

You can also easily lock the buttons too, great if you want to stop performers from “fiddling” or to prevent accidental changes while moving the microphone’s position.

clear recordingsA perfect take sometimes be ruined because you didn’t spot the mic was peaking and causing input distortion. Well despite the electronics of ESSENCE being capable of 140 dB + of internal headroom (that’s louder than a jet taking off above your head!), very many mic preamps are just not capable of either taking anywhere near that kind of level or even sounding great if they do. Which is why mics generally have pad options on them, to help reduce the output level. In addition, many interfaces, mic-preamps and even DAW meters don’t always show fast clipping peaks before they can irreversibly damage a take.

While the average source should not present an issue, loud amps, drums or even singers with the odd peaking transient can distort your input. So, Aim Audio fitted a simple Peak LED Level meter to ESSENCE which will flash Orange when the level is approaching the ‘danger level’ and will go Red to show when you should use a Pad. The mic itself won’t be distorting, meaning you can turn this feature off if you are using a high-end device. Even though ESSENCE should not distort internally at this level, as this is displayed at source it makes it way easier to set the -10 Pad control and will help you make better distortion free recordings, no matter what kind of kit you are using.

The mic also has a Low Cut Filter at 80 Hz. This is useful for helping to reduce wind noise, close proximity effect or even vibration, assisting you to get the best sound possible for your recordings.