Anyone have an Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina?

troggg · #1 10-04-2017, 03:32 PM

I just got one and it seems like it needs a whole lot of gain to get a good level. I have my input knob up around 3 o'clock. Just wondering if something could be off with mine or whether they just need a lot of juice.

Meanwhile, even though it uses like a $13 capsule, it does have a certain likability factor (visually and sonically) and it seems real easy to get a rewarding sound out of a Collings CJ35 without a whole lot of effort. Singing through it doesn't seem entirely accurate ... but makes me want to sing more. Go figure!

JStotes · #2 10-04-2017, 04:26 PM

I have an Edwina and like it quite well. I have only run mine in front of my Schertler Jam 150 when jamming with some buddies, and it works very well.

I am able to get two guitars and vocals covered fairly well for using a single mic covering both applications. I'm able to get pretty good volume without feedback but am running the levels fairly high. I haven't tried it through the board yet.

They are very accurate mic's and will require different EQ'ing than a typical hand held.

Vindellama · #3 10-04-2017, 04:42 PM

I was interested in one...
Until I've read a thread on mandolin cafe...
A tech geek said that the actual electric components used on the mic are the same as 20 bucks Chinese mics.
A weissenborn player on youtube had one, and said to me that he stopped using his because it started to have noise issues, also stated on one review. All those noises issues being part of the cheap low quality capsule.
Edit. Just saw that you know about the cheap capsule.
I would not buy one just based on the looks.
You could get better sounding ones with the same feedback rejection for a lot less.

troggg · #4 10-04-2017, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JStotes

I have an Edwina and like it quite well. I have only run mine in front of my Schertler Jam 150 when jamming with some buddies, and it works very well.

I am able to get two guitars and vocals covered fairly well for using a single mic covering both applications. I'm able to get pretty good volume without feedback but am running the levels fairly high. I haven't tried it through the board yet.

They are very accurate mic's and will require different EQ'ing than a typical hand held.

Well if you have the levels high too they probably require a lot of phantom power juice. I reached Mackie (I have an Onyx interface) and they said most condensers have to be pushed up to around 3 o'clock, so that may may just be the way things are. Haven't heard back from Ear Trumpet yet. I'll be running mine with either an Acus One 8 which is very close to a Schertler Jam or a Mesa Rosette.

dragonfly66 · #5 10-04-2017, 06:34 PM

I have one and like it, though I haven't used it as a live mic, too much feedback with anything I've tried. In addition, even with the Edwina pop screen, there is a lot of popping so it certainly isn't something you can get close to. I don't remember it needing an inordinate amount of gain. I was using it with the JBL One and I called them about the feedback and they said they had problems with the stick style PAs. I used it in the studio too, but again never noticed it needed any more gain vs other mics I have.

This is the first I'm hearing about the $13-$20 capsule, that is disappointing considering the price of the mic, however, if that cheap Chinese capsule sounds good to you then you are getting what you paid for. I bought mine cause I saw Andra Day using it and I had never seen the mic before so I researched it, listened to video and audio and thought, it was worth a chance to see if this could be a workable live mic that I could use for both vocals and acoustic guitar.

troggg · #6 10-04-2017, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonfly66

I have one and like it, though I haven't used it as a live mic, too much feedback with anything I've tried. In addition, even with the Edwina pop screen, there is a lot of popping so it certainly isn't something you can get close to. I don't remember it needing an inordinate amount of gain. I was using it with the JBL One and I called them about the feedback and they said they had problems with the stick style PAs. I used it in the studio too, but again never noticed it needed any more gain vs other mics I have.

This is the first I'm hearing about the $13-$20 capsule, that is disappointing considering the price of the mic, however, if that cheap Chinese capsule sounds good to you then you are getting what you paid for. I bought mine cause I saw Andra Day using it and I had never seen the mic before so I researched it, listened to video and audio and thought, it was worth a chance to see if this could be a workable live mic that I could use for both vocals and acoustic guitar.

That's funny, I was getting all sorts of feedback from a supposedly feedback resistant mic, though granted I am new to to performing live and trying to simulate a live situation through my home studio till my amp gets here. Could very well be human error regarding my positioning relative to the speakers.

Regarding the capsule, here's a company from Finland using the same one and bragging about how good it is ... and oh by the way their you tube videos sound awfully good too:

https://www.timbretones.com/

I have to say I have had an awful lot of fun singing through it trying it out. As I said, I don't think I'm hearing the full spectrum, but what I'm hearing seems to have vaporized my weakest frequencies.

I also to have to say that I've had to crank the gain even higher. Ear Trumpet's Labs must be busy cause they haven't returned my email and their voice box is full. They're usually pretty easy to get a hold of.

The last thing I'll say about it for now is that I just spent 3 years sweating every detail of a double CD and worrying about how immortal each track was and in particular the vocals (used a Rode NTV with fantastic NOS tube into Neve Portico). Having a mic that's fun is probably better for me now that I've relaxed and am looking to enjoy myself playing live for drunks and stoners ... but there are probably better contenders for unquestioned accuracy.

dragonfly66 · #7 10-04-2017, 08:34 PM

First of all, congrats on the CD!! It is all about making music so you get a gold star for completing the CD. The Neve Portico, please tell me about it. It is on one of my wish lists at Sweetwater. The wish list is named, "Things I Have No Business Buying"

I don't know how easy it would be to change the capsule if you don't like it, but I have changed a capsule before in a traditional mic and it wasn't that hard. Seems if the capsule died, got noisy you could just replace it and know that it will be with something much better cause you can't get any worse than what it in there now.

From what I've read performing live with these mics you aren't supposed to have much monitoring going on. So I guess standing in front of a stick PA is a bad thing to do. I just recently bought an HK Lucas Nano 608i so I'll have to pull out the Edwina again and see how it goes. It will be great if it works out. I was running it through a VoiceLive 3x with the JBL One because the One didn't have Phantom power. The Nano 608i does have phantom power. Now I'm really excited to try it again live!

So here is the video of Andra Day that made me think this mic could work live. She is screaming into this mic and it seems like it is taking it quite well. I wonder if they made something special for her. I contacted them and said, hey look Andra Day is screaming into the mic and I don't hear any popping. They said it was because she was using an Edwina pop filter. So I bought the pop filter and it still pops, just a little better, but not by much. Maybe the wind coming out of my mouth is really strong, could be my superpower.

troggg · #8 10-04-2017, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonfly66

The Neve Portico, please tell me about it. It is on one of my wish lists

Well if you have no business buying it for $1100 new at Sweetwater, then consider buying one gently used for $750, using it to your heart's content, then selling it for $750 -- making it essentially a free rental.

SpruceTop · #9 10-04-2017, 10:47 PM

I've got the Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina Stereo Pair. I haven't used them much but never noticed anything anemic about them. I'll have to plug them into something this weekend and pay more attention to what's happening.

SpruceTop · #10 10-04-2017, 11:04 PM

If Ear Trumpet Labs are so cheaply built, why then are so many acoustic music artists using them? Could it be that the reports of usage of cheap components in the mics are bunk? Just sayin' ...

dragonfly66 · #11 10-04-2017, 11:47 PM

I suspect the acoustic artists use them because they like the way they sound and aren't concerned with how they're made.

Aug 2013 - https://www.recordingmag.com/product...013/08/79.html

Quote:

The internal capsule is a Chinese-sourced electret condenser, 1" wide and 6 microns thick, with a cardioid pattern; the electronics are a transformerless FET design.

http://recordinghacks.com/microphone...et-Labs/Edwina

Quote:

The mic utilizes a transformerless FET circuit and Chinese-made TSB-2555 electret condenser capsule, yoke-mounted to facilitate positioning. The capsule can be swiveled to accommodate both side-address and end-address orientations.

Bob Womack · #12 10-05-2017, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonfly66

The Neve Portico, please tell me about it.

I've got a Portico 5015 in the turret rack to my left about six feet away. You can find my quick review on my webpage, HERE.

Bob

troggg · #13 10-05-2017, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I've got a Portico 5015 in the turret rack to my left about six feet away. You can find my quick review on my webpage, HERE.

Bob

Yeah, all the Neve Portico pres are definitely confidence inspiring. I agree I'd rather have a Portico than an old classic 1073. btw the Neve headphone amp, which has only been out a year or so, is a great way to fly. If someone obsesses all day long about their acoustic sound (certainly no one on this board!), why put up with the cheapo headphone circuitry manufacturers slap onto their gear, speaking of using Chinese parts?

Meanwhile I'm going to try my Edwina on some different inputs and see if that gets me any more gain or not. The last condenser I had, an Avantone CK40 stereo mic, didn't need anywhere near this amount of juice.

dragonfly66 · #14 10-05-2017, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troggg

Well if you have no business buying it for $1100 new at Sweetwater, then consider buying one gently used for $750, using it to your heart's content, then selling it for $750 -- making it essentially a free rental.

Ahh it was the Portico II channel strip that was on my list, https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Portico2

Thanks Bob for the review!

SpruceTop · #15 10-05-2017, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonfly66

I suspect the acoustic artists use them because they like the way they sound and aren't concerned with how they're made.

Aug 2013 - https://www.recordingmag.com/product...013/08/79.html

http://recordinghacks.com/microphone...et-Labs/Edwina

Thanks for the information!

Then again, Mojave mics, which have a good reputation, are mostly made in China from, I assume, mostly Chinese-made components. I think China, like Japan, has progressed greatly in the quality of its manufactured products. I myself, breathe a sigh of relief when I see on a product's label that it's Made In Japan. Although, Made In China, doesn't yet evoke the same feeling in me, Chinese products, especially those made under name, design, and guidance of American, European and Japanese companies, are getting there.