ADK S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone Review

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Articles Recording Equipment ADK S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone Review

Looking for a butt kicking $200 large condensermicrophone for audio recording? The ADK S51 MK5.2 is my

highest recommendation.

I'm notgoing to

write an

article.I'm justgoing to

tossdownsomerandomthoughts

to saveboth you

and Itime.

$199 @

ADK S51 MK5.2 CondenserMicrophone Review

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ADK S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone ReviewThis is an article on ADK S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone Review part of the Home Recording Forum community: Looking for abutt kicking $200 large condenser microphone for audio recording? The ADK S51 MK5.2 is my highest recommendation. .

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Published on 10-10-201111:22 PM Number of Views:3559

8 Comments

brandondrury Rate this article

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K S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone Review http://forum.recordingreview.com/content/adk-s51-mk5-2-condenser-mi...

6 23.11.2011 19:08


2/6

Zzounds.com

The ADK S51 is the 3rd prize in this months ADK Metal

Mayhem contest.

I hate writing microphone reviews because there aren'ttoo many times that a microphone REALLY stands out as

being superior. There is no clear consensus whether aShure SM57 or a Royer R121 is better on guitar cabinets(or maybe 1,000 other options). The choice is purelypersonal and, frankly, I can make due with either them99% of the time. The only time a mic warrants a review

from me is when it replaces some mic in my collection as

a go-to mic on a given source or it ties a more expensivemicrophone. With the ADK S51 MK5.2 I feel obligated tolet you know about this awesome sounding microphone.

I'm buying four of these ADK S51 MK5.2s microphones.They will officially be my tom microphones, bass cabinetmicrophones, and serve general purposes where I need a

little extra top end. I prefer my Gefell M930 or NeumannKM184 slightly on acoustic guitar depending on what I'm

going for.

Yes, I'm comparing this budget mic to German mics thatcost 5x as much.

The top end boost on this mic is VERY reasonable. The oldtimers that use ribbons on everything won't be into thismic. More modern guys who can't fit vocals with a hugebottom into modern dance song will appreciate the slight

boost up top.

I got confused and thought this was a $500 mic. (Toomany mic reviews going on.) After I had concluded that I

wanted four of them I saw the price. When I realized thismic goes for $199 at Zzounds and Musiciansfriend I

laughed.

At $199, this thing provides a mostly neutral sound with a

little bit of top end added. For a song that was more of anR&B-type thing I chose it over my Peluso 2247 short body,

Peluso 251, and even the ADK TC-47AU even though all ofthose mics are badass.

On a screamo vocal that needed more edge that most popstuff I've been doing lately, I couldn't find a more ideal mic

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6 23.11.2011 19:08


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in my closet. (My Soundelux U99 is dead and needs to goto the shop. It probably would have won on that vocal.)

The ADK S51 MK5.2 condenser microphone is priced inthat ballpark of the Audio Technica AT4040, Rode NT1a,and many others. While I am surprised how good a RodeNT1a was for the money, I'm finding with Rode that you

need to move up to the $300 NT1000 to get to a mic I can

use on a daily basis without flaws that I consider closer tothe objective. If you are absolutely stuck at $200, you

can't beat the ADK S51 MK5.2 from what I've heard so far.There may be a Studio Projects mic that compares.. Notsure. The Audio Technica mics require a poorly made

shockmount that is not going to last you five years. Toreplace/fix it costs half the price of the mic and that rules

them out of my recommendations for anyone in themarket for such a mic.

I don't hear any objective flaws with the ADK S51 MK5.2.What does that mean? It means that when I put this upagainst my Peluso 2247, Peluso 251, and Gefell M930s allof the mics were usable. I didn't hear anything cheap

that would have ruled out the S51. That's why it can work

on lead vocals even when I have mics laying around thatcost 13x as much. It has its character and on the right

source it just sounds right just like any other high endmicrophone.

I have no problem saying that this is my #1recommendation to beginners looking for a good startermicrophone because you CAN NOT outgrow it.

Brandon

Categories: Microphone ReviewsTags: adk s51, beginner microphone

8 Comments

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jpierre and chacka like this.

bayouland - 10-11-2011, 09:36 AM

We're in total agreement on this one. Ihave several ADK S51s in my a rsenalalong with several of their other models,

including A6s, Hamburgs, and Viennas.Like you, I also have quite a few other

mics costing umpteen times more, butmore often than not I reach for an ADK.

Look, I've been in this recording game forover 28 years, and having used justabout every mic out there, my experiencetells me that you just can't beat ADKwhen it comes to performance/value. Just

my 2 cents.David

Reply

MattMe - 10-11-2011, 10:57 AM

Brandon,Just wondered if you've everused any of the Red5 Audio range ofmics? A couple years ago when I was just

Reply


6 23.11.2011 19:08


4/6

geting started and buying my first bits ofhardware I came across a review for theirCondensor mic, the RV6 at 60 (around

$90?).I'm by no means a recording pro(or even that experienced an amateur)and I've not really sued many other mics,but I am a bit of an audiophile. I'm really

happy with the mic so far and I've used it

for vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion andgeneral other 'ambient' sounds for tracks

I've worked on and always got what I'dconsider good enough results.I'd beinterested in hearing your thoughts on

these mics as someone with a whole lotmore experience than I. Be good to know

if you thought it worthwhile an upgrade,or how it stacks up against other 'budget'mics.Good egg.Matt.

BlackCatBonz - 10-11-2011, 11:44 AM

This will be going on my list of gear.

Reply

MikeGSaxman - 10-11-2011, 04:10 PM

About the Rode NT-1A: "flaws that Iconsider closer to the objective." Could

you please elucidate?

Reply

na118 - 10-11-2011, 05:36 PM

I think Brandon once said that the highend bump on the NT1-A emphasizessibilance and makes it a real pain to fix.

At least that's what I remember himsaying about the "Monsters" contest

(tracked with the Rode).

Originally Posted byMikeGSaxman

About the Rode NT-1A:

"flaws that I consider closer

to the objective." Could you

please elucidate?

Reply

jpierre - 10-11-2011, 07:17 PM

Brandon whats your take on the ADK TC

Mk 9 versus the S51? or anyone who has

experience with these mics...

Reply

cathomas - 10-11-2011, 09:14 PM

Any reason this looks identical to aCarillon Axis 5/?if it was painted black

and the switches were on the frontinstead of the back, of courseIs ADK justa rename of Legacy/Carillon/Medeli etc?

Reply

brandondrury - 10-17-2011, 03:09 PM

my experience tells me that

you just can't beat ADK

when it comes to

performance/value.

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6 23.11.2011 19:08


5/6

That's been my experience thus far, aswell.

I've never used the Red5 mics. That

(along with Gauge) is a microphonecompany that I'd love to try. If you aregetting the results you are after, there's

no reason at all to even question your

tools. Now crank out a song!

I was highly surprised by the NT-1A in theperformance / $$ category and I did getsome very good results with it.

Everything in my review still stands.However, it was taken with price as a

consideration. I did have some issueswith sibilance with it. The Monsterscontest was one example of that micbeing a little tough to work with,

however, I want to point out that Ioverworked my LA-3A compressor on the

vocals for that particular session as I wasjust learning how to use it. So, for thatone particular audio file, it wasn't the

NT-1A's fault. The NT-1A is very usable,but it had a tendency to get a little peakyhere and there. I'm not hearing that withthe NT1000, which I'm testing now.TheADK S51 was reviewed without $$ being

an issue. It's a great freakin' mic no

matter what the damn thing costs. If itcost $1,000 I wouldn't judge it anydifferently. It just happens to only cost$200. For you hobbyists out there, 95%

of you are never going to need anythingelse.

I can't say anything about the mk9. I've

not touched it. So far ADK is my go-tocompany. Everything I've used from themI've liked....a lot.

Yes. The reason is about 500 microphone

I'm really happy with the

mic so far and I've used it

for vocals, acoustic guitar,

percussion and general

other 'ambient' sounds for

tracks I've worked on and

always got what I'd

consider good enough

results.I'd be interested inhearing your thoughts on

these mics as someone

with a whole lot more

experience than I.

About the Rode NT-1A:

"flaws that I consider closer

to the objective." Could you

please elucidate?

Brandon whats your take on

the ADK TC Mk 9 versus the

S51? or anyone who has

experience with these

mics...

Any reason this looksidentical to a Carillon Axis

5/?i


6 23.11.2011 19:08


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companies all stole the look of theNeumann U67 / U87. I assume this ismore profitable than designing a new mic

body. Brandon

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ADK S51 MK5.2 Condenser Microphone Review

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