Sontronics

NUNO BETTENCOURT - Guitarist/Vocalist/Producer
(Extreme)
"If someone told me that they have a live vocal mic that sounds as warm and clear as a vintage class tube recording microphone and that I can get it loud on stage over my band's blistering stage volume, flat with nearly no EQ, I would laugh... and then tell them I've been touring the world for 20 years and I've yet to hear that microphone.

" Well, at a soundcheck in the UK on the 'Take Us Alive' tour they showed me the Sontronics STC-80, I sang through it and I DID laugh... with disbelief at how incredible it sounded. So much so that we would not give them back. And used not only the vocal mics, but also the insane, silky-sounding pair of Sontronics ORPHEUS for overheads.

"It wasn't just an exciting affair with a new product, because when we did the last leg of the tour in Indonesia and the Sontronics mics couldn't come with us, we suffered... not only in sound, but in headroom on stage.

"Yes, we were spoiled. I have never endorsed any product unless it is essential to me. And it is very rare that a musical product comes around that you can't live without. Someone finally got it right. In 20 years I've never endorsed a microphone company... until now. And by the way, they are built like workhorses. I can't wait to try them in the studio. Nice work guys!"

JOSH HOMME - Artist/Producer
(Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal)
"The SIGMA ribbon mic is where vintage equals timeless classic instead of dated; where modern equals sonic class, versatility and durability instead of over-hyped mimickery. I've always like a beauty with brains!"

MICHAEL 'FISH' HERRING - Artist/Producer
(Prince, Christina Aguilera, New Kids on the Block, Mariah Carey, 2Pac)
"The SIGMA captures performances with a special warmth and vibe that only vintage ribbon mics do. It IS the new vintage standard!"

JUSTIN SMITH - Engineer (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal)
"The DELTA is amazing. It handles anything you throw at it from quiet, non-distorted guitar to balls-to-the-wall, amp-on-11 type stuff. As soon as you've got them ready, we want more of them!"

JOE BROWN - Front of house Engineer
(Extreme)
"On our Saudades of Rock tour we usedtwo Sontronics ORPHEUS condenser mics on Kevin [Figueiredo]'s drumkit and an STC-1 for the hi-hat. The difference was amazing. I could hear every detail of the drumkit. The pair of ORPHEUS overheads gave me so much presence and clarity but without any harshness... a revelation! And the STC-80s on Nuno's and Pat's vocals were incredible... Nuno has never asked me to kill the EQ on any vocal mic before!"

TED PERLMAN - Producer/Arranger/Guitarist/Composer/Engineer
"I use SIGMA constantly for recording guitar amps, percussion, accordions and much more. The problem now is that your new ribbon mic, the DELTA, is absolutely amazing for guitar amps - I was totally knocked out when Trevor brought it in here. The combination with CHIMERA is absolutely spectacular! Best recorded sound I ever got from a guitar amp, hands down!"

AL DI MEOLA - Jazz fusion guitarist
"These [CHIMERA and SONORA] are the most amazing
preamps I've ever tried on guitar!"

XAVIER MARQUES - Artist/Producer
"I have recently been using STC-1, SIGMA, OMEGA and APOLLO, using them with recording projects in London and Portugal for More Than A Thousand, Fabricated Artifacts, Portugues Suave, Bonelife and Mad Math.

"I love the STC-1 as overheads. The OMEGA has been a favourite of mine ever since I heard the vocals on a project from a friend of mine. It captures all the subtleties in a vocal line!

"And I have been truly amazed at the vintage sound of both the APOLLO and SIGMA. The APOLLO is a must-have for a room mic. It is so simple to set up and the results are astonishing. I can see myself replacing some reverb machines with this microphone! So far the SIGMA has sounded really good on highly distorted guitars. With its vintage sound, it is a really good add-on to my classic guitar-mic set-up.

"I love the retro design, especially the SIGMA! The microphones are built to last and they really capture the attention of anyone in the studio. I have been carrying the OMEGA everywhere I go and the wooden case is a mess but the microhpone is still delivering amazing results! These mics are definitely part of my everyday recording needs and the sounds range from really sharp sounding modern mics to vintage 50s mics.

"I canät wait to try the new preamp. Iäve had a glimpse of it already and am sure it will be the next addition to my studio!"

ALAIN JOHANNES - Engineer/Producer (Queens of the Stone Age, No Doubt)
"The SIGMA has quickly become my favourite ribbon microphone. It has warmth and a natural open sound yet carries enough presence to command its own space alongside hypey modern mics.

"On vocals it is classy and creamy sounding with a wonderful immediacy. It excels as a room mic for drums because of its ability to balance the weight of the kit with the cymbal sizzle. I often use it to anchor the drum sound.

"The SIGMA has become essential for recording electric guitars because it can handle the volume and it captures the feeling of being in the room with the amp.

"The HELIOS has an edge over modern and even classic mics for vocals because of its incredible definition and presence. It almost brings a protective bubble with it into the track. I love the way the HELIOS translates a singer's emotion even in the midst of a raging guitar track"

MATTIAS EKLUND
Recording artist & Producer
"Sontronics microphones deliver the sonic quality that I always look for when I record or produce. I've used Sontronics mics on two of Toontrack's latest products - Claustrophobic EZX and Twisted Kit EZX - and I couldn't be happier with the results. I used SIGMA ribbons as overhead microphones and I really loved the way they captured the sound of the cymbals... very smooth and natural. The tube mic, HELIOS, is also a huge favourite of mine, especially on acoustic guitar and vocals. We also used it as the bass drum mic for Claustrophobic EZX. It's awesome stuff! I can't wait to try out Sontronics' newest innovation, the CHIMERA preamp. I am sure it's going to blow people's minds!

MARK MACLAINE (The Silence)
Engineer/Producer (Second Person, City Rats, Extreme Sports Channel)
"These microphones are truly amazing! We were first introduced to them a couple of years ago and now we only use Sontronics in the studio. So far I have recorded five full albums with them (including everything Second Person has done), four TV series and we are now working on two feature film scores (due out in cinemas later this year) and they're my mics of choice!

"I have recently worked with a number of actors, including Charles Dance, Joanna Lumley, Lindsay Duncan and Dannis Lawson and they have all commented on the quality of the recording we've been able to get with these mics. We use the HELIOS on almost everything we record and are so glad to have one.

"We're now looking to take the whole Second Person show on the road and we'll be checking out their live mics before considering anything else!"

AARON SLATER - Artist/Songwriter
"I definitely rate Sontronics for build and quality, especially considering their great price!

" Their SIGMA ribbon mic is lovely - it's solid and feels like a classic from the Motown era. Such a warm and well rounded response that's ideal for recording acoustic guitar.

"For a brighter tone, you'll do well with their STC-1S matched pair of condenser mics as well. Stereo mic near the fretboard and you get a really clean presence."

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MARK JOSEPH - Artist/Songwriter
HELIOS: "When looking for a new vocal mic, it quite simply blew me away! … Its beautiful, natural low really brings the sound to life."
ORPHEUS: "...amazing as an overhead for drumkit and brilliant on bass drum..."
STC-1: "It's fantastic on snare, giving a real crack with great clarity and definition."

ALEX AKTENJIAN - Producer (Unreal Studios) & Lecturer (SAE Athens)
"We went into the studio to try out the SIGMA on male Byzantine chant vocals (like Gregorian chants but more melancholic). These types of chant require massive amounts of reverb in order to make the 'feel' properly. On most occasions, singers cannot perform adequately if they can't hear the reverb in their cans.

" The SIGMA provided a smooth dark sound, which is typical of ribbon mics, with two notable exceptions. It lacks that graininess you hear on other ribbon mics (usually passive), instead providing a creamy quality. And the reverb did not exhibit any kind of artefacts from any sibilant sounds (these can get really annoying and are really hard to get rid of when using typical condenser mics).

"Highly recommended, especially for choirs!"

PHIL THOMPSON - Producer/Enginer & Lecturer (Portsmouth University)
"One of our top students set up a regular five-piece kit with all the Sontronics mics he could lay his hands on (14 in total) and he was blown away with the sound! But to prove the 'it's not how many mics you use' theory, I set up the single HELIOS high in the room... and it was just as impressive. I'm rarely amazed by anything these days (cynical old git that I am), but I was truly amazed by the punch, boom, depth, detail and clarity all there in abundance. WOW!

"As a special project, I recorded a regular Yamaha five-piece drumkit in our live room with just one HELIOS on to Radar with no EQ. I now play that same recording to our students and ask how many mics are being used to record it... and three is the lowest guess I ever get. I love watching them try to guess!"

JON JACOBS - Producer/Engineer (Sting, Laura Pausini, Elton John)
ORPHEUS, HELIOS, OMEGA & SIGMA: “I ended up choosing Sontronics in a blind test, simply because they sounded so much better than those I was comparing them to.”

ALAN BAILEY - Sound Engineer (Snow Patrol, Chemical Brothers, The The)
STC-1 & STC-1S: “I find the STC-1S gives a much more effective and uncoloured result… as well as being much more versatile… and more natural sounding.”

GARY BROMHAM - Producer (Natalie Imbruglia, Zucchero, Nylon)
ORPHEUS & OMEGA: “The ORPHEUS is very clean and precise at reproducing exactly what I’m hearing. The OMEGA is similar but with more character, being a valve mic.”
HELIOS: “Definitely a vocal mic for me… rich in the lower mids with a silky top end.”
SIGMA: “It’s the warmest mic I have heard in years. I simply love it!"

STEVE EVANS - Producer (The Girls, Lockdown Project, Tiny Elvis)
ORPHEUS x2: “As an all-rounder for the project studio, you can’t go wrong with the ORPHEUS. It compares very well with its more expensive counterparts.”

CIARAN BYRNE - Engineer/Producer (U2, Elvis Costello, Gabrielle, Paul Young)
ORPHEUS x2: “They delivered exactly what I was looking for: rich lows, tight mids and clear highs. They are now my first choice… I’d happily recommend them to anyone.”

PIP WILLIAMS - Lecturer & Producer (Status Quo, Elton John, Prague Symphonia)
ORPHEUS: “It’s proved fantastic as a drum overhead and acoustic guitar mic.”
HELIOS: “This is a beautiful vocal mic and is wonderful on flute and other woodwinds.”
SIGMA: “I’ve loved the transparency of the SIGMA on all saxes and violin.”

DAVEY RAY MOOR - Lecturer & Artist/Composer
“The Sontronics range, from the mellow SIGMA to the detailed, focused ORPHEUS are tools that bring the performers’ personality forward… they are invaluable.”

DUNCAN WILLIAMS - Lecturer & Sound Engineer
“The build quality and presentation of the microphones is superb but, more importantly, so is the sound .”