Rode NT5, AKG P170 and Universal Audio SP1 Microphone Comparison

Universal Audio recently released the SP1 mic, their take on the small diaphragm condenser microphone. Considering small diaphragm condenser mics aren’t released all that often we thought we’d see how the SP1 stacks up against some true studio favourites. Both the Rode NT5 and AKG P170 came to mind as both are approximately the same price and are popular affordable small diaphragm condenser microphones. For this video, we visited JMC Academy in South Melbourne who were kind enough to let us make use of their great studio space to see if Universal Audio’s SP1 might be a worthy small diaphragm condenser microphone contender.

In this video, we recorded the same drum beat through all 3 different mics to best present how each microphone sounded as overheads and as hi-hat mics. The audio tracks for the overhead and hi-hat mics were left raw and untreated to ensure the recordings were unadulterated for a fair comparison. My good friend Steve Lane plays some bass to add a little more context to my drumming. Check the video to hear how the UA SP1 stacks up against some industry-standard microphones. Headphones are highly recommended when watching this video!

Personally, I found all 3 microphones hard to separate with each having its own qualities, although the tight stereo pattern of the Universal Audio SP1 won my vote for the day as I prefer my drum recordings to have minimal room sound and reverberation.

Small diaphragm condenser microphones (SDCs) are a popular choice among engineers due to their versatility, accuracy, and sensitivity. These microphones have a small diameter diaphragm, typically ranging from 6-20mm in size. The small size of the diaphragm allows for a fast transient response, which makes them well-suited for capturing high-frequency sounds, such as cymbals, hi-hats, and acoustic instruments like violins, violas, and flutes. This also makes them ideal for capturing the nuances and detail of vocals and speech.

Gear used in this video:

Overhead and hi-hat: Rode NT5, AKG P170 and Universal Audio SP1

Kick drum: AKG D12VR

Tom and snare: AKG D40

Bass:

Bass guitar: Spector Euro 4

Bass Amp: Aguilar Tone Hammer 700

Bass Cabinet: Aguilar SL410X

Darkglass: Vintage Deluxe Pedal

Bass recorded direct out of the Aguilar Tone Hammer 700

Special thanks to Travis and Marcus at JMC Academy: https://www.jmcacademy.edu.au/