Roswell Pro Audio Mini K87: compact, neutral-voiced condenser mic at a sane price
Roswell Pro Audio first appeared on our radar back in 2016, when the Californian manufacturer started selling the Aurora – a FET condenser mic with neutral voicing and low distortion. Manually burned-in and tested after hand-assembly, the mic was priced at USD 750, which – three years ago – was unusually affordable for such a product.
Since then, Roswell has kept going at it, releasing the Delphos II, Colares, and Mini K47 condensers. The Colares is its flagship model, a vocal microphone styled after the vintage Telefunken ELA M 251. The Mini K87, Roswell’s latest release, is a fresh take on its compact condenser concept. Whereas the Mini K47’s goal was capturing a particular vintage voicing, the Mini K87 goes after transparency and high fidelity.
Voicing the Mini K87
The Mini K87 is based on a specially tuned K67/K87 capsule and complementary circuit designed around it. The final voicing is the result of a manual process, which gives Roswell the means to deliver consistency across each unit. As a neutral-sounding condenser microphone, the Mini K87 is meant to capture vocals, acoustic and string instruments, as well as drum overheads. Roswell is selling a matched pair for the purpose of the latter.
Looking at the spec sheet, the Mini K87 has all the makings of a high-end mic – such as gold-plated diaphragm, a clean transformer-less circuit, and what the manufacturer describes as “audiophile-grade components”. The mic is cardioid-only and its frequency range is rated at 20Hz – 16kHz, with response described as “essentially flat” across the spectrum. Indeed, the frequency diagram on the website looks like what you’d expect to see from a very good studio monitor. A compact mic, the Mini K87 measures 150 x 44mm at a weight of 325 grams – impressive, considering it’s a large-diaphragm condenser with a solid steel body.
Price and release information
Roswell is selling the Mini K87 for USD 399 straight off its website. The mic ships with a Cutaway shockmount, microfleece mic sock, and an aluminum flight case. A matched pair will cost USD 899. These are very sane prices for the kind of quality on offer. I haven’t experienced Roswell mics personally, but reviews online are consistently stellar.
More information
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