Aston Stealth dynamic microphone with Class A pre
Posted on: Thursday 20th of December 2018
The Aston Stealth is a cardioid, end-fire microphone for use on stage or in the studio. Stealth has an autodetect function which senses 48V phantom power and automatically switches the mic to active mode. A built-in, high quality, Class A Mic Preamp dispenses with the need for an external gain lifting device in active mode. Stealth also features a unique Sorbothane internal shock mount system.
Stealth works with or without 48V phantom power. In passive mode (unpowered) the active circuit is completely bypassed and Stealth operates with the simplest possible signal chain. A unique built-in Autodetect function senses the presence of 48V phantom power and will automatically switch the mic to active mode to utilise the onboard class A mic Pre. Stealth features a fully balanced signal path from capsule to output, yielding a superior reduction of ‘Common Mode’ noise compared with single-ended (unbalanced) designs.
The new dynamic has four switchable response settings. Each setting “has been voiced by a panel of more than 90 top flight audio engineers and producers on the Aston 33 panel through a series of double-blind listening tests”. There are 2 vocal settings, optimised for different vocal textures, a guitar setting which is equally suited to Spanish guitar, Electric guitar cab and steel string acoustic, and a dark, vintage setting, reminiscent of classic ribbon mics. Aston explain the voice settings are not EQ filters, they are “contour networks”, meaning the bulk of the signal does not pass through any sort of filter circuitry. The whole signal is slightly attenuated, with some frequencies being added back in at a higher level. This results in much lower phase distortion than conventional filter designs.
Stealth’s acoustically tuned headstock provides a highly focused cardioid polar pattern with enhanced off-axis rejection. Stealth’s capsule is completely enclosed in a stainless steel Faraday cage for rejection of electromagnetic hum. Priced at £299, this new dynamic mic clearly aims to rattle the crown of Shure’s venerable SM7B.
