Sontronics Solo

This is a really good microphone. I have mics from Shure, AKG and Sennheiser and Samson - and this is my favorite for singing live.

The tone is very pleasant and natural. I prefer the tone over my dynamic AKG D7, and Shure SMB7. It just sounds good. In fact it's so good that I consider using this in the studio for some rock songs where you don't need the high resolution of a condenser mic. The side noise rejection is so good that I could play back the track with speakers while recording, and there is not much bleed.

The proximity effect and the area where the mic pics up sound is excellent - it has great noise rejection from the sides so you don't get much bleed, but it also allows you to sing from a few decimeters away from the mic without a problem. I really love this that makes it trouble free without being super strict about the mic technique (even though I do recommend really practicing what angle and distance gives you your preferred sound).

Low noise, and it doesn't need a lot of gain to generate a lot of volume - this makes it really good for live applications when using for example battery operated mic amps.

Built quality is good, and it's solid - but it doesn't give off the same "built like a tank" vibe as my Shure and AKG mics do. I still would not be concerned the least about its durability, it's very solid.

I'm the lead vocalist for a punk rock band and I was in dire need of a mic that has a clearer, more rounded-off & warmer sound, better ambient rejection, more feedback resistance and more robust build quality and aesthetics than the omnipresent 58. I also specifically was looking for a wired mic, since I was always under the impression that my wireless 58 kit was lacking some growl.

Upon opening the box and holding the mic for the first time, it's apparent that it's really built like an armored vehicle - even more so than the Shure. It's milled from a solid piece of anodized metal, and is heavy - but reassuringly so, and not in an inconvenient manner. It's also very stubby and short, and all black, with laser-etched branding. It's a lovely object to hold and to behold.

Sound-wise, it's very nuanced for a dynamic mic, clear in the highs but with very little-to-none need for deliberate de-essing. The marketing hype says it doesn't really need any EQ-ing, but plugged straight into a full-range single-speaker PA, I really did need to cut the lows, by... a lot. That said, it doesn't really run as low an output as your average dynamic, hence does not need that much gain increase for it to sound good.

Overall, a great buy, and a mic that I believe will indeed outlast my life expectancy, no matter how much abuse I'm gonna be throwing at it throughout its gigging life. I do, indeed, believe that it would benefit from a bit of compression and a decent amount of EQ-ing, hence my next link in the chain is going to be a pedal-format mic preamp (just ordered today).

I've been using it for 3 years. This microphone is excellent! I'm a jazz singer (baritone). It really does a good job bringing the clarity of my vocals. No more muffled sound! I used to have SM58 and beta 58a, now I prefer this one for rehearsal and gigs. Most of the time, I don't need to adjust the EQ because it's already good. For this price point, you will not be disappointed! I highly recommend it for vocal students who would like to have a decent microphone but on a budget.

Pros
- clear vocals
- don't need to change EQ for most situations
- great value of money
- nice design (imo)

Cons
- a little bit big and heavy (but you'll get used to it)
- sensitive to high frequency (sometimes need to adjust the EQ to avoid feedback)
- moderate handling noise (use a mic stand / don't move a lot when you are singing ballads)