Milab, the Swedish company whose interesting oblong-diaphragmed DC196 we reviewed in 2007, have just announced a new microphone. The new DC96C shares the same capsule and most of its internal components with the DC196, but where the earlier model was a switchable-pattern mic, the DC96C has a fixed cardioid polar pattern.
The idea of an oblong diaphragm is an interesting one, and its merits are two-fold: firstly, in contrast to a round diaphragm, it has two different edge-to-edge dimensions, and so has two fairly weak resonant frequencies rather than one pronounced one. Secondly, rectangular diaphragms have a different polar pattern for each axis, which can be useful for homing in on sound sources, or reducing the amount of room sound, or spill reaching the mic from other instruments.
UK distributors Autograph (www.autograph.co.uk) say that the new mic will sell for £940 including VAT.
