Kicking Off 2025 with a New Microphone Design

Happy New Year! I’ve been starting 2025 in the best possible way — by diving into a new spherical mic design I’ve had on my desk during the Christmas break.

This one takes some inspiration from classic designs like the Neumann M50 and the STC4021 — sometimes referred to as acoustic pressure equaliser mics. I’ve been exploring a modern twist on that idea, using three small parallel omni electret capsules set into a 50mm sphere.

The result is quite interesting: you get a directional response in the high frequencies and upper mids, but the low end stays nice and omni. It’s a clever balance that makes the mic useful in a range of recording situations where a more natural sense of space is important but you still want some HF focus.

Right now, I’ve been mounting the prototype in a Radius hoop, which works surprisingly well. It also slots neatly into a Rycote BBG windshield using a Radius RAD2 mount to support the XLR — a pretty tidy setup that’s easy to work with in the field.

Still early days, but I’m liking where it’s going. I’ll be testing it further and hope to share some sound samples soon.