User Reviews : Groove Tubes AM-62

1. Groove Tubes AM-62 - 2 months ago
Written by:Rip Rowan
Wednesday, February 28, 2001 6:00 PM
Anyone who follows my articles and newsgroup posts knows that I'm a big fan of Groove Tubes equipment, particularly their condenser microphones and preamps. The MD1a, MD2a, and others are all excellent microphones that represent the best confluence of modern engineering and art.
So you can imagine that I was quite interested in the products to emerge from the acquisition of Groove Tubes by Alesis. Frankly, I was very skeptical of this alliance. Alesis is known for producing average quality pro-sumer digital gear. Groove Tubes is a boutique tube company focused on esoterica and which offers products with a real handmade approach. So when I got the opportunity to review two of Alesis' new GT tube mics, I jumped at the chance to see if these products live up to the Groove Tubes tradition.
AM62 Multipattern Large-Diaphragm Tube Mic
The AM62 is a large-diaphragm multipattern tube mic designed for instrument and vocal use. The mic is housed in a large machined brass body giving it a nice feel and weight. The mic features four polar patterns: cardioid, omni, figure-8, and supercardioid. A –15 dB pad and 75 Hz bass rolloff are provided.
Alesis AM62 Tube Mic
The AM62 utilizes a miniature military-spec tube (GT5840M) in its preamplifier. The capsule includes oversized (> 1") diaphragms made from gold-sputtered 3 micron Mylar film and a special center-mounted gold disc which is said to extend high-frequency response and improve transient response. Unlike the original Groove Tubes mic, the AM62 uses a different kind of preamplifier. Whereas the MD1a and MD2a utilize a standard mic preamp tube (a kin to the 12AX7) and large, heavy-duty electronics, the interior of the AM62 reveals a low-voltage subminiature tube, Groove Tubes GT-5840M, and miniaturized electronics.
The AM62 sports respectable but not amazing specifications. The manufacturer claims a 20 – 20 KHz frequency response, fairly poor self-noise of 23 dB SPL yet high sensitivity of 35 mV/Pa, maximum SPL of 129 dB (without the pad), dynamic range of 107 dB, and S/N ratio of 71 dB.
For stand mounting, the mic ships with a simple clip that screws into the base of the mic body. I would have preferred a shockmount or other mount that seemed less likely to break. Also included in the package is the PSM tube power supply. All of the components are included in a sturdy but unflattering aluminum lunchbox flight case.
Real-World Use
I spent several months with the AM62 and discovered some of the AM62's strengths and weaknesses. Over time, I came to dislike the weaknesses more than I liked the strengths.
On male vocals, the AM62 is capable of providing a warm, rich, inviting sound with more "hair" than "air" on the treble. High frequency content is somewhat harsh, and the AM62 is fairly sensitive to sibilants. S's and T's can take on a nasty, distorted quality with the wrong singer. You will want to pay close attention to mic placement when working with a sibilant singer. The vocal has a good presence in the mix with a forward, slightly edgy sound, and a round, thick bottom end.
As I worked with other male singers and compared the AM62 to other mics in my collection (especially the MD1a and MD2a) I found that I never found a voice where I preferred the AM62 to the MD1a or MD2a. By comparison, the MD1a is more distorted and compressed sounding, much warmer, and has a similar sibilance. The MD2a offers low distortion and that magic glassy sheen with more treble and less sibilance. Between the MD1a and MD2a I could always achieve either a warmer, rougher, prettier, glassier, or edgier sound than the AM62.
Of course the AM62 offers several patterns while the MD1a and MD2a are cardioid only. I had several opportunities to try out the AM62 on drums, guitars, percussion, and group vocals. In all cases I found it to be a competent mic, but not especially "pretty" sounding. I did not like the AM62 on female vocals, preferring instead the MD2a or more neutral AT 4050. And I did not find any application where the AM62 was "the" mic to use.
AM62: Conclusions
So, the question. Does the AM62 carry on the tradition of the MD1a or MD2a?
The answer is No. It is a good mic, but suffers by comparison to the classic Groove Tubes models.
The MD1a is a very tubey-sounding mic: gobs of harmonic distortion, a slightly compressed sound, a very warm midrange, and a slightly diminished deep bass and treble. Sing into an MD1a and you'll immediately hear the tube. The MD2a is a beautiful-sounding mic that is warm but not distorted and offers magnificent transient response and a delicious, glassy treble that makes vowels sparkle yet doesn't seem to accentuate consonants. Both have that handmade look and feel, and both offer real sonic mojo.
By comparison, the AM62 is sort of "watered down." It lacks the richness of the MD1a, and lacks the clarity of the MD2a. And, it lacks the vibe of these unique mics. The AM62 doesn't match the workmanship or sound of the original Groove Tubes mics.
If you go looking around at web sites that sell the new Alesis GT mics, you'll see inviting text like "Alesis restyled the bodies of the microphones, but the quality remains the same." Don't believe it. This is not the same microphone at all. This is an Alesis mic with a Groove Tubes tube.