hmmm.
Looks interesting.

Certainly is interesting. I haven't seen anything like that four-capsules-in-a-plane design.

Looks like each capsules membrane has been etched ( or maybe plated that way ), to represent many small round membranes. Maybe each capsules acts like a crap load of tiny capacitor type mic's. super tiny small true conceder mics.

Maybe one of the first AT mics to appeal to me. Never dislike them just never seen a need to just buy one. i to many mics already. plus i love dynamics and seem to also blow what little blow money i have to blow on these beauties ; )~

Looks to be interesting but almost $3000, it should be. This single microphone will never be able to replace 30 SM-57's. I've just never been excited by the sound of Japanese microphones. I was actually rather unimpressed with the SANKEN CU 44's, with their double capsule design. I wouldn't walk across the street to buy one. Online New Zealand record job, I was given John Ergle's 44's, which the producer and owner of the label wanted me to use in addition to all of my own, as per their primary engineer, John. Who was booked for another job and so could not do this one. So that was a pair of spaced cardioid's instead of the MS pair I wanted to use. Not even with the mixer I wanted to use and I still got a Grammy nomination. This was back in 1992 when all we had was still 16 bit, 44.1 kHz DAT recorders. That recording would still fair well today even at 16 bit, 44.1 kHz. You think somebody's going to notice I only have a 96 DB signal-to-noise ratio? That my resolution is only 16 bit? Get real. They listen to your recordings to see what they sound like. They don't listen 24-bit, 96 kHz because that's not how recordings are released. Virtually everything they get to evaluate is a 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. So you're not going to win any brownie points with any kind of high resolution blah blah, except in your own head. They just want to hear a good recording. And that really transcends any technical nonsense. So it's a cool hobby to buy and try out all sorts of equipment. It doesn't necessarily indicate that you are better engineer than anybody else.

The high resolution remix website of high definition songs, is about as specialized as owning a Lamborghini. Do you really think anybody gives a crap between that overprocessed version and the version with greater dynamic range? There were definitely aspects of the CD version I like much better. It was more aggressive sounding. Which was actually due to the overprocessed thing and the clipping. I thought that was rather creative clipping they utilized? Did it cause any monitoring problems or digital over clicks? No it did not. So it's another hunk of junk that supposedly better than all of the other hunks of junk. And did you see the price on the unit? Not something most folks would consider readily affordable. And who do we really have here but a bunch of entry level folks, with cheap USB boxes they got at the music store and a handful of cheap Chinese condenser microphones? I can just see everybody rushing right out to buy these things. Not. You might? Some one or two others might? Rich folks, no problem. Big studios, no problem. BFD. I'm not impressed. Now if this did DSD, I might have found it more relevant?

I'm really skeptical about this one.
Mx. Remy Ann David

There's a lot of German mics at this price point. High-end boutique-one-at-a-time manufacturers too. But, given Audio Technicas' track record, this one will probably compete. Its nice to see a major manufacturer shooting for a better mousetrap when all they really have to do at this point is rest on their previous success. I guess thats one reason all their mic lines sound so frikkin good.......Yeah...those Japaneses mics just dont cut it...that Sony thing....C800 or sumthin....whatta piece.....

A person could make some pretty darn good recordings with a bag of AudioTechnicas and some nice pres.........just sayin......

I, too, was intrigued when I read about this on HC. Then the price reared its' ugly head...Like DD stated, that puts it in the market with a good number of other "boutique" brands, plus the usual suspects (Neumann, DPA, MG, etc.).
I love the A-T's that I have (4047's, 4050's,ATM25,ATM63,etc). The 40 series certainly gives the modern Euro mics a run for the money, but they are nowhere near that price point. I wish them well...

Has any tried this yet? Man, it looks awesome. My need for mics is diminishing but I still would love to have this in my locker, maybe just have it by my bed at night too.
Love to hear from people who have tried this beauty.

My local Professional Audio Store Who Has A Lot Of My Money has a demo. I got the tire kicking but no actual usage yet. I have to get in line. From the description of my friends there, You Really NEED this mic. This from someone who has recorded several tunes on my vintage U87. So when I do get to actually hear it I'll let you know. I can't afford it now and have a lot of choices in my bag'o mics but they tell me its better than everything they have in their locker.....this includes a Bock 251.......hmmmmm

keep us posted!

Here's how out of touch I am with new gear...

Audio Technica's main corporate HQ is like maybe 15 miles from my house; I drive by it all the time, I know people who work there...

...and I end up hearing about this mic from a guy that lives 5000+ miles away from me. LOL

LOL : )

I still don't believe this one... but... I was going through a local pawn shop... and I found one of these... and they obviously didn't know what they had. Took it home for $249. Like when you see a $10 bill lying on the ground, you put your foot on it, you look around to make sure no one is looking, you pick it up and keep walking. I just took it to the desk, and paid full price for it. I didn't want them looking it up...

I have quite a few mics, including a 414, a Octava Mods mod'd Rode NT-1A with the Neumann U87 capsule (wow!), a few ribbons, an AT 4033.

This one sounds... great? I've used it on my voice, a female singer, and 2 recordings that I just set up the 5040 Center with a pair of Bonnell mod'd NT-1A's in an X/Y format. Very pleased with the results. NO sibilance, bass present but not boomy, etc, etc, etc. Thing that always catches my ear... remarkably low noise floor.

I'd say it lives up to it's specs, but is it the right mic for you? Only your ears will tell.

Did you know the Depeche Mode guys used an AKG C1000 to do most of the vocals on their first album? (Speak and Spell)?

"Don't believe the hype".

You've found one of these what? Obviously it's a microphone? What microphone?

Sorry to burst your bubble but that microphone you have that you think has a Neumann 87 capsule? It's not an 87 capsule. It is a Chinese imitation made in a similar manner to the 87 capsule. The real 87 capsule is about $800. $80 from China. And they make the diaphragm thinner around 3 mils and not the 6 you find on the 87. Because if it was 6 mils it wouldn't be very bright sounding. In fact it would sound more clouded. So it's not an 87. What ya see people selling these things all the time telling you that " this is a Neumann 67/87 capsule ". That's a lie. The 67 capsule and the 87 capsule are not interchangeable. They are quite different from each other. It's like that commercial on-air. This guy and this woman are talking about the Internet. She says anything is posted on the Internet has to be the truth. He asked where she heard that. She replied in a duet with him " on the Internet ". Then she says " oh here's my date. I met him on the Internet. He's a French model." And Mr. Fat Redneck says "Bone Jur" & leaves with a sly smile. And that's your 87 capsule. Got it off the Internet didn't you? Not from Neumann. So it's a fake imitation counterfeit Chinese thing. Sorry about that chief... missed it by that much.

How do I know this? I have a pair of each of the originals. I have now for over 20 years. Closer to 30 actually. I'm losing track of time! There are also all these people getting these big diaphragm replacement capsules with these much thinner diaphragms. They're over bright sounding. Crispy, thin. Not the way a Neumann was designed to sound. You wouldn't like an 87 if you had one. You'd like a 67 even less. And they are dull sounding. Exactly what I want from them. It's not about the thin crispy high and that you hear. It's about the meat and potatoes that you get. Please don't forget that.

I'm not saying anything is wrong with your microphones. They are perfectly lovely. Good on a lot of things. I wouldn't want them for myself. I'd rather have a bag full of 57 & 58's over any of those microphones you have. My 87's sound a lot like 58's. So if you really want to hear an 87 listen to a 58. I am not kidding. I am not fooling. I am not pulling your leg. I am not being a smartass even though I am LOL. I know what I know. So while that might be an improvement you feel to your microphone sound ain't no way it sounds anything like an 87, guaranteed. But it likely does sound good. And that's all that really matters when you are creating art. There is no right or wrong. I don't have the right microphone if I can't make the right recording with. But I can and I do. So do you with what you have. So it's all good. I just want you to know this. Because I know what's going on I've worked in the manufacturing and of pro audio more than 30 years ago. Nothing has changed other than where it comes from, the quality of it and how long it lasts. We are still sending little electrons on up copper wires. That has not changed. Now we get true optical microphones that only have a digital output without any kind of conversion whatsoever, we'll be into a new era. We're not there yet. Maybe another 10 years? And maybe never? So far, Neumann, Sennheiser, David Schwartz and a few others have created true digital optical microphones. They don't yet sound good enough for studio applications. Fine for the FBI. And this is what Neumann and Sennheiser Corp. told me to my face. Not sure if they created a microphone with my concept design? Somebody else owns my patent LOL. And it's because I talk too much. I know my design is not only going to work good it's going to sound good. It does not yet exist but I can hear it working already from the little voices in my head. And I know my design is the right design. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out but it does. And I don't know any rocket scientists over at NASA Goddard that want to help me design my digital microphone? I even talked to George Massenburg about it some years ago and he couldn't talk to me about it because he was under contract from two other companies to try to come up with something like that. Obviously it never happened. We're not there yet. But I think we are. And if I could build one my way I'd show all y'all. And it really would look any different from any condenser microphone you see today. You won't even see the laser. The laser is inside. And that person who patented the concept I know I must've told us to. It's nearly verbatim of the way I had described my concept design. But the picture is not. He got it really wrong there. Way off. Won't work that way. But my description verbatim. Everybody wants to rip somebody else off today. Everybody's got to make a buck. So I know how to change my design to thwart his patent of my concept. Screw him. I don't even know the guy in Iowa. But I think I might know who it is? It was a guy I was sitting with on a plane. He was an avionics electrical engineer. And we talked about this for quite some time during the flight. I think it's him or a friend of his or somebody that was a friend of his friend? The electrical engineers are extremely opportunistic and the work that they do. Millions of dollars are on the line. And as everybody knows here... I talk too much. So I screwed up.

At 57 you'd think I would have learned that that was 20 years ago LOL. That was only just patented. So I've got a better way to do it now. And who knows? It might die with me? Heck, I accidentally discovered quadraphonic when I wasn't quite yet 14 completely by accident. And I had surroundsound going in my bedroom at 13 1/2 years of age. And it was using all of the phase matrix tricks I still use today. APHEX, was also, a lovely mistake originally in wiring. And so, these things still happen. And you don't have to be a genius to accomplish this. In fact it can be done out of naïveté in stupidity. It's not necessarily clinical or scientific. It's a mistake that works. And this is where I find it funny where everybody discusses the design concept behind the product. Well there was no design concept it was a mistake. And lots of things go that way.

For instance another little piece of trivia that most people do not know anything about. And it should be taught in public schools. Who invented the first battery that could work in space?... No ideas? Everybody here knows the answer, everybody. So give me the answer?

Let's see what everybody knows?
Mx. Remy Ann David

I'm still waiting...

These haven't been out long enough to be in any pawn shop. I find this practically impossible to believe. Its either hot as a fire cracker or this post is to hot to handle.

They have not been released for sale for sale yet. the demo i have heard is serial number 001. Sorry but its not the mic we are talking about.

Well if this was gearslutz, this guy would draw more of the same until our site was full of it. I smell BS right from the start on this one. Don't need this. Normally I wouldn't do this but I would like to see this mic? Please take a picture for us. we are all waiting?

That's why I was confused LOL? Yeah that 4050? I couldn't possibly think he was actually referring to that microphone? Nobody's heard it. What it only hit the magazines a couple of months ago? He's probably got one of the $100 versions by the same company LOL? They all look the same don't they over there? Baja ha ha Ha! That, I had a good guffaw.

OMG 3:30 AM EST
Mx. Remy Ann David

DJTempo, post: 400047 wrote: I still don't believe this one... but... I was going through a local pawn shop... and I found one of these... and they obviously didn't know what they had. Took it home for $249.

No, you really didn't.

You may have picked up a 4050, but you didn't get a 5040.

I spoke to a friend at AT over the weekend ( AT's world HQ is about 15 minutes from my house and I know several guys that work there)...and he was hesitant to even give me a tentative broad scale commercial release date on this mic, (although he did) and with the exception of the handful that have been released for review or beta test, they aren't even on the market yet.

So, unless you work for SOS, Mix, or are an authorized AT dealer that does big numbers, you do not have a 5040, or even access to one.

"Don't believe the hype".

Take your own advice. ;)

I was gonna say...I have bought 4050's for $200-250, no 5040's - they haven't released them for "street sale" yet, I don't believe...hmmmmmm.
I have a U87, can I have it modded with a RODE capsule??????

LOL, I'm sure they'd be happy to accommodate you on that one?

And stupid me... I was getting the model number backwards. Yeah, 5040. Not 4050. And that's what he likely has of course, 4050.

But don't feel bad about your purchase. That 4050 is also a perfectly wonderful and lovely studio condenser microphone. And one of the better ones in their roster. I mean I have some " studio condenser microphones ", that I got for $80 each, made in China. They look almost identical to my $3300 German units. They look the same (to those not in the know), so it stands to reason, they should sound as good, right? Of course they don't. But they're still 100% usable in the right applications though those are few. LOL. So I use them for drum overheads at crappy nightclub jobs because why should I have some drummer have his stick fly out of his hand and smash into my $3300 microphone when all I'm making is $250-$500 or even $1500? I'm not stupid. And if it's a big-time client and that happens, they'll have the money to replace the damage they've done. Your $150 per night bar band, Wont. And if you're NBC-TV on the Tonight Show and smash one of those $1000 AKG 414's, you won't care, it ain't coming out of your pocket.

In the studio, at least we were able to put our 87's, if we wanted to, 10 feet above the drum set. The drumstick loses quite a bit of energy by the time it gets up there LOL. Which is the way I frequently record the drums in the studio when you've got a nice big good sounding room. Which nobody here really has in their basement door in their bedroom. So you run them much lower and take your chance? And where you will also find me putting big foam pop filters on those microphones to protect the capsules from any damage. That doesn't affect the sound significantly enough to be concerned about. All these dumb ass purists, don't want to lose 1/2 db at 15 kHz? Go figure? Idiots. What? You don't have enough cymbals already? So don't be stupid, protect your equipment. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy your new microphone.
Mx. Remy Ann David

What gets me now, why do these manufacturers advertise this stuff when its not even available. I recently bought the new MPC Renaissance that took 11 months to get here. Neumann did this with the KM120 and Now this Mic. Times sure have changed.

audiokid, post: 400172 wrote: What gets me now, why do these manufacturers advertise this stuff when its not even available. I recently bought the new MPC Renaissance that took 11 months to get here. Neumann did this with the KM120 and Now this Mic. Times sure have changed.

LOL.... it's called "da buzz".

And times haven't changed all that much, Chris. I think that perhaps you are being a bit selective in your memory. ;)

I recall a similar situation, back around 1990 or so, with the first initial release of the Alesis Adat.

I was working music retail at the time, and our phones were ringing off the hook on an hourly basis with the same question..."Do you have any Adats yet?"

By the time Alesis did release them for sale, and we got our initial orders in from the factory ( I think it was like 25 of them) they were gone within a day or two - LOL - and then the dealer screwed the pooch by advertising the price of the model in a local trade rag, which as it turned out, violated a manufacturer / dealer agreement...Alesis yanked the line within 24 hours. LOL... what a maroon. ;)

It wasn't only the Adats that took off like wildfire before actual release, either. I recall similar circumstances in the mid 80's with models like the Yamaha SPX-90, The DX7, and several others as well.

Of course, there wasn't any internet to speak of at that time, so the word took a bit longer to get around after initial announcements and product demos at NAMM, but it doesn't take much to get people talking and spreading the word if they see something they really dig.

Manufacturers LOVE to get people talking about their gear before it's actually available on a mass scale. It saves them big money in advertising, because word of mouth between professionals - like on this forum - gets the word out, and a buzz such as this will probably end up being more effective for sales than if they put a $50k full page glossy ad in Mix or SOS.

Obviously, the rub at that point is that the model had better damn well live up to the hype. ;)

fwiw
-d.

Whew What about when they announced the iPhone 5 was going to come out before you could get it? I mean the iPhone 4. Sorry about that... I meant iPhone 3. Stupid me... that's iPhone 2, I meant 2. Remember before they announced the introduction of iPhone 1?Then all of their shareholders get excited over the news of everybody else, getting excited. Then they purchase some more stock. Which gives the company enough influx of cash will to pay the employees before they walk out. And suppliers of their components before they are cut off. And that brand-new Lamborghini the boss had his eye on. And of course the necessary business discussions which must be had in the Caribbean.

I've always loved concept equipment at the AES. My favorite was the MCI, 3 inch, 32 track analog recorder. What a beauty. So I opened a little front doors that covered up the audio electronics and there were no audio electronics. It was just the prototype deck plate with a reel of tape on it. It hadn't been released. Wasn't available for reservation ordering. And was ultimately never released. But they sure did show it off proudly. And I thought it was one of the finest die cast frame transports I've seen second only to the Studer or maybe Studer second only to them. You might have thunk, that they would have at least released this clearly superior transports, in comparison to their other 2 inch transports that they were still offering? It was a clearly fabulous transport. Nothing like their other multitrack machines. Even at the 2 inch level I thought they could have competed quite handsomely with Studer. Kind of silly when ya think about how much R&D they had put into that transport.

After all, we just entered 2013. But you can travel in time, right now, into the future. And it's really easy to get there. You don't even have to be a rocket scientist or a theoretical physicist.

Hurry now down to your local [insert preferred Chrysler Plymouth/GM/Ford/et al.] Dealer to get a great deal on your brand-new 2014..........
And those you can get right now. So who would want one of those old 2013's?

This is what advertising and marketing agencies get paid for
Mx. Remy Ann David

Looks like this is out so I'm intrigued. Anyone demo it yet?
Check out what SW / Mitch Gallagher is saying. Near the end of the video is and added Piano track which sounds pretty smooth.

Yeah. You really do want this. seriously. My dealer Superdigital has one. It is sublime in every way. Better sounding than my old U87.....well...."better" is subjective...lets say its more natural to the source. As you all know the Neumann's have a 'sound'. The older Neumanns have even MORE of this sound and consequently aren't perfect for every source, even though ANYTHING sounds really good through them. There are voices I wouldn't use my 87 on but I don't think theres anything I wouldn't put this 5040 up on and not have it be exactly what the source sounds like. With your signal chain, Chris, you would find this to be the perfect mic for you and what you record.

Good to hear DAVE! I sold my U87ai and M149 6 months back and I have been pouting ever since ( sort of), I didn't think either were close to the price tag and hype, took the money and bought another Bricasti and patchbay. Well worth the trade but I have an empty spot that needs filling.
You just made my day. I'm going to try and get one of these and the AT4080 to demo.

Out of curiosity, what pre (or chain) did you hear it with?

Straight into a Presonus Studio-Live console. Like I said sublime.

I realize its not much but when you have listened critically to things as much as I have you get a real sense of what the piece will do. In your case you will hear exactly what your chain will put into the source. The mic will not color things to the point it sounds like something else and the articulation is unworldly.

Cool shop Dave, looks like a good place to test out gear. Some great bargain on used stuff too.

[[url=http://[/URL]="http://superdigital…"]SuperDigital for everything audio.[/]="http://superdigital…"]SuperDigital for everything audio.[/]

Lets give them a plug!

Why do we have studios in the building? It's a fantastic place to test out the gear we sell.
Our working studio is the real world environment for helping us make accurate recommendations. When you ask "what is the right tool for the job". We can give our honest evaluation . . . or you deal with a guy in the midwest, in a phone cubicle, that wears a bowtie. Or you can go to a shopping center music store and get sold an additional warranty service contract that you didn't need.

The web can only tell you a certain amount.
Like shopping for microphones via the web. You can compare frequency response charts, but it's foolish to buy with specs alone. You gotta use your EARS!

Thanks for the bump Chris. I'm sure they dont mind at all. They are one of the only independent shops left. For all that care to know...they ship and are pros in all aspects. You should hear the drum sound in the studio!!!

No problem, glad to help.

This thing looks awesome. What a beautiful build too. Its makes perfect sense. The piano track sounds really clean, almost too clean and I'm tempted to run it through a Bricasti just to hear/simulate a more live sound for a better idea. It is so smooth. I'm pretty excited about this mic. The 4 plates are obvious sounding. I can hear the quick transient response on that piano eh? Nothing is spiky to my ears either.

Looking around for more info I've found this video too.

The bar band sounds like a SM-57 job all the way. Not worth risking anything expensive.

Dave, I read a few reviews on this now. One mentioned the high output and weird proximity that can happen. I'm seriously thinking about this though. Sounds like a really full bodied mic for female.

When you have a chance again, if you are in that store I'd be really interested in hearing a second opinion on it from you again. Taking special notes on how it responds to a bit of movement from singers who are enthusiastic if you get my drift and, the possibility of it not doing well with some pres that don't like the gain sucked down. Not that this is a big deal, but, no one is talking about pre's with this.

audiokid...the concept of multiple rectangular transducers in the AT mic IS intriguing. Consider the physics of it..the motion (modes of vibration, even though infinitessimal) of the transducer of a rectangular capsule differs from that of a round capsule. Looked at another way...take a twin bed sheet or rectangular tablecloth and suspend it in air from the edges, drop a small weight into the center of it, and watch (or video tape) the motion. Do the same with a round tablecloth. You should see the vibrations of the round table cloth after the weight is dropped into the center are symmetrical.

The summing of the multiple rectangular capsules of the AT mic is also intriguing. Does each capsule have its own input FET, or are the capsules "summed" in some way at high impedance before the FET preamp?

I recall PML made a mic with a rectangular capsule years ago. I have no idea how this mic sounds. At the time, FET's were new, and I have no idea how much the early FET preamps "colored" the audio...

audiokid, post: 409143 wrote:

One might think a dude from Audio Technica would have the first clue how to hold a mic.

I purchased an AT5040 in Jan this year after AT sent it to me to review in DEC. I was sucker punched. : P
This mic is great and once I tried it, I was not giving it back. Those bastards at AT. I love the elegant shock mount, the way it creates a big sound stage and how it sounds fat and warm which beautifully smooth highs. Not in the least nit harsh. WOW! I am sure you all want to know my benchmark, well I own a vintage U67 rebuilt by Gunter Wagner, a vintage U87 rebuilt by Gunter Wagner, Beez Neez Arabella and several other mics of similar ilk. So believe me when I say that this mic earned a place in my mic locker. I do not think that it is over priced and would buy it over some new German mics. In fact, I play a little mental game with myself about which mic I would keep and the U67 is usually the winner, but now...Let's just say it is not so simple anymore.

To be clear, I have still only used it on a few tracks and was generally running it through either a Wunder PEQ-1 into Distressor or an Aurora Audio GTQ2MKIII into Tube Tech CL2a.

If you have the opportunity, give it a try...but only if you are prepared to own it. ; )

Audio Technica's corporate HQ is about 15 minutes from my house (they are located in Stow, OH, which is about 15 min north of Akron) and a few engineer friends of mine know people at corporate, and they got the privilege of testing this mic as well. Your review is exactly what their sentiments were - including the part about hating to give it back. LOL

I think it's awesome that you have those other great mics to use as comparisons.

I've made a few contacts at AT over the years - but not the right kind.

Apparently, dating secretaries at AT obviously doesn't count as the "right kind" of connection to get me through the velvet-roped back doors of Beta testing. But, I'm gonna keep trying. ;)

In my country, AT obviously feels that my recommendation carries some weight...fools. ; )
I hope that you get the opportunity to try it, but do not try it unless you can deal with the purchasing crisis that will follow.

Aisle 6, post: 413088, member: 41160 wrote: In my country, AT obviously feels that my recommendation carries some weight...fools. ; )

LOL. Actually, Aisle, I'd say that you are exactly the kind of engineer who should be testing it.

AT has obviously hit one out of the park with this mic, and are planning on competing with the other hi quality boutique mics that are out there. You have quite the collection of very nice mics to compare the AT to, so you really are the one they should be listening to.

If I may ask, did you find anything at all that you felt needed improved or changed on the 5040?

As a side note, and FWIW, I currently have a U87, a U89i, and a vintage 414EB... so I think I'm set in the condenser department. My next major mic purchase is likely going to be a nice ribbon mic.

I hear you brother, but I would still check this out even if a ribbon is on the agenda. The 5040 is not like most condensers and kinda sits out there on it's own in some ways. It's best asset is how it is open in the top end but does not sound bright or hyped, simply open. Same as a ribbon in that regard, just smooth. Actually now that I think about it, the low end is fat like a ribbon as well. I have a few ribbons vintage RCA, Royer, Beyer Dynamic and Reslo. The Beyer M160 is my favourite.

Nice selection there yourself. I must get out my 414EB again as I tend to grab my 414UB ULS/TLII over it mostly, for mo real reason. : P

I guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve. I see the 5040 as a vocals and acoustic guitar mic mainly, not that it would not suit other tasks. Whereas, I am always reaching for the M160 for electric guitars and the RCA for a close room mic about 6' in front of the kit and down low.