Enhanced audio mic mount - voodoo or salvation ?

[gainreduction]

http://www.enhancedaudio.ie

Check this out and let me know what you think. If the M600 mic mount delivers what the manufacturer and the big-name testimonials advertise then I'm definitely going to buy one of these. Anyone used them ? Very interesting indeed and makes perfect sense to me. $300 is not a lot of money but quite a lot for a micmount so what do you guys think ?

[Brad Lunde]

Originally Posted by gainreduction

http://www.enhancedaudio.ie

Check this out and let me know what you think. If the M600 mic mount delivers what the manufacturer and the big-name testimonials advertise then I'm definitely going to buy one of these. Anyone used them ? Very interesting indeed and makes perfect sense to me. $300 is not a lot of money but quite a lot for a micmount so what do you guys think ?

I have one here and its cool alright. I've looked at this as a possibility for the US market. Especially for vintage mics. Built like a tank, has that same 'German" look as Brauner mics.

[Beech]

Just got one for my Soundfield and Soundelux mics. Now I know they are not lightly to drop in the middle of a session! Not that expensive considering what Neumann holders cost and it is capable of holding all except the fattest of mics.
thumbsup

[Berolzheimer]

Looks nice, but- where's the shock/vibration absorption? Is there some elastic or rubber that I don't see?

[C/G]

Originally Posted by Berolzheimer

Looks nice, but- where's the shock/vibration absorption? Is there some elastic or rubber that I don't see?

None that I can see. You can always put sponge hockey pucks under each foot of the mic stand.

[brucegel]

This looks like beautiful engineering but there should be some science behind the claim.If the product truly isolates a mic in superior fashion then vibrational analysis will verify.Post some data on this and I will buy a couple.

[IMS]

Brad, they look they would be very fiddly if you take the mic out frequently, with all those knobs to tighten and loosen?

Irwin

[Recording David]

I just took delivery of a pair today and they look magnificent. I haven't had a chance to put them through their paces yet but the reviews I've read (actually just one in Resolution magazine) have been great. I met the inventor and designer recently in London and he explained the principles behind it - very interesting.

I think the word is that they offer great imaging when used with stereo pairs and generally tighten up the sound when used singly, but obviously if someone kicks the mic stand your protection is basically nada.

[bradb]

Originally Posted by Recording David

I think the word is that they offer great imaging when used with stereo pairs and generally tighten up the sound when used singly...

as always, a double-blind test is in-order!


seems like a big expense for something without shock absorption.

EDIT:
(just went to the window a while later and read more...)

"When contact has been established the microphone is protected from disturbance caused by structural and ground born external vibrations."

If there is no damping, how will a solid connection protect the mic from external vibrations??? It seems like these 6 set-screws solidly holding would transmit more vibration to the mic than a traditional shock mount.

"The Enhanced Audio M600 utilizes the fact that it has a low resonant frequency restricting the transmission of infrasonic vibrations, resulting in an audibly tighter and extended bass response, cleaner treble and improved detail."

Infrasonic is below audible range... I don't know what their "low resonant frequency" is, but if youre trying to control infrasonic/low frequencies, you don't want your device to be resonating at/near those frequencies...

"These vibrations are concentrated in the ultra low infrasonic frequency range e.g. traffic, heavy machinery and seismic energy all contribute to infrasonic vibrations. It's natural to assume that these vibrations due to their lack of audibility within the human ears frequency response do not have any significant effect on the normal operation and frequency response of a microphone, but in tests and in practice we believe that they most certainly do."

But we can all hear traffic rumble, heavy machinery (maybe not seismic energy) in our un-shockmounted mics.

[Brad Lunde]

I think the trick is you can't apply every conceivable virtue to this mount any more than you can apply all virtues to a "fits just one mic" $350-$450 Neumann/Brauner/ SoundField mount. The concept behind it was a universal mount that does not break. No such thing exists until now..... In this I think he succeeded. Are there other options to improve the unit? Absolutely, but getting the company launched and able to make more is a requirement to making any improvements. You gotta start somewhere!

It does have its quirks, no doubt. It does have it virtues as well. Think of the user with a LOT of different mics, all requiring a different mount-this simplifies for him. Think of the user who hates the mount his mic comes with. Think of the person who needs something that slows down the process of removing a mic (ie security or expensive vintage mics in the hands of unskilled help). Think of the guy who is a freak about audio quality and believes in micro vibration. In these situations I think this mount works.... In other situations it may not. So its just a new option that DOES have its place.

Brad

[bradb]

Hi Brad,

My only question/qualm is with how they are advertising the mount. I'll retract my complaint about the price

"The M600’s unique design offers superb isolation..." I wish they would explain how this is acheived with a solid mount...

If they are supplying a mount that is totally solid so that the mic's diaphragm is receiving ALL of the incident sound pressure and none is being absorbed by mic mount rubber bands then they should say something to this effect rather than have all that mumbo-jumbo in there..

also regarding security, you'd only need to loosen 2 of the screws, one on each circle, to remove a mic.

ps: what is "micro-vibration" and how would this mount apply to it?

Brad