Aston Microphones has just started taking pre-orders on their new crowd-designed microphone Element. I was shocked when I saw that the price tag would only be €179 or $199! At that price point I'm actually a bit tempted to put down a pre-order. The design seems... interesting! From what I understand it is basically a dynamic mic but with this special "Ridyon-capsule", 48v phantom-powered and very large diaphragm which will make it behave more like a condenser (and a bit like a ribbon because the diaphragm will be very thin). I understand that this will make the manufacturing process cheaper because they can be assembled by machines, like a dynamic, and not by hand, like most condenser, but the question is if it will sound any good? On their website they are talking about how flat the response is, that it will have all the good characteristics of both condensers, dynamics and ribbons but without all the draw-backs of each type. They also claim that it will be "The best moving coil microphone ever made" but that's just stuff that is to be expected from their marketing team I guess!

Aston do have very good mics for their respective price-points so hopefully this one will be the same!

https://www.astonmics.com/EN/news-details/Aston-Element-The-Secrets-in-the-Capsule-Tech

https://www.thomann.de/de/aston_microphones_element.htm?ref=intl&shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZGUiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6IjIiLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImRlIn0=&offid=1&affid=84&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=id84&utm_content=widget

 

Aston knows how to make decent mics and good marketing. The element itself is probably not that special. A modern approach of a dynamic mic with a line in preamp build in.
Probably not much more revolutionary than a Beyerdynamic m88 (which has a super-thin diapgragm/capsule that's why it has 30 - 20.000 Hz frequency range). Or the Heil dynamic mics. Or any other modern dynamic stage mic that sounds like a condenser. Add to one of these a fethead and you probably get the elements
Maybe I am completely wrong with that guess. There are still no sound samples available of this mic.
If its "tuned" like the stealth I will not like it at all.

 

Last edited: Jul 29, 2020

Just becareful on pre-ordering stuff ive been waiting on the New Motu M4 with depoist its been rescheled twice now until Aug 4th Vendors arent sending stock very quickly now a days

 

I also noticed that they hadn't uploaded any sound samples or videos with it which is kinda weird! I think I will wait for some samples at least before I get one. It still seems like a good alternative to the ones you mentioned considering the price, but only if it can live up to most of the claims that they've made!

 

True! They have said that deliveries will start in September so it's still a while until then but as I wrote in my precious post I think I will wait until they have released some sound samples or videos with it before I order it!

 

It sounds like a great alternative. And I will get one for sure if it turns out it is one.
Like you I was really curious as I read about it. But they made such a secret about this special new capsule design it took me some time and clicks, a little bit of search to find out that it is basically a dynamic mic. Strange marketing. No sound samples or specifications. If a company developed a new technology would you not rather advertise it like this ... " Bamm!!! listen to this !!!" " Bamm!!! see these great specs!!"
Waiting is probably a good idea.

 

Marketing is a very interesting artform. On the one hand it might be the "best dynamic mic ever" and in virtually the same breath the founder of the company states in the video interview that it is "a starter mic".

It is a cheaply made aluminum body with a cheaply made capsule and what looks like a very funky shock mount which won't do much if anything to prohibit low frequency from disturbing the capture of the signal.

There are no audio examples...nuff said!

I wound not buy such a mic on speculation but would either wait until you can test it yourself or at least watch a comparison video in order to see if it might work for you. For about the same price you could buy a Shure SM57 and a SM58 to have two mics for the price of the one.

I once dropped my SM58 in a mug of beer during a gig at CBGBs, pulled it out and continued the set without a hitch. It lasted another 20 years of abuse (of course I changed the very gross bit of filter under the head basket a number of times for hygienic reasons over the years, but...and....so...

"The SM58 might be the greatest microphone ever".

 

At the moment, I would rather go with their Stealth mic, especially because of lack of reviews with plethora of sound examples. Stealth has proven itself as a great mic already. Check the SOS review of it. However, I am fairly excited about the release of this mic... I wonder how it compares to Stealth.

I'm not a marketing mambo jumbo sucker, either. Always wait until the product has been reviewed and proven its worth. That goes for PC components, and any other piece of equipment, too.

 

I noticed that he said that too The shockmount looks funky as you said, but on the other hand they said that it will have great internal dampening though it could be just another marketing thing to get more people to buy it!
I already have five Sm57 and four Sm58 which is enough for me haha! I'm mostly looking to get some more condensers, which I thought the Element was at first, but I am a bit interested in getting a pair of e609 also! The MD421 are also interesting, but I usually don't like the top end in the samples I've listened to and they are a bit expensive for dynamics :/ Could be nice if I'm going to record drums some day but for now I'm more interested in guitar and vocal mics!

 

Does anyone here have experience with the Aston Spirit?

 

I have an Aston spirit. Good vocal mic. Good build quality. For the price it is a really good microphone.

 

For serious condensors head over to a...

Beyerdynamic M88. It is great on vocals, guitar cabinets, acoustic instruments. It is a hypercardiod. I had one.

ElectroVoice RE-20 which was made for voice but finds tons of use on kicks, bass and suprisingly nice on acoustic guitar when I have used it in the past. You can get right up to it with little or no proximity effect and has wonderfull off axis response. I have one.

Sennheiser MD441 is a mic that people seem to love or to hate. It is stupid expensive but when I first used it to sing the theme song for a kids science television show (that never got picked up by the network) when paired with a Neve 1073 preamp it was a flucking incredible. It too is hypercardiod.

Of course the Shure SM7B is something people use for vox but leaves me rather flat.

Or...save up your shekels and for a little more get something like a Advanced Audio CM47fet which will be put to good use on vocals, low frequency instruments such as bass and kick plus super on acoustic guitar and other things.https://advancedaudio.ca/collections/fet-microphones/products/cm47fet