Hammer Audio — a new British company set up in 2015 — is aiming to create high quality, handmade, flexible, modern products that have all the best characteristics of more classic recording equipment that has now become hard to find.
All of the engineers and designers at Hammer Audio actively work in recording studios, enabling them to ensure their products are practical, and sound great in any studio situation. The HA-872 is a UK made, hand built, multi pattern (omni, cardioid, fig-8), condenser, FET mic which uses a 34mm-diameter isolated backplane capsule and tolerates SPLs of 142dB @ 1kHz, according to the makers.
Each HA-872 is entirely hand built, including the plating which gives each mic its own slightly unique look. Its makers say that it has a "neutral balanced character” and boasts an excellent off axis response and huge dynamic range, it is claimed.
The triple layer headbasket is designed to reduce the need for pop-shields and reflection filters and helps lessen the proximity effect from close sound sources. According to Hammer Audio, its frequency response in “classic” mode calls back to classic FET microphones of the 70’s, with a significantly reduced high end “peak”. However, should the situation require, the “de- emphasis” can be totally removed with a switch providing a more open sound typical of a more modern condenser. There is also a three-position low cut switch (at 0, 80 and 180Hz), giving a bit more flexibility when recording bass heavy sources.
The microphone comes with a custom shockmount to keep the mic stable in any location, and a high quality three metre cable, all of which comes in a custom flight case with pre-cut foam inside (shown above). They are available singly or as matched pairs.
