Soyuz 023 Bomblet Large Diaphragm Condenser  From Soyuz

The SU-023 (aka The Bomblet) may just be Soyuz’s most innovative microphone to date. At just $1199, it’s sure to bring Soyuz’s handmade microphones to a much wider sector of the recording and broadcast world.

 

LOS ANGELES, CA- In less than five short years, Soyuz, a Russian/US company, has managed to build a solid reputation for itself in the world of high end microphones. Its flagship SU-017 tube mic has become the go-to LDC for everyone from Coldplay to Paramore, Jon Brion to Nigel Godrich. Known for building virtually every aspect of their mics in-house, Soyuz has committed itself to production methods that have been all but abandoned in the modern world of OEM factories and CNC lathes. As one would expect, handmade microphones have always come with a premium price tag— until now. With The Bomblet, Soyuz has found a way to optimize production in order to provide a 100% handmade microphone at an accessible price point.

 

With The Bomblet, Soyuz has traded their signature cream and brass for a combination of polished and brushed aluminum, thus eliminating the need for lacquering and painting. That, along with the use of a circuit board instead of point-to-point wiring and a mounting ring instead of a shock mount, has allowed Soyuz to offer a lower price point without sacrificing quality.

 

Like all Soyuz microphones, The Bomblet features a proprietary Soyuz transformer as well as a custom hardwood box.

 

As is the case with most condenser mics, the real magic resides in the capsule. The capsule used in The Bomblet is based on the LOMO 19A21 which was developed in 1972 and put into production in 1974. LOMO based their capsule design on the AKG CK12, but instead of using two electrodes, LOMO used a single electrode and two “ ilters.” They essentially created a triple back plate capsule which eliminated the need for non-through holes, thus increasing the consistency between capsules.

 

Soyuz has further developed the capsule, modifying how it is assembled and tuned. The result, when paired with Soyuz’s original schematic, is a rich, full sound which is not overly hyped in the high frequencies and has a very pleasant midrange.