Tierra Audio’s stable of studio tools sees a new edition with the release of the New Twenties condenser mic. With a characterful sound and styling to match, we got our hands on one to to soak in its sounds. How does it perform? Listen and decide for yourself…

In Summary

Tierra Audio’s New Twenties is a large diaphragm cardioid FET condenser microphone. Sporting a custom design with a USA-made capsule and Lundahl transformer-coupled output, its distinctive retro styling, signature sound, and magnetic accessories set it apart from the rest.

Going Deeper

One Of Many?

With the breadth of choice available to those looking for their next studio condenser, the engineer could be forgiven for thinking that it’s all been done before. While it’s true that any mic can in essence only be derived from a small family of designs, engineers still have some wriggle room when it comes to standing out. This can be in terms of price, bundled accessories, and of course technical and subjective performance, but some go a little further.

Character Mics

While most mics strive for a sound that is as faithful to the source as possible, linear performance is not at the top of everyone’s list. With many studios already possessing a healthy compliment of familiar microphones, there is often room for a mic offering advantages of its own.

On the understanding that sound is the primary consideration, mics with their own signature are invaluable. The engineer can then choose a voicing that more closely meshes with the source, or one that offers a flavour such as extra harmonic complexity or a tonal change of gear where appropriate. Some character mics offer distinctive visual styling that can offer something new, or nod to the design language of eras gone.

Tierra Audio New Twenties

Presenting a character of its own in every sense, the New Twenties condenser mic from Tierra Audio sets out to marry boutique looks with a distinctive voicing. Also much harder to come by in our industry is a product that stresses its environmental sustainability. New Twenties’ fast-growing bamboo wooden case eschews moulded plastic, stemming from Tierra Audio’s commitment to sourcing more than 85% of its suppliers and collaborating craftspeople its spanish homeland.

Providing the sole microphone voicing in a simple recording, in the video we take it for a spin on vocals, acoustic guitar and percussion. Completely free of processing, we demonstrate how positioning alone can yield mix-ready results without audio plugin intervention.

New Twenties Features:

• USA-made cardioid electret condenser capsule.

• Ultra-low noise FET transistor-based circuitry.

• Lundahl transformer-coupled output.

• Snap-on, magnetic wire mesh popshield.

• Each microphone comes with two interchangeable magnetic flags, one made of transparent recycled methacrylate and the other of bamboo. These can be laser engraved to order with text or logos.

• They can also be silkscreen printed or used with stickers thanks to the digital templates provided on TA’s site.

• 5-year parts and labour warranty, with equipment replacement if the estimated reparation time is above 48 hours once received.

More From Tierra Audio:

The new New Twenties is designed and handmade in Madrid, promoting the use of 100% recyclable materials of the highest quality, such as stainless steel or aluminum, and ultra-fast growing woods, such as bamboo. We also minimize the use of polluting chemicals by laser engraving all our microphones and their packaging.

In addition, more than 85% of our suppliers and collaborating craftsmen are located in Spain. All of them uphold our values of quality and sustainability, helping to keep the ecological footprint of each microphone as small as possible. And, as always, we plant trees thanks to you with our TIERRA Green Project!

Final Thoughts

The first thing that strikes you about this mic is its styling that wouldn’t be out of place in a scene from Metropolis! Casting a distinctive figure in the studio, some artists will love singing in front of it. The screw-in method of mounting does not afford any adjustment without the use of a universal joint, but using a boom from the side allows tilt adjustments to be made. The neodymium magnetic popshield works well with a very positive action that easily steers the item into position and keeps it there. The logo ‘flags’ are also a nice touch that attach in the same way.

With some established favourites reporting the sound objectively, it could be said that a character mic can instead create an impression of sources via its subjective enhancement. In the New Twenties this comes courtesy of the Lundahl transformer coupling that is intended to add slight harmonic complexity. The mic’s tonal character overall can be described as smooth, with a well-represented lower register balanced with an un-hyped top. Certainly this voicing should work well on higher or thinner voices that would also benefit from New Twenties transformer girth.

For everything else, New Twenties could provide a welcome change of gear when a studio classic is too neutral. Added to that, Tierra Audio’s environmental credentials make it a deserved choice for those who understand the need for lower-impact gear to pervade.

Until 20th March 2023, Production Expert readers can get 15% off New Twenties using code EXPERT15DISCOUNT at the checkout.

A Word About This Article

As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.