Soyuz get ready to hit the road with their first dynamic microphone.
Soyuz Microphones were founded in 2013 as a Russian‑American joint project, with manufacturing taking place in Tula, near Moscow. The invasion of Ukraine in 2022 made this arrangement difficult to sustain, although unlike the older Russian mic company Oktava, Soyuz have no connection to the country’s military‑industrial complex, and have issued statements in opposition to the war.
This unwanted disruption hasn’t stopped Soyuz building up a broad range of studio products. Their line‑up now includes large‑ and small‑diaphragm capacitor mics in both solid‑state and valve flavours, plus mic preamps, inline boosters and even an Ambisonic microphone. All of them embody a distinctive design ethos, which takes inspiration from vintage studio tools without slavishly copying them, and a refreshingly different visual aesthetic. And with the new V1 microphone, Soyuz are extending this approach to the live‑sound market.
Flying V
The V1 is Soyuz’s first ever dynamic mic. Available in silver and black finishes, it’s a conventional passive moving‑coil model designed primarily for vocals, although of course there’s nothing to stop you using it on other sources. Like all Soyuz products, the V1 makes a striking visual statement, with its truncated cone‑shaped body recalling that of the Earthworks SR314. This is solidly made from a substantial piece of metal, with no switches to spoil its clean lines. The V1 comes with a clip and an attractive canvas case.
The V1 has a cardioid polar pattern, and its sensitivity of 1.5mV/Pa is fairly typical of moving‑coil mics. Soyuz claim that it combines “condenser‑like clarity and natural top‑end air with the punch, clarity and forgiveness that make dynamic mics essential”, and the published frequency response chart displays several notable features. It’s obvious that this is a mic intended for close‑up use: the low end begins to roll off at 200Hz and is 10dB down at 80Hz. It’s also obvious that the V1 is meant to cut through on a busy stage, with a broad peak extending from 2kHz to 6kHz. This is followed by a sharp dip around 7kHz, before the usual high‑end roll‑off begins at around 10kHz.
Magic & Sparkle
In use, this rather sculpted frequency response is readily apparent. Subjectively, in fact, this is one of the brightest dynamic mics I’ve ever tested. From the Sennheiser MD441 to the beyerdynamic M69, all of the established classics I put it up against sounded positively dull in comparison. Out of the mics in my collection, the closest by far in terms of on‑axis response was the Shure Nexadyne 8/S, another model with a very forward upper midrange. (Not sharing the Nexadyne’s unique Revonic dual‑capsule element, the V1 behaves significantly differently off‑axis.) The low‑end roll‑off is also obvious in real‑world use; on the plus side, you can work it close up without boominess or popping becoming a problem, and there’s minimal handling noise, but on the down side, you wouldn’t want to use this mic on a bass amp.
The V1 certainly delivers when it comes to cutting through, offering a tonality that should require minimal desk EQ in a live context.
The V1 certainly delivers when it comes to cutting through, offering a tonality that should require minimal desk EQ in a live context. That tonality can also work well on many singers in a studio environment, although I can’t say I agree with Soyuz that the top end seems entirely natural. Perhaps because of the 7kHz dip, sibilance is fairly well controlled despite the overall brightness, but along with articulation and detail, the mic’s presence lift also seems to deliver a slightly ‘wispy’ quality, and I wouldn’t say the top end on this mic struck me as being noticeably “condenser‑like”, whatever that means. Ultimately, like any mic that has a deliberately tailored frequency response, the V1 will be a better match for some voices than others, but if yours is among them, its cocktail of attractive styling, bulletproof construction and clear, present sound will make it a winner.
Summary
The V1 is a confident entry into the market for live‑oriented dynamic mics from Soyuz, with bold styling and an up‑front sound.
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