Located in Portland, OR, Ear Trumpet Labs is a small boutique company that specializes in hand-built condenser microphones with a distinctive, vintage aesthetic. Their microphones blend state-of-the-art sound quality with visually inspiring and playfully eclectic, retro-industrial or steampunk-inspired designs. With female names that evoke early and mid-20th century women, their models include the Edwina, Louise, Myrtle, Josephine, and their newest mic, Wanda. The Edwina is known for its versatility and feedback rejection, the Louise and Myrtle for capturing acoustic ensembles, and Wanda for its high-SPL handling and 1940s-'50s aesthetic midcentury styling.
Wanda is a high-quality and great-sounding compact, stand-mounted condenser mic with a distinctive and rugged-cast all-brass body intended for studio recording and live performance. Wanda has a medium-large diaphragm condenser capsule and multilayer pop filter designed for high-volume applications like horns, snares, or kick drums, with strong feedback rejection and plosive control without need for additional pop filter protection. The electronics are a transformerless FET circuit with fully balanced, hand-wired components, including film capacitors, precision resistors, and hand-tested, matched transistors with each circuit finely tuned for optimal performance. The high SPL handling circuit is designed not to overload from loud sound sources. The built-in mount pivots to different angles and is designed for easy adjustment and compatibility with straight and boom stands. No additional clip is required. “Road-ready rugged brass construction” is designed to handle the rigors of travel.
It’s important to note that Wanda is not just a novelty item. Wanda sounds excellent and has a strong, high output and hi-fidelity presence comparable to the fine European condenser microphones. It is unique in that other manufacturers do not offer a vintage looking condenser capsule option. There is a definite sweet spot for the Wanda that is pronounced, but it is a large sweet spot that fades after about 12” away from the mic.
Ear Trumpet Labs microphones achieve their distinctive retro-industrial aesthetic through a combination of carefully chosen materials, construction methods, and visual cues that evoke a bygone era of craftsmanship and engineering. Ear Trumpet Labs microphones are used and praised by numerous artists, including GRAMMY winners Billy Strings and Brandi Carlile. Founded by Philip Graham, a former software engineer who initially started building microphones for his daughter, they are made by hand in his small boutique workshop and offer a lifetime warranty. Ideal for vocalists, horns, strings, and more, Wanda is recommended across sound sources, from crooners and trumpets to drums and guitar cabs. $525
