In a way, talking about microphones is like writing about food.
No matter how elegant and eloquent your prose may be, the proof and the pleasure is always in the eating (or in our case, the listening).
Not so long ago, a group of Dutch voice-over pros got together for a shootout. They had been writing about mics for months. Now it was time to let the technology to do the talking. The goal was not so much to pick a winner, but to get a chance to contrast and compare.
For that purpose they threw about thirty mics into the mix, from shotguns to tube condensers. Among the mics they tried were the Brauner Phanthera, an Audio Technica AT4033, the Neumann M147, TLM103 and U87, the Sennheiser MKH-416, a Røde NTG3, a Telefunken U47 and an Electro-Voice RE27.
Then there was this very odd looking mic from the United States, an E100S designed by Conneaut Audio Devices or CAD. Very few people in the room had even heard of the brand, let alone seen such a microphone. But when the day was over, several voice actors ended up ordering one. By the end of this review you’ll know why.
Its reputation had preceded itself. Prior to the shootout, this rectangular shaped CAD had beaten out the venerable Neumann U87 – regarded by many to be the ultimate voice-over microphone – in a blind test. Not bad for a mic you can buy for less than $400! [See current sale prices on the E100S.]
ROBUST & RECTANGULAR
The CAD Equitek E100S as it’s officially called, is a side-address, large-diaphragm FET condenser with a nickel-plated 1 inch capsule, an 80 Hz hi-pass filter and a 10 dB pad. It has a fixed supercardioid polar pattern and the lowest self-noise rating of pretty much any mic: 3.7 dB (measured with the capsule swapped for a fixed capacitor, known as the “capacitor substitution” method).
Coming in at 0.61kg (22oz) it’s not exactly light. Made in the USA, this microphone is built like a tank and it feels solid but smooth thanks to a rubbery coating. It arrives in a nice cherry wood box, already resting in a specially designed ’stealth’ integral shock mount. You’ll find the XLR output at the back of the microphone.
Strong rubber bands tie the microphone to its snug-fitting shock mount. This mount works well, but it’s a pain in the neck to remove, so I could place the mic in my Rycote InVision™ shock mount. Most people would only take the mic from its mount to replace the rubber bands, so it’s no big deal.
In my recent review of the Gefell M930 Ts, I came up with eight criteria for an ideal voice-over microphone:
- minimal voice coloration
- tight pick-up pattern (cardioid or supercardioid)
- excellent rear rejection
- controlled proximity effect (bass boost)
- low susceptibility to sibilance (shrill “S”-sounds) and popping
- low self-noise
- high-pass filter to cut out lower frequencies
- rugged design, ready for the road
Now look at the specs for this CAD. Based on my preferences, it comes very close to being perfect – on paper, that is. It is often advertised and reviewed as a versatile, all-purpose mic, so I wondered how well it would work for voice alone.
To find out, I hooked it up to my new Grace Design m101 preamplifier and started talking. After all, that’s what I do for a living.
The following samples were recorded in 24-bit, 41,00 kHz WAV format and converted to MP3.
Following is a longer sample, a poem called Memory of Holland by Hendrik Marsman, translation by Paul Vincent.
LIKE A LASER
click to enlarge
Because of its tight pickup pattern, this is not a microphone for those who like to wobble and wiggle. If close miking is your thing, this CAD is king. Once you have found the sweet spot and you stay there, the mic will hear you loud and clear.
It zooms in on your voice like a laser beam, with the accuracy and clarity of a shotgun. Although sonically different, this makes the E100S a serious alternative to the popular Sennheiser MKH-416, which costs more than twice as much.
Let’s talk about your recording space for a moment. Soundproofing a studio or improvised booth can set you back thousands of dollars. If that’s out of your range, the next best thing is to find a mic that’s not so sensitive to ambient noise. That’s another reason why this CAD makes an excellent voice-over investment.
Off-axis sound spills are kept to a minimum, and yet this mic never sounds one-dimensional. Like a fine Bordeaux, it has a nice open and full body to it.
By engaging the high-pass filter, you can also minimize low frequency rumble from boilers, pumps, planes, trains and trucks. In other words, under less than ideal recording situations, the E100S can save the day.
Sometimes, outside noise is not the problem. Every microphone produces electrical noise, known as equivalent or intrinsic noise. It can be utterly annoying. As a narrator, I don’t want my softer reads to drown in microphone hiss. Of course noise reduction software can come to the rescue, but with this CAD you’re not going to need it.
This is hands-down the quietest mic I have ever laid ears on.
Most supercardioids suffer from a more pronounced proximity effect, and with a wide open grille, this mic is no exception. You will also need a pop filter to take care of plosives and mouth moisture.
CONCLUSION
Like most reviewers, I do my very best to find fault with the products I’m evaluating. In that respect, this CAD gave me a hard time. There is one thing I struggle to understand, though.
In my opinion, the E100S has all the characteristics to become a voice-over’s secret weapon. Why then, is this microphone a virtual unknown in my line of work? Why do colleagues drool over Sennheisers and Neumanns, calling them “the industry standard,” while ignoring the silent quality of CAD craftsmanship from Ohio?
After reading every review ever written about this CAD and testing it for months, it finally dawned upon me. The E100S has one thing that’s both a strength and a weakness:
This microphone is an everyman’s friend.
It can handle sounds as loud as the engine of an airplane and as soft as a woman’s whisper. It loves strings just as much as percussion. Whether it’s used to record the subtleties of Baroque music or the unrelenting power of Punk Rock, this uncompromising CAD can capture it all.
In terms of marketing, the more universal the product, the harder it is to come up with a unique selling proposition. Not everyone looking for a voice-over mic will find the label “all-purpose microphone” very appealing.
Secondly, because this E100S is relatively affordable, it’s easy to equate low price with low quality. Perhaps my colleagues would take this mic more seriously if CAD would double the price.
Before that happens, I recommend you seriously consider this amazing American microphone.
photo: Willem van den Top
After testing many makes and models, one of Holland’s most respected and experienced voice artists summarized it perfectly:
“The E100S is incredibly versatile. If I could only keep one mic in my locker, this one would be at the top of my list. I would gladly part with microphones costing more than eight thousand Euros in order to keep the CAD.”
Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice
This article was previously published in recordinghacks.com, the ultimate online microphone database. Click here for a review of the Studiobricks ONE, an innovative, portable isolation booth especially designed for voice talent. Mike Bratton has the first one in the US.
About the author
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to read a positive review of an American Made microphone. I have been searching for a quality American Made microphone for several years. I am definitely going to consider purchasing the CAD Equitek E100S.
Thank you!
Not the most attractive mic in the world, but beauty doesn´t pay the bills. I am looking to add THE mic to my entourage, maybe this is it, and I will seriously consider it for my next purchase. I can only hope it is for sale in Europe to avoid the awful customs and shipping charges, which together- may be as much as the mic itself. Thanks once again Paul for the information.
Paul – it sounds awesome! thanks so much! Your blog is one that I always recommend to my Voice Over students at Norwalk Community College and at Edge —
now, I am seriously thinking of adding this mic to my Wish list…
Randye
Thanks Paul for the great review!
I think it\’s safe to say that I now have a case of G.A.S…
Great write-up, and I agree with all your observations. I\’m a E100s user, and it\’s my go-to microphone. The studio that I used to work at as an engineer replaced their U89 and AT4060 with the E100s in their VO booth. It\’s great for recording instruments, too! My wife gets confused when I\’m editing because she thinks it\’s my live voice…she never had that confusion before.
Excellent review Paul. I heard of the E100s but never like before have I read such a review as yours on E100s.
Nice review Paul! And I think your criteria for what makes a good VO mic is very practical and on point. I’d love to try out this CAD mic sometime. As much as I love my Miktek CV4 and before that my TLM 103 I’m always curious about what other mics can bring out in my voice.
Btw, is that a slice of Double Dutch Chocolate pie? Ummm…
You’re right, Lynne. It’s not easy to find a solid voice-over mic that’s not made in Germany or China. This CAD is a real gem and at $359 it’s a great investment in your career and in the US economy.
Hi Monty, since our clients care about the end-result. Looks are secondary. In my opinion this CAD has A nice retro design and I enjoyed having it in my studio. You can order this mic from B & H in New York or Front End Audio. Both companies ship internationally.
Hi Randye, I can’t thank you enough for telling your students about my blog! Who knows… In a few months this CAD might be under your Christmas tree!
With so many great products on the market, I fear that neither one of us will ever run without gas…
Thank you, Lance. I enjoyed reading your review of the CAD E100S!
That’s so nice of you to see, Peacock! This CAD has been reviewed a number of times and I wanted to add some personal touches to my evaluation. It really deserves to be more well-known in the voice-over world.
Hi Rick, I think it was necessary to come up with some criteria. Too often we pros get the question: “What’s a good voice-over microphone?” Usually, people answer by throwing makes and models at the curious novice, but it’s unclear what they are basing their advice on. Most of the time it tends to be personal preference. Your Miktek CV4 is indeed a mighty weapon and you sound great. Why change a winning team?
Nice review, Paul. I’ve seen CAD mics and dismissed them without reason. I’ve never considered them until now. The E100S sounds like an amazing value and could give my BLUE a run for primary studio mic. Note to self: Add CAD E100S to wish list.
Santa’s going to make an extra stop in Ohio this year, to pick up all the CAD’s on everyone’s wish list!
Let me just state one more time that I am in no way compensated for the reviews I post on this blog. As I always say: my voice is for hire but my opinion is not for sale.
Great review Paul. This mic is probably next on my wishlist – especially since it\’s so affordable. I have yet to try one. Very cool that it has a very focused off-axis pickup like the 416 – ideal for VO talent with not the best sounding rooms. Thanks Paul!
As always Paul, your reviews and blogs hit home in many ways, this one was no exception. Being a chef by trade, the first thing I noticed of course was the plate of sinful delight, then the tech geek in me kicked into high gear.
For the last three years I have been following another passion of mine, which is photography and videography. I consider myself lucky to have been able to turn two of my passions into careers. For the production of some of our smaller business imaging jobs, I\’ve found it helpful to do most VOs myself.
Sorry, back on topic. I am so grateful to have you, and the guys from EWABS, amongst others available to help guide me through the process. There is so much biased information out there, that a newbie could easily find themselves spending money on equipment that may not suit their needs.
So in closing this novel of a post, I want to thank you for another unbiased, in depth review. I think I\’ll give the E100S a run around the studio.
Best,
Lee
You’re welcome, Jordan. I really should thank Matt at Recordinghacks.com for inviting me to test the CAD. It was a lot of fun!
Did you buy yourself one afterwards or was this review written from the review unit? I just bought myself an LCT 640 after reviewing it. Loved it too much.
Oh, and I forgot ask. I’m guessing that all the mics in that beautiful photo belong to you?
You’ll love taking this mic into your audio kitchen, Lee! I agree with you: the EWABS-guys are awesome and I always look forward to their show.
Had I not won the Gefell M930 Ts, I would have bought the CAD E100S. The mics in the picture belong to the Dutch colleagues I mentioned and were used for their shootout.
@Paul. I found one here in Europe. When I bought my Woodpecker from the states, it took me over a month to get it out of customs due to their long and sticky red tape- not to mention that anything over 150 €- one must pay their astronomical customs fees and taxes- now at 21%! So, I will stick to a European seller. I doubt I will ever buy anything from the states over 150€ again. However, the mic here sells for about 475 Pounds or a whopping
756 dollars- quite a bit more once again due to the customs fees and taxes that the seller incurred themselves and their markup of course. But at least it´s already in Europe, brand new and no govt red tape and long waiting period.
Thanks for the info on the E100s.
I suggest also looking at the Audio Technica AT875R, a short shotgun condenser mic. I bought one for many of the same reasons you bought the E100s, and I\’ve been very pleased with the results. And it\’s affordable.
Paul, A very nice blurb on the CAD Equitek E100S. It certainly has piqued my interest.
Timing for me was \”right on\”. I\’m currently looking at gear. Am wondering how the CAD would sound through a different mic-pre other than your Grace Design m101…. Happy Trails.
Hi Don, the Audio Technica is an even cheaper option but I have not tested it. It does not have a high pass filter and to me that’s a minus.
Hi Mike, any element in your recording chain can color the sound of your mic, as well as the way that sound can be heard on your headphones or monitors. Mediocre mics can sound better on a quality preamp and great mics don’t necessarily do well on a cheap preamplifier. I’ve hooked this CAD up to a CEntrance MicPort Pro and the signal sounded clean and clear. My Grace Design preamp has much more headroom.
Paul, thanks very much for your excellent review. I\’m off to go hunt one down!
Nice review for the CAD mic. Thanks for the sound clips. What I\’d really like to hear is a head to head with the CAD clips and then some other mic clips for reference. The CAD sounds nice but without a point of reference it\’s tough to judge. Thanks for the great article.
Paul,
I have an the earlier model the CAD E-100. Indeed a nice little microphone. Pretty big bottom end for the 3/4\” capsule, I see the S has a 1\” capsule. Use a wind screen it\’s sensitive to implosions or at least mine is unless the mic is positioned just right. I like the E-100\’s built in nicad battery a plus if you lose phantom power. Indeed worthy taking a look at. Good review Paul.
Hey Tommy, you can find a link to current prices in the article. When you click on it, you will be directed tp an overview of pro audio suppliers that carry the CAD E100S.
Mike, I have thought about doing a comparison for reference. That would still only give you a sound as processed through my preamp and recorded in my recording space. Ultimately, the only one who can judge whether or not this is a mic for you, is you. B & H in New York has a mic room where you can take many mics for a test drive.
Dave, the earlier model of this mic was indeed a workhorse in quite a few studios. In my piece I recommend using a wind screen and I’m happy you agree. The CAD E100S is a great all-round mic at a great price.
Hallo Paul. Although having come to home studio V/O work late in life, I\\\’ve been an actor/V/O artist for over 40 years, working in the west end of London\\\’s major sound studios. As the world economy shrank, so did the V/O work in outside studios. I was impressed by your very in-depth, technically brilliant assessment of the CAD. I have an SE2200E (£350) which at first displayed all of the foibles of grander mics that you addressed. That is until I heard about the Mogami Gold mic lead. Since connecting it to my system it behaves exactly like the CAD. It was shipped from the USA at a total cost of $83.00! So I think I\\\’ll stick with my trusty SE2200a. Don of London UK.
Hello Don, thank you so much for your kind words! I’m also a big Mogami fan. I have one of their mic cables as part of my recording chain. I don’t believe a cable can make a microphone behave in one way or the other. It’s just a way to get a signal from A to B.
Hi Paul, I really enjoyed your review. As a self-confessed mic geek and having recorded with, well, almost every mic rescpected by the guys who know ie. sound engineers, I\’m always on the look out for another sound. Could you say if you compared all the mics mentioned with different types of voices?
As we all know different mics work well (or not so well) on different voices. For instance, my own weapon of choice is my trusted U87 and the mic that killed it is the M149 (both connected to an Avalon VT 137SP.) They both work beautifully with my voice.The thing is, there are far better picks for more medium or female VOs.
Also, different media call for different mics: staying with Neumann, a U89 will work better than a U87 for radio.
My point is, I – and all my sound engineer friends – have never found a mic that sublimate all types of voices, for all media.
So, my question is, are you saying that this IS this mic?? IF you say yes then I want one!
Hello, Paul.
I really enjoyed the article and thought you did a fantastic job with the review.
On a similar note, I have a CAD M177 which, I understand is discontinued. It also has an 80Hz hi-pass, 10dB pad and a low self-noise rating and it sounds GREAT. It can be found online here and there for a rediculously low amount.
Correction – the M177 has a 20Hz pad…sorry!
Paul,
Actually the Audio-Technica AT875R does roll off the bottom end. That’s one big reason I bought it . . . for $175.
Take a look at this extensive review of the mic and other shotguns:
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/right_mic_brockett.html
Don Hagen
Pierre, I have read most if not all of the reviews of this mic, and I couldn’t find anything indicating that it would be better for either a male or a female voice. What it does need is someone who knows how to handle it. Because of the open grille, it will pick up plosives easily, and that’s why I recommend using a pop filter.
The CAD M179 has a dual-diaphragm, multipattern version of the same basic design as the M177 and sells for $129.
Thanks for your straight forward answer Paul. Sounds like it’s gonna have to be the next addition to the studio. I’ll let you know how I get on with it when I’ve had the time to play with it a bit. Take care and talk soon Paul!
Hi Pierre, because this mic does so well in many situations, it is a great addition to any studio. Can’t wait to hear about your experience with this CAD!
Paul, as you know, I’ve been using the E100S for a new months now, so this comment isn’t so much for your knowledge as it is for those who read your blog…but it’s a TERRIFIC mic. You’re right – low self-noise, and with the highpass filter it’s very forgiving with extraneous audio. Proximity effect is there, but not as prominent as one might expect. And with a pop screen and correct mouth position, I have NO issue with plosives. Love it!
Matt, I’m so glad to hear that you love this mic as much as I do. You used to work in radio. Did you happen to get feedback from former colleagues or sound engineers?
Yes, I actively requested feedback from three different sources, to see what they thought – and all agreed my audio was far superior to the radio stations’. It’s important to note that the stations’ studios were not ‘ideal’ recording studios – computer fans would create a slight hum and the mics were radio industry-standard, low-end-loving RE-20s – however, even though my home studio is a work-in-progress (still needs more soundproofing), the audio quality is already drastically superior. I chalk that up to two things, primarily: a) simpler, cleaner audio chain, and b) the Equitek E100S.
Could I suggest that you try a classic Coles 4104 ribbon Lip Mic as used by many sports commentators, I use the Coles for air show commentary, voiceovers in non studio conditions and also for ISDN live links. You push the extended bar firmly under your nose and speak. No need to spend money on soundproofing, no pops and it comes with an optional washable hygiene screen (part no 92-399 ( via CALREC) just drop it in soapy water and dry….
Thanks for that, Julian. Here in the U.S. the Coles costs between $600 and $800, compared to the $359 for the CAD. I don’t see many voice actors firmly hold a Coles mic under their nose as they are narrating a long audio book. I think the Coles works great for outdoor reporting but not for in the studio.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for sharing this great information. Do you have a link for the Dutch shootout you mentioned?
Best records, (a corny VO saying instead of best regards)
Eliot
Hi Eliot, the Dutch shootout was discussed on the “Nederlandse Stemmen” (Dutch Voices) LinkedIn Group of which I’m a member. Unfortunately, I can’t give you a link to a page because the findings were kept within the group.