Roswell Pro Audio’s Aztec Mic
New flagship tube microphone introduced.
14 April 2023
Roswell Pro Audio, maker of boutique condenser microphones, has added a new flagship to its roster: the Roswell Aztec, a multi-pattern tube mic built without compromise. The mic’s single-triode topology, edge-terminated K251 capsule, and custom-wound European T14 transformer deliver the airy, intimate top end and muscular bass of the finest vintage tube microphones.
Rather than merely ‘clone’ a vintage design, Roswell has reimagined it with new features and upgrades. The mic incorporates a high-pass filter switch to reduce proximity for close mic placements, while a second switch enables an attenuation pad to increase headroom for high-SPL sources. A control on the power supply provides nine discrete polar patterns.
The mic’s power supply is fully regulated and excessively filtered. It includes numerous component upgrades unique to the Aztec: NOS tantalum resistors, a Swiss-made pattern control, and Roswell’s own electrolytic filter capacitors which were specially designed for audio. Even the fuse and fuse holder are upgraded to gold-plated German-made parts.
The microphone benefits from relentless upgrading as well, incorporating an incredibly transparent NOS military-spec input capacitor and a copper-foil output capacitor made specifically for this microphone. Both the mic and PSU represent two years worth of R&D, during which countless components were auditioned, or in some cases, custom designed and manufactured.
Every Aztec microphone and power supply is built, burned in, and tested in Roswell’s Northern California workshop. Roswell ships the Aztec, power supply, shockmount, Gotham/Neutrik XLR7 cable, and AudioQuest IEC power cord (available for US/Canadian NEMA 5-15P outlets, UK/Ireland IEC ‘Type G’ outlets, and EU IEC ‘Type E’ outlets), in an aluminium flight case.
NAMM 2023, Booth #15223
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