The Bottom Line
While the Audix UEM-81 is an affordable, versatile microphone for live sound use, it's sound quality falls short of the needs of the home recording engineer. Included in the package is the microphone, the two capsules, windscreens, a microphone holder, cable, and battery along with a hard carrying case. My only complaint, other than sound quality? The finish around the capsule threads started wearing away a week after purchase.
Pros
- Both Cardioid & Shotgun Capsules
- Battery Powered
- Included Accessories (cable, battery, windscreens)
Cons
- Sound Quality
- Durability
- Very Specific Use
Description
- Cardioid Frequency Response: 40hz to 20khz
- Shotgun Frequency Response: 20hz to 20khz
- Includes: Microphone Holder, Cable, Battery, Windscreens, Carrying Case
- Battery Powered
- Retail Price: $250
Guide Review - Audix UEM-81S Microphone with Shotgun & Cardioid Capsules
A shotgun microphone - also called a "supercardioid" microphone - is one that picks up in a very narrow pattern wherever it's pointed. I always wanted to pick one up for use on live recordings, and when I saw the $250 UEM-81S package, I couldn't resist giving it a spin. It also comes with a standard screw-on cardioid capsule as well as the shotgun cap.
For it's intended usage, the shotgun microphone did well; I placed the microphone on the corner of the stage, pointed towards the center of the crowd. It picked up the crowd noise well, with little extra noise from the stage or the PA speakers. However, the true test for this microphone would be in the studio environment, where even the slightest faults are brought out.
Of interest to tapers: These microphones are battery powered, which would make it easy to build a portable rig with a pair of these and a portable recorder, eliminating the need for an external preamp.
Take a listen. Here's a recording of the cardioid capsule, recording my acoustic guitar from 6 inches away from the 12th fret. The sound was very thin, with lots of room noise. It didn't seem to have good isolation, like other cardioid microphones in the same price range. I then tried the shotgun capsule, and as you can hear in this sample, it wasn't much better. Compared to the Oktava MC012, which I recorded the same guitar here, the sound is thin and lifeless.
Overall? A great live sound mic, but I'd look at other options for the studio.
For it's intended usage, the shotgun microphone did well; I placed the microphone on the corner of the stage, pointed towards the center of the crowd. It picked up the crowd noise well, with little extra noise from the stage or the PA speakers. However, the true test for this microphone would be in the studio environment, where even the slightest faults are brought out.
Of interest to tapers: These microphones are battery powered, which would make it easy to build a portable rig with a pair of these and a portable recorder, eliminating the need for an external preamp.
Take a listen. Here's a recording of the cardioid capsule, recording my acoustic guitar from 6 inches away from the 12th fret. The sound was very thin, with lots of room noise. It didn't seem to have good isolation, like other cardioid microphones in the same price range. I then tried the shotgun capsule, and as you can hear in this sample, it wasn't much better. Compared to the Oktava MC012, which I recorded the same guitar here, the sound is thin and lifeless.
Overall? A great live sound mic, but I'd look at other options for the studio.