A warm, mid-forward LDC with a stunning look and an even more stunning sonic performance.
$2,699.00
The first thing I noticed after hearing the Soyuz 017 FET on vocals was how it was both super smooth and very detailed and clear at the same time. In my opinion, this is a trait of some of the best microphones, as it proves clarity and focus does not always have to come along with razor sharp transients or excessive brightness. The vocals recorded with the 017 FET immediately sat within the mix as if I had already carved out the frequencies in the other instruments, and only a splash of stereo delay was needed to create just enough space for the vocal to live in while still gelling beautifully with the instrumentation.
Who doesn't love when a mic is this easy to work with? In all honesty, the experience and general mic tonality reminded me of working with the vintage U87 we had in the studio a few months back for a series of mic shootouts. Considering the difference in price points between those two mics is in the couple of thousands, that says a lot about the performance of this 017 FET from Soyuz.
Don't get the idea that this is only a vocal microphone - we achieved excellent results with the 017 FET on electric and acoustic guitars, drum overheads, and even as a condenser on kick drum (as seen and heard in our LDC Kick Drum Mic Shootout).
And finally, while sound always comes first, the 017 FET is a pretty sexy looking microphone and feels fantastic in hand. It’s robust construction, attractive visuals, and rich, mid-focused sound ensure the 017 FET will be just as impressive to your clients today as it will be 50+ years from now.
The Soyuz Microphones 017 FET large diaphragm condenser delivers a larger-than-life feeling with a classic sound in a modern form.
The Soyuz 017 FET condenser represents the modern embodiment of the big, classic sound so highly prized in vintage microphones. All Soyuz microphones are like the finest musical instruments and works of art, completely handmade and enable detail to be captured with stunning depth, warmth, and a silky transparency in the upper frequencies. These sonic traits inherent to the 017’s design, allow it to highlight the subtle nuances of sources like vocals and strings while accurately capturing complex instruments with difficult transients across the entire frequency spectrum.
The 017 FET features a cardioid capsule with a gold-sputtered, hand-tuned 34mm diaphragm; an omni-directional capsule is currently available, with additional patterns in development. As with all Soyuz microphones, the 017 FET is completely handmade: bodies and capsules are manually machined, transformers are wound in-house, and all wiring is true point-to-point.
The 017 Series mics have quickly become the go-to vocal microphone of such artists as Coldplay, Radiohead, Shawn Mendes, Paramore, and many others. Well-known producers and engineers who have adopted it include Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Paul McCartney, Beck), Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Lumineers, Lady Gaga), Sylvia Massy (Prince, Johnny Cash), and Butch Walker (Pink, Green Day, Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne) and many more.
The engineers at Soyuz have spent decades studying, servicing, and building classic microphones; this unique pool of knowledge, craft and skill – combined with the ears of numerous musicians, producers and audio engineers – has culminated in the creation of the 017 Series’ custom S17 capsule. Featuring a gold-sputtered, hand-tuned 34mm diaphragm, the S17 is loosely based on the original K67 capsule developed in 1960. Far from creating another clone of a classic, Soyuz has further developed the design, modifying its assembly and tuning. The result, when paired with Soyuz’s original schematic, is unique – and uniquely musical.
The 017 FET is a perfect complement to any source needing a three-dimensional sound and captured in a way that already feels finished. The additional -20db in-line pad provides extra versatility for louder sources like guitar amps and close mic’d percussion. With its open top-end, smooth mid-range, powerful – yet balanced – low-end, and remarkably robust build quality, the 017 is destined to be the future benchmark of that elusive mixture of accuracy and sonic flattery that has sent vintage prices soaring.
Sound:
The 017 FET employs the same handmade capsule as the 017 Tube, a proprietary toroidal transformer, and a completely original circuit design. These elements work together to deliver a tonal character that is as rich and detailed as it's tube brother's, but with the slightly faster transient response characteristic of a FET microphone.
Features:
Boutique, hand-made microphones from Russia. Possessing a stunning visual look and a smooth, rich, but clear and focused sound quality, the Soyuz mics have already made a very large impression on the industry after only being around for a very short amount of time. Popular artists such as Radiohead, Coldplay, Paramore, and The Lumineers have gone on record to support the mics and confirm they were used on their most recent records.
Type: Condenser FET microphone
Capsules: Two 34mm membranes (one gold sputtered)
Frequency Range: 20Hz/20kHz
Polar Pattern: Cardioid (swappable) with optional omnidirectional and figure 8
Sensitivity: 15mV/Pa
Impedance: 200 Ohms
SPL: 140 dB
Equivalent Noise: 18 dB (a-weighted)
Power: 48V Phantom
Size: 226mm length x 55mm diameter
Weight: 930g
Extras: wooden suitcase, shock mount, hard mount, -20db in-line pad
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Rating: 4.8
919-682-5552