Pad Your Studio with Three New Blue Microphones

With their recognizable design and precise, nuanced sound, Blue microphones have been a well-regarded part of the pro audio scene for quite some time. Luckily for us, the company has implemented a few changes on three of its classic large-diaphragm condensers, giving you a switchable high-pass filter at 100 Hz and a -20 dB pad in the Bluebird SL, Baby Bottle SL, and the Spark SL.

The Bluebird SL’s hand-crafted capsule utilizes a gold-sputtered Mylar diaphragm in conjunction with a sculpted back plate to emphasize resonances at higher frequencies. The resulting clarity of the treble, smoothness of the midrange, and richness of the bass frequencies render the microphone particularly well-tailored to capturing vocal material, both spoken and sung.

The Baby Bottle SL, on the other hand, features a machined-brass back plate, which is instrumental in creating the warmth and presence typical of the Baby Bottle series; as such, this mic sounds great on pianos, vocals, strings, acoustic guitars, and more. It offers a higher SPL than the Bluebird, giving the microphone an intrinsic ability to capture a wide swath of dynamic material.

If a less colored, more transparent recording is what you’re after, then check out the Spark SL, a large diaphragm condenser whose class-A circuitry ensures a pure signal path. Its JFET design, constructed to keep the capsule’s back plate evenly charged, delivers a consistently even response across the mic’s frequency range.

While we’re on the subject of frequency ranges, note how each of these mics operates between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, spanning the full range of human hearing. Also, each of these mics offers a cardioid polar pattern to minimize the extraneous capturing of off-axis signal in your recordings. All of these microphones require 48V phantom power and include a custom shockmount and wooden storage box. These features, coupled with the newly implemented -20 dB pad and switchable high-pass filter, will facilitate a most rewarding recording experience. Listen to these mics and you’ll understand: The only passing you’ll be doing is high-passing!