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 | | | | Feb29Written by:Rip Rowan
Tuesday, February 29, 2000 6:00 PM The KSM32/SL is Shure's entry into the burgeoning "large-diaphragm-condenser-mics-under-$1000 category" - a product category that has seen its share of "me-too" mics. Yes, it's possible to make a great-sounding vocal mic for under $1000, but a lot of companies have tried and failed. Shure, however, has a reputation for producing industry-standard mics, like the SM57, SM58, SM81, and SM7, and their entry into this busy market space has been eagerly awaited.
I was really excited when I was asked to review this mic. Few microphones have enjoyed the kind of buzz created by the KSM32/SL. Since its introduction about a year ago, the KSM32/SL has received raves from engineers and trade magazines alike. With great anticipation I awaited the arrival of one of the most eagerly anticipated products of 1999.  Shure KSM32/SL
The actual arrival and unpacking of the KSM32/SL was more exciting than the wait. Shure has gone to great lengths to create a truly professional package with the KSM32/SL. It ships in a sturdy, attractive locking aluminum case - not a cheap "Barbie lunchbox" but a cool, solid flight case. Inside you'll find the mic in its beautiful velveteen carrying pouch and an assortment of stand adapters. A custom shockmount is also provided. Everything fits nicely into this truly "pro" package.
The microphone is similarly beautiful. I admit that I have a fascination with cool and unusual microphones, and fell in love with the look and feel of the KSM32/SL. It is contained in a uniquely-shaped champagne-colored body and has a useful three-layer grille mesh. While not exactly heavy, the mic feels solid to the touch and has a nice "heft." The mics attractiveness was apparent: when set up alongside a row of other mics we use in the studio, people walking by invariably turned to look at this interesting mic.
Note that Shure also sells another version of this mic, the KSM32/CG. The charcoal-grey KSM32/CG is the stage version of the mic and ships only with a standard swivel mount and gig bag. Though the package is different, the internals are identical to the KSM32/SL.
DesignThe KSM32/SL is a transformerless, single-pattern cardioid condenser. Its price ($1029 list / under $650 street) makes it one of the most expensive "inexpensive" vocal mics made, pricier than similar products from AKG, Audio-Technica, Rode, and others. In fact most of the "home studio" competition offers multiple patterns at the KSM32/SL's price. On the other hand, the KSM32/SL is less expensive than high-end designs and falls nicely into the market space filled by mics like the Neumann TLM103, so you could alternatively call it one of the least expensive "expensive" vocal mics.
An interesting design decision made in the KSM32/SL is the use of a permanently-charged backplate (electret) - a design choice usually seen as a cost-cutting measure found in low-cost stage condensers. Back electret designs have earned a reputation as being brittle, harsh, and metallic sounding, though newer designs from Crown (CM700) and AKG (C1000) have made some headway with improved electret designs. The combination of only a single pattern and an electret design made me suspicious of the mic's comparatively high price.
Setting up the KSM32/SL was a breeze. I quickly came to appreciate the excellent shockmount shipped with the mic. Many of the recent generation of cheap condenser mics include only a cheap clip-type shockmount that is easy to break and hard to use. The shockmount provided for the KSM32/SL perfectly fits the mic's contoured body, screws on easily so that the mic cannot slip out, and neatly suspends the mic. The shockmount allows easy access to the switches mounted on the mic's body, and also allows the mic to turn freely even when screwed in. It's obvious that Shure spent their time thinking through the details. A three-position bass rolloff switch and a -15dB pad are provided on the mic.
The KSM32/SL offers excellent technical specs. Self-noise is extremely low at 13 dB, signal to noise ratio is high at 81 dB, and the dynamic range of 126 dB makes the mic useful for sources ranging from whisper to kick drum. With the -15 dB pad switched in, the KSM32/SL can take SPLs of up to 154 dB.
So the KSM32/SL offers a great package and excellent specs. OK, what's it sound like? I had the opportunity to try out the KSM32/SL on a variety of sources including male and female vocalists, guitars, bass, and percussion. I also was fortunate to have a variety of preamps including models from PreSonus, Focusrite, and Joemeek with which to audition the KSM32/SL. And yes, I also tried it with Mackie VLZ preamps. Sound: VocalsThe best description I can apply to the sound of the KSM32/SL on vocals is highly accurate. The KSM32/SL neither sweetens nor covers any of the vocal's qualities. This was true for several male and female vocalists alike.
The KSM32/SL has a gentle proximity effect which does not overly exaggerate the low bass but rather slightly warms up the sound in the midbass. The proximity effect is not particularly noticeable until you get the singer right on top of the mic. For most male vocalists this was my preferred technique with the KSM32/SL. The slightly warm yet not over-effected proximal sound is ideal for "crooning" vocals that need to gently sit out in front of the mix and which need size, but not obesity.
The integrated pop filter is excellent and provides good control of plosives for all but the closest miking techniques. If you want the singer right on top of the mic you need a pop screen; otherwise it isn't necessary to use one. The highly functional and attractive windscreen is yet another example of the excellent craftsmanship of this mic.
The treble performance is very neutral. The KSM32/SL lacks the high-end sheen popular in many vocal mics which offer a rise in treble response going up from 10KHz. Rather, the KSM32/SL has a slight bump in response around 6KHz, creating a barely-noticeable edge and slightly forward sound without treble exaggeration.
On some male rock vocals I found the rather precise treble response and stable midrange to be rather unflattering. These are vocalists who typically sound best with a mic that offers more "character" like a U67, Rode Classic, or even a 414: fat bottom and a shiny top end, slightly scooped out in the mids. The KSM32/SL's response was more sterile, very similar to that of a 40-series Audio Technica. If you like a mic that exaggerates your vocals and makes them more edgy, you will probably not like the sound of the KSM32/SL on your vocals.
On male vocals in less-dense mixes I thought the KSM32/SL did a better job. The neutrality created a sound that was better suited to less-exaggerated music, like folk and country. The sound of the KSM32/SL in these mixes was accurate and very focused. If you like a mic that honestly reproduces your vocals, the KSM32/SL is a natural choice.
On female vocalists I found the KSM32/SL to be extremely flattering. The neutral response helped the vocal sit cleanly in the mix, and the moderate proximity effect added a bit of richness. The sibilant performance was quite good, offering a little "zing" without any harshness. This could be my mic of first choice for a female singer in almost any genre. Again I marveled at the sound's tight focus which created a vocal that "fit right in." Sound: InstrumentsCardioid mics can create unusual filtering effects that can impart a constrained quality to the sound. Over time I came to appreciate that the KSM32/SL generally lacks this pinched quality. If there are applications where you would like to use a cardioid but are afraid the sound will lack openness, the KSM32/SL could be the ticket to getting a sound that's more focused than an omni, and less constrained than your average cardioid.
And that's where the mic started to grow on me. The KSM32/SL's neutral response, good focus and clean cardioid performance made it unusually versatile. I found myself trying it on all kinds of applications from electric guitar to drum overheads to percussion. In all cases I found it to be a first-rate instrument mic.
As a drummer I love the sound of drums miked with a single overhead and a mic in front of the kick. The KSM32/SL is the overhead mic for that application - as good as any. The focus and transparent response add up to a great, tight drum sound. Usually I prefer an omni for a single-overhead application, but the KSM32/SL's gentle cardioid performance held up. I didn't have a matched pair to try out, but I suspect that we'll be seeing a lot of KSM32/SLs and CGs popping up as drum overheads in studios and on tours. The mic cleanly reproduces cymbals, yet solidly captures toms and snares. I really like the sound of the KSM32/SL as a drum overhead.
The only instrument where I wasn't wowwed by the KSM32/SL was acoustic guitar, where I was unable to find a combination of guitar and mic position that yielded an appropriately airy sound. Yes, neutrality and focus aren't always the ideal qualities, and I preferred my more sparkly mics for acoustics.
Finally, I was pleased with the mic's technical performance. In using this mic with a variety of preamps I found it to be extremely quiet and clean. None of the preamps interacted negatively with the KSM32/SL. In the end, the mic's neutral performance, low noise floor and wide range of applications proved the ideal test input source for all of these preamps. When it came to finding warts and beauty marks in the sound, nothing exposed the preamps' strengths and weaknesses like the KSM32/SL. SummaryNo mic is a true jack of all trades. While I did not find the KSM32/SL to be my favorite mic for hot rock vocals or acoustic guitars, overall the it held up extremely well in a variety of applications. And since every singer is different, only by trying the mic out can you determine if the KSM32/SL is right for you.
In summary I would highly recommend the KSM32/SL for a wide variety of applications. If you're a beginning recordist who needs one great mic to handle many different applications the KSM32/SL is an ideal choice. This is a mic with a great sound yet a minimal acoustic footprint. You could safely print a lot of tracks with a KSM32/SL without risking your mix.
If you're an experienced engineer looking for a multifaceted mic that can serve double and triple duty, this is the one. If you need to record clean, accurate, or gentle vocals you will probably find a friend in this mic. Generally speaking, if you're thrown a curveball and you're not quite sure what mic to use, a great place to start would be a KSM32/SL.
As usual, Shure has created a versatile, professional classic mic. I predict that the KSM32/SL will live for quite some time as a studio staple along with its prolific siblings.
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