SHURE KSM27

Cardioid Capacitor Microphone

A versatile, entry-level large-diaphragm condenser mic with a particularly well balanced performance.

A few years back, all the big-name mics came at big-name prices, but the influx of ever-cheaper Chinese-made studio mics has forced the manufacturers to change their marketing strategy, at least as far as the project studio market is concerned. Although the cheap imports offer exceptional value and work outrageously well for their price, most still perform noticeably less well than the best mics from the established names, either sounding less tonally smooth and/or being a little noisier than the mics they purport to emulate. This has given companies like AKG, Audio Technica, Neumann, Sennheiser and Shure the opportunity to introduce their own lower-cost models to fill the gap between the entry-level imports and their own classic models, which most would admit are priced beyond the reach of the average project studio owner.

Shure's new KSM27 fits that profile exactly. It is a fixed-pattern cardioid model featuring a one-inch diaphragm capsule protected by a three-stage mesh windshield and perched on top of a shorter-than-average body. Switches are provided for two settings of low cut (flat, 6dB/oc

Shure KSM27 £382 pros Excellent tonal balance combining low-end weight and high-end detail. Good-quality shockmount included. Good build quality. cons No hard case supplied. summary A genuine step up from the 'me too' budget capacitor mics, but still very affordable.

One unusual aspect of the capsule is the use of a very thin 2.5µm gold-layered mylar diaphragm, and an internal shockmounting system is employed to reduce mechanical noise, in addition to the included elastic suspension mount. Rather than rely on the traditional locking ring system, the mic screws directly into the shockmount. The shockmount bracket can be tightened simply by hand and works well enough provided it is done up tightly. Sadly, no hard case is provided to protect the mic when not in use.

To maintain signal purity, a Class-A transformerless preamp circuit is employed, the main benefit of Class A being that crossover distortion is eliminated by using the same device to handle both positive and negative voltage excursions, rather than having the signal being split between two devices as in Class B or AB. Operation can be from any phantom power source in the range 11 to 52 Volts, though for maximum sensitivity 48V (±4V) operation is specified.

Having no transformer helps produce a more accurate transient response, though the way transformers affect high frequencies is part of what makes them sound 'musical', so it would be wrong to equate transformers wi

The mic is secured to its suspension mount via a screw ring at the base.

The sensitivity and signal-to-noise figures of the mic are a fairly typical -37dBV/Pa and 81dB respectively, while the self noise is definitely better than average at 14dB (EIN, A-weighted). Using the attenuator, the maximum SPL varies slightly depending on what impedance the mic is running into, but it is quoted as not worse than 133dB (148dB pad in), which means you're unlikely to upset it by being too loud.

I checked the KSM27 using my SPL Channel One mic preamp, which I've always felt shows up the differences between mics better than most. For comparison, I picked the Rode NT1 and SuperLux CMH8B at the lower-price end of the market, with an Audio Technica 4033A and a Beyer MC740 representing the higher ground. Being a project studio owner myself, I didn't have anything really esoteric to put the KSM27 up against.

All the mics sounded very different to each other when used to record vocals in a similar situation

The KSM27 has a three-position low-cut filter switch and a selectable 15dB pad. information £381.88 including VAT.

Summing up, the performance of the KSM27 is closer to that of a high-end model than its UK price might lead you to believe and the standard of engineering is excellent. The combination of warmth and transparency makes the KSM27 useful for situations in which you have to deal with different vocalists and instruments on each session, while the extended bass end means you can use it to record almost anything. If you were stranded on a desert island with nothing but a recording studio and a very long mains lead, this would be a good mic to have with you!

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