Lauten Audio Announces Snare Mic

Lauten Audio, the family-owned microphone maker, has announced its release of Snare Mic — a purpose-built FET condenser microphone designed explicitly for use on snare drums. At only 4.2-inches in size, Snare Mic is optimised for use in small spaces while delivering the impact, nuance, and distinct characteristics of a snare drum without the drawbacks of traditional solutions. Snare Mic’s carefully tuned frequency response, ultra-high dynamic range, and rejection of ​ up to 28dB of off-axis sounds ensure professional, mix-ready results straight out of the box.

Celebrating The Snare

​With its release of Snare Mic, Lauten Audio has launched SNARE – a four-part documentary series that reconnects legendary drummers with the snare drums they chose to define what would become the future of music. Episode 1 features Brad Wilk [Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Black Sabbath] and 10x Grammy-winning Engineer Darrell Thorp on location at Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters’ Studio 606.

“Snare drums are the lifeblood of music. When you’re in a room with one, you don’t just hear it. You feel it in your bones. That sensation is REALLY difficult to capture, which is why people throw so many microphones, post-processing, and even sound replacement at snare drums,” said Lauten Audio President Trent Thompson. “Our goal with Snare Mic was to make that process easy — one microphone that captures the totality of a snare drum without needing to do all of those other things.”

Massive Sound, Minimised Bleed

​Snare Mic is built from the ground up for getting the optimal snare drum sound in any scenario where miking drums is required. Snare Mic’s compact, hand-tuned capsule and wide frequency response provides enveloping, three-dimensional sound, while its superior off-axis rejection keeps that sound clear and focused with optimal phase coherence so that it can fit more easily into a mix. This enables Snare Mic to easily replace a traditional multi-mic setup while still capturing every nuance of a snare hit — from the attack of the initial impact to the resonant decay of the drum head. Snare Mic’s onboard HP and LP filters also provide additional tone shaping at the source to make it easier than ever to dial in the exact sound required without turning any knobs at a control desk.

As with all Lauten Audio microphones, Snare Mic has been engineered for ease of use, long-term durability, and reliability. At 4.2-inches in length it fits within even the most densely populated of drum kits and works equally well in both stand and rim-mounted applications. Snare Mic’s solid brass headframe, vibration-resistant capsule design, and mildew-resistant dust filter protect it from stick hits and debris, ensuring it will continue to provide incredible snare drum sounds for the long haul.

SPECS

Type: End-address pressure gradient FET condenser
Capsule: 32mm
Polar Patterns: Cardioid
Freq. Response: 20Hz-20KHz
High Pass Filter: Flat / 80Hz / 140Hz
Low Pass Filter: Flat / 5kHz / 12kHz
Dynamic Range: 135dB minimum
SPL Handling: >135DB (0.5%THD@1000Hz)
Impedance: >150 ohms
Self-noise level: < 15dB-A
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 79dB
Sensitivity: -66.0dBV/Pa (0dB=1V/Pa 1KHz)
Connector: 3-pin XLR
Power: Requires 48v Phantom Power
Dimensions: 109 x 50mm (mic only) 112 x 71mm (with mount) ​
Weight: 309g (mic only) 407g (with mount)

IN THE BOX

• Snare Mic
• Articulating Hard Mount
• Cordura Padded Bag

Snare Mic is available now for $398 US Street / MSRP $549.