Some weeks ago, Mark sent me my custom-version of a Samar VL37A with my request for the top-end to be very-heavily rolled-off and an ultra-tight bottom; specifically as a drum room mic or for drums in general. I’m looking forward to really playing with it a lot! Unfortunately, I already have a feeling I’m going to need another (or two) whenever I can afford it! Doh!
Along with it, he sent his new cardioid large diaphragm capsule for his new Omni8 TF08 mic to try, since we had talked quite a bit on the phone about capsules in general.
I immediately dropped it off with Chris Prucher of Barbaric Amplification, as he just happens to live but a couple miles from me and has built me literally 10 different styles of tube mics; some clones, some his own designs, and some we’ve collaborated on a bit. Obviously, he knows my standards of quality and I know his.
This capsule has an amazing range of sounds depending on polarization. It actually makes playing there worthwhile, unlike a lot of capsules. 30-40V definitely sounds best in the traditional-sense. Still, typical 60V or so still sounds awesome and causes it to have a very, very, hot output.
Chris has tried quite a few tube designs with the capsule already, with various transformers and mostly with sub-miniature tubes. A favorite is definitely a C37-type
I think over the next couple weeks, we’ll try to get a few samples together; maybe try some with both a favorite cathode-follower and a favorite plate output.