“As drum overheads as well as in blumlein for drum rooms the N8s are fat and punchy without being harsh or tubby. They are basically interchangeable with my long standing favorite, the R88 for outside of the piano, but have a touch more clarity than our R88.
Trumpet, trombones, tenor sax, clarinet, and bass clarinet all sound absolutely beautiful! I’ve always favored my R84, on horns and woodwinds, but we were 50/50 split between the two options.
12 string acoustic guitar was tamed and warmed right up.
My favorite results so far might be on violins. I had two violinists that I work with regularly and always have to use EQ to brighten dark ribbons or notch upper miss out on condensers, but the N8s sound perfect flat. Adding R84s on viola and cello, this is one of the easiest string quartet recordings I’ve done.
You guys did a beautiful job with these mics. They sound absolutely fantastic on everything I’ve used them on. Their size, shape, and weight make them far easier to place than the bulkier ribbons I’m used to. The N8s are the closest thing to a perfect ribbon mic I’ve heard.”
– Chris Allen
New York based recording and mixing engineer, Chris Allen, has been fortunate enough to have worked with hundreds of the best musicians and producers from around the world. His vast experience with both analog and digital, in nearly every genre of music, has given Chris an extensive knowledge base, multiple Grammy nominations, and a sound that makes him one of NYC’s most trusted engineers. Originally from the small city of Oneida, NY, music was an important part of his family history. His love for the art form took hold by age nine, through lessons on the trombone.
As a teenager, an introduction to engineer Ron Keck, of Subcat Studios, would help him find his way into the world of audio. After enrolling in the Sound Recording Technology program at SUNY Fredonia, his original goal of becoming a classical musician shifted to focus on recording. Under the tutelage of Bernd Gottinger, Dave Fridmann, John Caruso, and Arman Petri, Chris earned his bachelor’s degree, and moved to New York City, ready to work.
In 2003, Chris jumped at the rare opportunity to join the staff at Walter Sear’s legendary studio, Sear Sound. A few years into Walter’s mentorship, he was promoted to the coveted chief engineer position, where he continues Walter’s tradition of providing an environment in which musicians can feel comfortable and inspired to make music.
