Well-known for their small-diaphragm mics, Schoeps are firm favourites among classical recording engineers the world over. So their recent announcement of a brand-new studio vocal mic has caused quite some excitement.
The new model, the V4U, is a capacitor mic with a cardioid polar pattern and moveable head that can be easily angled 20 degrees forward or back. Although the styling of the V4U is derived from the CM51/3, a Schoeps microphone from 1951, everything else about it – the capsule, circuitry and construction – has been engineered completely from scratch and is the result of five years of extensive development.
The V4U employs a unique capsule design where the membrane of a small diaphragm condenser is surrounded by a bevelled ring that endows it with certain large-diaphragm-like behaviours, without losing the technical advantages of its small diaphragm construction.
Set to ship in December, the V4U will be available in two sets: the V4 USM, which come with a wooden box and Rycote shockmount, and the V4 SGV, which comes with a stand clamp. Both options cost €2050, or a little over $3000 and the mic is available in blue and grey.
