The Universal Audio Sphere series microphones put stunning emulations of the music industry’s most iconic microphones at your fingertips. Shop them today at Sweetwater 👉 imp.i114863.net/156dWD
Hey Mitch, so cool that you started the video with that legendary private session at NAMM in our improvised hotel showroom with mattresses on the wall. I’m proud to that I was there to demo the system to you with Chris and Erik, and what it all has turned into. 👋🏻
As an owner of the original L22, I can say that it is an outstanding mic on its own. Coupled with the flexibility that this offers, it's a no-brainer buy. Well worth your time and money.
Always good stuff from Sweetwater. Only thing I'm missing in this specific video, is a bit more attention to level matching between Mitchs speaking volume and general EQ and all examples of the plugin and different mics. Mitch comes across as a quite dominant over the singing, and thus making it harder to actually hear and compare the differences applied to the singing voice.
I’m very stoked about this rebranding with UAD. I do have one question however. Does the Sphere only work with no latency over Apollo interfaces or can you use the UAD Volt 276 with it as well?
Hey there! Are there any physical or component changes made in difference between the TL Sphere and the UAD DLX? or is everything the same and just the rebranding and software changes part of it? Thanks
Seems like this concept is not new, but it is interesting to see how each company puts there own spin on it. This is the Townsend Labs/UA take, Antelope Audio has a similar take, Steven Slate had a similar but basic take… I think that, at this point, the most interesting version of this is the Austrian Audio OC818. I know that it is not a modeling mic, but I think it is the best implementation of a dual capsule microphone that allows manipulation of the polar pattern after the fact.
Interesting that you mention Austrian Audio. Have been considering that mic. Pitting it against a TLM103 and TLM107. Probably going for K184 pair for Instrument and the LDC for vocals
If I own an original Townsend Labs L22, will its original stereo features still work with the Sphere Plugins (and the Bill Putnam and Ocean Way mic collection plugins)? Do I need to do anything regarding this update?
Hi David, great question! The original will be compatible and updating the new software will add 4 new mic models and has a new user interface that is also easier to navigate. Let us know if you have any other questions. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
I'd like to see how you would use the DLX for M/S recording. I record live (choirs, etc.) and it seems that you could set up the 2 mics in omni mode, then duplicate the tracks, reverse the polarity of one side, and have all that's needed for a nice MS recording with a single DLX setting up high in front of the choir (or almost any live group). Do you have an opinion on how practical a recording method this would be?
I’m questioning all the flexible parameters in the plugin and mic model choices. It’s amazing, but in reality I’d likely tweak/configure say the best vocal options that I like, then just use it over and over again. So I could imagine just a few, like female-vocal, male-vocal, acoustic-guitar. I don’t run a studio so I don’t know how much value I’d get from all the variations available. However, the price is less than just 1 vintage ‘87 so maybe it’s worth it 😃
You can save your own presets and just record with those if you'd like to. Better yet, if you have a UAD interface you don't have to fiddle with the plugin in post if you don't want to, and you end up recording one track instead of two.
@@miltonfostersound I’m going to wait a few months, but will likely buy the DLX. Regardless of how accurate the mic emulations the mic itself and the plugin seem excellent - better than the mic’s I already own - and it’ll integrate nicely with my Apollo x4.
@@JeffyG You definitely won't regret it. I've owned the Sphere for around a year and a half now, and there are many occasions where I use the mic itself without any modelling because it sounds great. But the appeal for me, more so than the accuracy of the modelling, is the fact that this one mic system allows independent control of the on and off axis characteristics of the microphone and is essentially an infinitum on tones that will adapt to whatever my needs are for the recording at that time (in situations where an LDC is appropriate). I could care less about it matching a U47 exactly, but the fact that I can adjust to the tone of any singer/instrument AND make what's behind the mic sound pleasing is what pushed me to get this.
What I learned when doing vocal recording is there is no one mic u need atleast 2 for dual channel. It’s hard to tell unless u have 10 mics put them side by side for testing your voice. I prefer most silence yet loudest mic, I meant noise floor to max db. A new compressor will give u that original vintage sound. Don’t know why people expect the mics to have original sound u need better preamp. I mean u recording through a computer it’s not gonna sound vintage old time is recording through tape.
Hello, Mitch. I hope all is well. I watched your video and have done a lot of research on this.... at / around 2:58 you said Sphere can be used in "Unison". How do you do this? I have the latest software update, but it's not allow me to add the plugin in the UNISON + Slot (UA Console) --- So is this a future update, did you got a different version, or is this a misquote... Thank you for your prompt response.
PT supports stereo-mono plugins, so when using Sphere in PT, it'll look like a mono track in the Mix window when it's really a stereo track in the Edit window. Super cool!
How do they compare with the older Townsend Labs Sphere L22 that these replace? For the additional $300 for the DLX version ($1500) compared to the L22 ($1200), are there other changes aside from 4 new mic models?
Technically, L22 (technically "discontinued") is the same price except we got to enjoy the $300 discount offer in late 2022. There might be some vendors still offering the discounted price but that was more of a limited time deal
I appreciate the responses! Makes a lot more sense now. Pretty cool that the L22 is getting those new mic models and you're introducing a more affordable version - both seem incredibly powerful.
another point I want to raise: about where we listen to these, I started on laptop speakers, and then went to get mixing headphones. Don't get me wront I think this can be a good 1000 dollar mic, but changing from one to the other makes almost no sense. Just use eq and that will be much better anyway. I believe that if you have a great mic with great mic pre like 1073 and add some eq and compression, this will definatelly give you great vocal recordings.
I love Mitchs videos, always great. but i have to say I didn't hear differences between mics, it was all so close. Just last wee I was at a store testing real mics, and the difference is like night and day, even comparing all copies of 47s. Before watching this I was actually considering but I don't think it is for me. It just looks cool to have the icons of mics we love in the screen, but when a ribon vintage sounds like that, I just don't think this is working.
It's the RU-vid audio. At least for me, I didn't hear any differences either. But believe me, I have the L22, and you can hear the mics. IMO the Bill Putnam collection is the best!
THey're exactly the same, just rebranded. The only real mechanical difference is that the pad has 2 settings on the L22 versus just a single setting on the DLX. Don't sell your L22, it's perfect.
It's the same mic! The LX is the new, smaller, more budget-friendly model, and the DLX is the L22, re-branded to match the LX. You just got the DLX for about $300 off lol
I think, for me anyway, it would have been better to have a complex snippet of fingerstyle guitar, e.g. a Bach arpeggio to really hear the nuances between emulations. The same quite bland vocal riff is hard to compare against
Hey there, Trae! Yes, you can certainly record within FL studio using these microphones. The software needed for modeling purposes will just show up as a VST within whatever DAW you’re going to be using. Just make sure you have an interface that’s compatible with your computer to run the mic into and you’ll be good to go! Feel free to reach out with any further questions. Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
Hello, Donna! I’m not certain I understand your question. Would you mind emailing me or giving us a call to discuss? Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
