Not what I thought
The Origin mic (the model I bought) looks quite cool (a few design elements I would have changed), packaged well, fantastic weight to it, highly sensitive and at first glance a well-priced condenser mic which seems to be a bargain...only, when you actually do some recording you soon realise that it focuses in on areas of the voice which are not normally audible - a gritty, "brittle" (as one person described it on YouTube) aspect - as well as making the voice generally higher. It did not present a true / clear / flat sound and which I thought it would. It didn't pick up on emphasis when extra expression was put into the vocals. And there was so much sibilance, I couldn't use the recording (though it was just a quick mic-test to see if it worked at first try).
Customer-service gave long replies and we had an interesting debate (though we didn't entirely agree, while that's another story). Technical reasons were provided as to why I might not have enjoyed the experience among other discussion points, only I know that I have used other (cheaper) mics and even a voice-recorder on an S6 Lite tablet and sounded better on those in exactly the same recording environment - the big difference is that you either sound like you, or you don't. Why would I want to sound like someone else? Something of a fundamental to get right at the first stage of technological development. For some people with really low-end voices (or if you have an American accent), the raspy effect along with a slight heightened shift in pitch probably wouldn't make too much difference but for those whose voices have a single feature dynamic which quite precisely works with the delivery of their vocals, it won't do at all. I notice that Sinead O-Connor didn't use the mics which Aston sent her, for her singing - the mics were used for their instruments - and neither for recording as the mics were set-up for a live gig. So, instruments are what their mics are made for. Of course, people's voices can be like instruments (something customer-service said to me, in the dialogue between myself and Aston - as mentioned above), while this doesn't change the requirement of a mic to pick up on a person's true vocal presence. Even a person who could 'get away' with using any mic, because of a more obviously distinctive quality in their voice, would still demand a true recording.
Because Aston advertises this mic as being for vocals, as well as for instruments, I cannot give a three. They've evidently put a lot of effort into this product and so I am sure it pays off where instrument usage is concerned. I've researched mics on YouTube and indeed it does seem to do the job when listening to people play the guitar through it. Maybe a four (some might say five) for instruments, while only a one for vocals. Therefore, a two is an average rating. For a mic which is exhibited both in their advertising and in the actual finished article as well as the Origin, it should perform far better. I would have liked to give it more stars.
