CAD VSM1

Been recording for over 20 years, have worked with professional engineers and musicians. I don't write reviews unless the item is exceptional, good or bad, in order to help out others.

This is a valve mic, tube is in the mic itself and not the power supply. I use this for vocals and guitar cabinet recording and my experience is nothing short of impressive. Especially the cost of these mics. I also use Senheiser mics for guitar cabs as my dynamic choice of mic. I was looking at the Royer ribbon to go along with the e906 and went with the VSM instead thinking I could double up on using it for vocals and acoustic guitar. Good choice for me as it has surpassed my expectations. Rich deep clear tube saturated sound, hard to describe but you know it when you hear it. In the mix with other sources it provides a depth with panning other sources that leaves me with a smile. My Neumanns are not first choice for vocals as the Neumanns tend to push too much in the 10K to 12K now that I use the VSM which has a flatter rise in this area than the Neumanns. Peace

Age 40. Played piano since age six. First recording on a Fostex 4-track cassette at age 15. Own a commercial project studio in Michigan (near Chicago), been in business 12 years.

System is gradually migrating to pro-tools, but the main gear is still
a Mackie d8b and HDR24 with multiple speakers (Mackies, Tannoy and Genelecs). Studio is relatively small but top notch outboard gear - Lexicons and Eventides, various pres from Great River to joemeek). Tons of keyboards and guitars.

The VSM1 is a large diaphragm condensor tube mic with a cardoid only pattern. It has a pad switch (-8/-16) and a low cut switch.

It is a beautiful, very retro looking microphone - sort of a flattened wide shape and physically large. The shock mount is built into the mic itself. Scuff it up and it would look like a 1950's mic except for the "CAD" label on it.

The sound is tube-y -- Not kind of tube-y, very tube-y. Warm and rich and humid. Lots of power in it - this mic can seriously overdrive your mixer - gain staging important here depending on what pre you are using. The power supply, as others have mentioned, does emit a slight but annoying hum. Need to keep it well away from the mic itself. The power cable is long enough to take the power supply out of the vocal booth we have, but if you are a one-room studio you might consider how to deal with the noise. (Can't just cover it up with pillows - the power box will get hot to the touch).

This is an 80/20 love/hate relationship. Eighty percent -- love what this does for male vocals -- brings out good amount of growl that really does (one other reviewer said) make the vocal sound "pre-mixed." In a good way. Just flatters male singers (me included). Can really hype a male singer who is singing from his diaphram and not the throat. This mic gives good "chest" -- whether the guy is rocking or talking or croooooning ballads.

Not at all bad for females either - but the effect is not nearly as apparent as it is for males.

For both males and females - really good fast transient response - plenty clear, captures delicate little sounds really quickly and crisply.

The twenty percent I hate: The mic really gives strong "ssss" and "ssshh." I am having to reach for the edit faders a lot on tracks I use this on to pull down "sss" and "sshh" noises. Really seems to hype that area a lot. Like I am having to drop EQ as a counter balance to the hyped area here. When either me or my female vocalist sing, we have never had to reach for a de-esser unit but now I'm thinking I should get one.

I'm rating this guy an 9. It gets 1 point off for a noisy power supply and 4 points off for too much "ssss" and "ssshhh." But I give it back 3 extra credit points for being really warm and extra flattering for male baritones and altos - great chest here. And 1 point back for being really a cut above it's competitors in this price range.

Studio Owner/musician

I bought this mic for my vocals. I tried it out and I was floored how great it sounded on my voice. I have lots of others at the studio and they all have there strengths. This mic is a brilliant sounding vocal mic and now that it is 300.00 cheaper (CAD does this sort of thing often) it is a steal. I will picking another off of ebay for the studio....this one does not leave my side (so I'm greedy....sue me!)!

I have been recording music for about 1 year with a Yamaha AW16G.

I usually run all my mics through Presonus Tube Pre's, but recently got 2 tube mic's and tube preamps don't seem to make much difference when recording with the AW16G. I think this mic sounds great! I got it used on ebay for $340.00. A couple of weeks before I got it I bought a new Rode K2 (699.00) I doubt I will ever use My AKG 3000C or my Oktava 319 again? But back to the CAD, I think overall the Cad sounds better for my vocals than the Rode, but this is totally subjective, I don't have a great voice and the Cad is more flattering on my voice. The CADs power supply has a soft buzz, which I also read in another review. If I could return the Rode right now I probably would, but mostly because I got the CAD so cheap and I have not yet needed the varriable polarity patterns of the Rode, but I have not had either of them for much time yet and they are both really good mic's. I would probably rate this a 9 or 10 if not for the power supply buzz.

25 Years experience. Most of that is recording and Studio Tech. I have a 32/8 Dynamix 3000 Console, Protools 001 with a Digimax, Fostex R8 8 Trk Analogue Tape. Alesis M1 Mk2, modified NS10's.

Cad VSM1 Valve Large Diaphragm Cardoid Condenser.
Primarily a valve Vocal mic or Acoustic/Guitar mic. Having heard alot of mid priced valve mics this mic is easily a cut above the rest(eg. Rode NTV). Has very distinct upper to mid highs but at the same time unmistakable valve fluid sound. In short, vocal tracks sound very classy and expensive and will sit nicely for digital tracking. Once you try it, you won't want to go back to non valve. The cardoid pattern is quite tight so it pays to stay on it, and has no bells or whistles, ie a one trick pony, but its a very good one! These mics are a steal second hand. I reckon there not far behind the Neuman 147.