Use
I was supplied with a matched pair of N201 microphones and a pair of microphone elasticated shock mounts that the N201 simply slides into. The microphones are well built and nicely finished.
BSWA has all the in-house manufacturing and quality control facilities to maintain consistent high standards for its product lines.
The size and shape of the N201 allows for very precise positioning on instruments in a close configuration, and the shock mounts offer a very good degree of isolation from vibration within this kind of proximity.
I first used each of the N201 microphones independently within a number of acoustic environments. This is a true omni-directional microphone, maintaining a good consistent pickup around the entire microphone capsule. Even towards the rear, the colouration is very slight indeed.
The clarity of the N201 is very noticeable and has an open, airy, crystal clear sonic pick up that is highly detailed without any harshness at all. There was absolutely
no noise to speak of, the mic was wonderfully transparent reflecting the true nature of the space. This is not a microphone that exhibits any specific character. The MicW N201 simply delivers exactly what you hear standing in the space, and there are plenty of applications where that is precisely what you need.
The two N201 microphones were impossible to identify individually, even under close scrutiny by a number of colleagues, so consistency of manufacture and matching are very good indeed based on these examples.
The applications where I used the N201 for stereo recordings delivered lovely full, rich results. An orchestral recording in a concert hall really came to life with this set-up, as did various ambient drum and percussion sessions, both in studio and on location in some larger, more reflective spaces. The detail in the high frequencies was very satisfying indeed.
Closer miking of acoustic guitar was just as rewarding. This trend continued through all of the instrumental examples with which I was able to use the N201, both in close and distant scenarios.
It would have been nice to try the microphones with some of the accessories to see what else the MicW N201 is capable of and to extend the possible applications. The windshields will need to be very good to allow for outside use of the N201, and having the ability to manipulate the pickup pattern and the slight changes to the sonic qualities would make these microphones very flexible and more attractive to a diverse user base.
Conclusion
For my first experience of microphones from MicW, the N201 is superbly transparent. The lack of sonic signature is one of the main advantages and attractions.
The N201 never failed to deliver when tight to the source but, when allowed to take in the array of nuances within an acoustic space, it really came to life.
For neutral clarity of sound capture, the MicW N201 should be on your short list for testing.
