Kel Audio Debuts with HM-1 Microphone

Kel Audio, a new microphone company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has introduced the HM-1, a side address small diaphragm condenser microphone designed for home studio and stage recording.

Retailing for $99 including shipping, the compact cardioid-only mic combines a half-inch externally biased capsule with modern surface mount electronics to produce a simple microphone free of the sharp presence peaks that characterize many popular entry-level imports, according to the company.

"We had several non-negotiable design criteria in mind when we specified the HM-1," states Kelly Dueck, President of Kel Audio. "First, we wanted to bring out a microphone that sounded distinctly different than the current crop of affordable large diaphragm condenser mics. Most of those mics exhibit a 10 to 12 kHz resonance peak that's inherent in the capsule design, so the first thing we did was eliminate the large diaphragm capsule. But unlike a lot of small diaphragm cardioids the HM-1 features full mids. It's not a bright mic and it's not supposed to be." The company's goal is to offer a sonic contrast to home recordists looking to round out their creative palette.

The HM-1 is available exclusively from the company's web site.