Description

 Aston Element – Active Moving-Coil Cardioid Studio Microphone 

• Large-diaphragm active moving coil cardioid studio microphone 
• Tailored for vocals and acoustic instruments 
• Sound crafted by public vote 
• Specially developed Ridyon capsule combines the best attributes of dynamic, condenser and ribbon mic technology 
• World’s quietest microphone (NTi Audio tests) 
• Widest frequency response of any electromagnetic (ribbon or moving coil) microphone ever made 
• Proprietary active circuitry 
• Backlit LED logo badge confirms presence of 48v phantom power 
• FREE specially designed pop filter and shock mount 
• Legendary Aston build quality 
• Designed and developed in the UK 
• Limited 10 year warranty 

Aston Element 

Aston Element is a large diaphragm, active moving-coil, cardioid studio microphone developed, by public vote, to offer unprecedented performance, particularly on vocals and acoustic instruments. Its unique Ridyon capsule takes the best attributes of dynamic, condenser, and ribbon mic technology and rolls them all into a sleek, lightweight-yet-tough beauty. 

Tests by NTi Audio (the world’s leading authority in scientific audio measurement) have shown Element to have the widest frequency response of any electromagnetic (ribbon or moving coil) microphone ever made AND, rated at just 3.8 dBA (A-weighted), it’s also the world’s quietest mic! 

Every single aspect of Element is a world-first; the way it was conceived, developed, voiced by public vote and the unthinkable technology which brings this incredible new microphone to life, have all contributed towards creating yet another game-changer from the most innovative brand in the industry. Bundle includes FREE special design Pop Filter and Shock Mount. 

Like all Aston mics, the Element is virtually indestructible. Featuring a solid aluminium chassis, the build quality is such that the mic is backed by a limited 10 year warranty. 

Ridyon capsule 

Designed from the ground-up in the UK, specifically for Element, the capsule combines the best attributes of Ribbon, Dynamic and Condenser microphones. It’s the secret sauce inside a tough dynamic mic which performs tonally like a smooth, warm ribbon but with the extended high frequency response and professional ‘studio sound’ of a condenser. The best of all 3 worlds all rolled into one. 

Electronics (PCB) 

Element’s amplifying section consists of only 5 electronic components, a much purer signal path than normal in this type of circuit. It employs a partially active humbucking circuit using a network of phase inverted coils to cancel any interference from electro-magnetic radiation (a common issue with moving coil microphones). This is one quiet mic! In fact, anechoic tests by NTi Audio, the world’s leading authority in scientific audio measurement, have rated the new mic at 3.8 dBA (A-weighted) making Element the world’s quietest microphone! 

The purple glow 

Element’s backlit LED logo badge is not just there for its looks, it gives out a cool Aston purple glow as confirmation the active mic is receiving the 48v phantom power it needs to do its thing. And just when you thought this incredible new beast couldn’t possibly hold any more surprises, the LEDs are dual-purpose. They also uniquely function as an intrinsic part of the audio signal path, providing a fixed bias to the output transistors, making the pre-amp stage far quieter than other mics. Oh, and the glowing badge also shows you which side to sing or play into.. just in case you’re recording in the dark for ‘mood’ effect! 

Waveform contoured chassis

Just as many high-end studio monitors feature carefully engineered baffles to help distribute sound smoothly from their drivers, so Element employs a similar concept in reverse. The specially designed contours surrounding the mic’s distinctive grille guides the sound source evenly into the capsule without any distortion of the signal from sharp or unsymmetrical edges, creating an even response while also reducing plosives. Meanwhile, the stainless steel grille covering the capsule acts as a diffuser, protecting the sensitive Ridyon capsule inside from the more extreme plosives and helping to deliver a perfectly smooth sound.

FREE Element Pop Filter

An oh-so-clever, proprietary magnetic Pop Filter which attaches to Element in a split second to all-but eliminate unwanted plosives and ‘esses’. It automatically attaches in exactly the correct position for use, and the magnets used to achieve this are shielded from the mic’s capsule to ensure the audio remains completely free of artefacts. You can turn the pop shield upside down on the mic when recording instruments, so you don’t have to keep putting it away between takes. 

FREE Element Shock Mount

The set is completed by a sleek and stylish Shock Mount which clips to Element in the blink of an eye. Again, it’s a perfect aesthetic match for the microphone and extremely effective. Specially designed to give support and keep out bad vibrations!

The Element Story

Prior to Project Element, each Aston mic was developed in conjunction with the Aston 33, a panel, now numbering more than 200, of the world’s top audio professionals and musicians. They took part in blind-listening tests of each new model’s prototypes, against established competitors’ mics, their expert ears gradually informing the precise sound of each new release. Each prototype was modified according to the voting data, and the process repeated as many times as necessary until the Aston was the panel’s clear favourite across a range of relevant applications.

With Element, the concept was rolled out to the public; the musicians and producers who would ultimately be using the new mic to unleash their creativity. Who better to decide the sound of the new microphone? Some ingenious technology was already in place on which the new mic would be centred, but the SOUND of the mic, its most important attribute by far, was decided by public vote. 

More than 4000 people signed-up to become members of the Aston Family Developer Panel and have their say in Project Element. This much talked-about process – already industry folklore – is now complete, and the world’s first ‘People’s Microphone’ is in production.

Specifications

• Transducer Type: Moving coil
• Directional Polar Pattern: Cardioid
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Equivalent Noise Level: 3.8 dBA (A-weighted)
• Sensitivity (passive mode) at 1 kHz into 1 kOhm: ave. 12mV/Pa
• Maximum SPL for THD 0.5%: 132dB