+ Martin Larsson – Dissonanspoet

“What a great sounding mic you sent me, I´m very very happy with it! I have just used it a little, but wanted to write to say that it´s already clear I did the right thing to wait for you to finish your new line of mics. What I can say is that regarding the bass I at least don´t want any less, but the overall sound is so focused and nice, and the mids and highs are so great, that I do not want to risk messing with them.

Once again thanks for an excellent sounding (and looking!) mic, you have done a fantastic job!”

+ Kevin Seaton – Heavy Duty Music

“Had a chance to record some male vocals with the UM4X yesterday. Sounds amazing! It’s HUGE in the low mids and very smooth through the upper mids and detailed in the top end. I’m not sure what if anything I would change about it. I was pulling out a bit of bottom and low mid but I’m not sure if I would necessarily change that in the circuit. I think on female vocals or a thinner voice it would be nice to have that fullness. I’m sure it’s also going to be a nice compliment to the 250.

Got a chance to use the 250 on a few sessions this week. Sounds fantastic! Worth the wait. Between this and the UM4X I can’t see myself really needing to reach for another vocal mic. Really love both of them.”

+ Cyril Hassler – Sirup Gagavil

“Yesterday we made a shootout with the U47 and M49. It's most of the time closer to the M49. The BSA really is very close to the originals.

Seemed to me that it has a more expanded bandwith as the Neumanns - the BSA won the bassdrum test. It has more low end than the Neumanns. But it's not muddy at all. Really nice.”

+ Paul Godfrey – Morcheeba

“These M49 clones sound insanely good and deep. Better than most of the U47 style mics I have. They've just struck it right with these new electronics, and the Siemens SM204 clone is an absolute work of art too.”

“I’m surprised how authentic it sounds. I have a C24 and a Flea 12 with original CK12 & GE 6072 and the Siemens clone sounds as good as those.”

“I am so happy and they each cost less than €3000 for 3 of the best mics I have ever heard.”

+ Fredrik Kurzawa – Katzenjammer Rec.

“I really love the microphone! It sounds very open on vocals without having a bad topboost. It still sounds hi-fi but not in the supermodern way.

But it really surprised me on the kickdrum! I've recently changed my 60s Premier kit for a smaller and early 70s Slingerland kit, and was totally blown away when I found myself happy with using just the BSA on BD, together with a pair of Coles 4038 on overhead. I was fully satisfied with that configuration. Didn't even use a snare mic.

It kinda mixes itself.”

+ Greg Gordon – Public Enemy, Slayer, Soulwax

“At Red Star Recording last week, we put the BSA up in a shoot-out against one of our favorites - a vintage SM69 tube. We recorded various distances of acoustic guitar, male and female voices, and room applications (claps, b3 organ, electric guitar...)

During playback, my partners were consistently fooled as to which mic we were hearing. 50% of the time, we chose the Blackspade as ‘the one’ which is quite remarkable considering the history and price difference.

We’re all excited about the possibilities of a matched pair or trio (or quad!) of these beautiful microphones. My partners (and I) are not easily convinced when it comes to new mics, but this one is a no-brainer. It sounded as open in the top and as “physical” in the lows as the Neumann - and it really has it’s own presence characteristics which seem to be missing in many modern re-issues.

You have our attention!”

+ Mike Musmanno – Outkast, Arrested Development

“Finally, a microphone that evokes the feeling of purchasing one of the “classics”, brand new. Tight, responsive; what these are supposed to do! Fifty some years later someone is selling that experience again; buying a new classy, useful microphone - not a “tubey” gimmick or a poor imitation. There is nothing sonically overt that says “this is a tube microphone”; and that is a compliment of the highest degree.

Honestly, the first time I have been genuinely impressed with everything offered. I learned on the classics, and have worked with the best examples of the best. This can stand proudly with any of them. Seriously.”

+ Bob Parr – Barry White, Shalamar

"I have two of these mics and can tell you that this is the best investment I've ever made, for studio gear. I use these mics all the time, and on major productions. I cannot give any higher recommendation to these mics."

+ Joe Barresi – Queens of the Stone Age, Skunk Anansie

“I used the BSA quite a bit on the last recording as a room mic for drums and an additional vocal mic. Still experimenting with it, but for the moment I can see it finding a lot of different uses around here – it’s a versatile new microphone and a great addition to my studio.”

+ Joe Cardamone – The Icarus Line, Giant Drag

“Our custom BSA's kill any mic being made right now at any price. As for vintage tube mics, I end up around large collections of them quite often and this can hold water with any of them.

It’s dry 3D on everything like a classic tube mic should be but it really does something insane on my vocals. The fact that this mic will street at less than 3K is astonishing - this level of pedigree has never been within reach of so many people...”

+ Dave Percefull – Green Day, Pinetop Perkins

“I have a matched pair and they are in heavy use daily on amp cabs. I’ve also used them on grand piano and they were excellent. And I’ve used them on drum overheads and percussion.

I haven’t done any comparisons... but they are excellent mics and went into immediate service at yellow DOG. I love this mic... sounds great and tough as nails.”

+ Andre Netto – Angie Stone, Toshi Kubota

“I have used the UM17B on a few sessions already... It sounds big, warm, detailed, present and has just the right amount of crispness without sounding harsh at all in any situation.

It’s truly a wonderful microphone. I think this is the first time ever I’m truly satisfied with any female voice I record, and that’s a lot to say."

+ Mike Tholen – Rax Trax

“I have been using them for drum overheads with no less than stellar results. In my career I have used many different mics for drum duties, including many coveted vintage mics, and I can safely say that I am getting some of my best sounds with these mics.

The Blackspade stuff are game changers and they have made me rethink what I have in the mic locker.”

+ Regis Florida – Sonic Labs

"I have a pair and smooth is the name of the game with these mics. I threw a Blumlein pair in front of my drumkit and even with my less than ideal room acoustics I had a fantastic sound straight, no EQ, no compression! Also killer on percussion, passed the "shaker test" with flying colors, nice presence, smooth top, just perfect."

+ Riley Bunn – Green Recordings

“They are outstanding mics. We've been using them on vocals as well as overheads, saxophone, and guitar amp room mics on this Aperture session (prog rock). For some of the spacey cleans we found a nice bass null and put one up in omni, panned and phased it against the main amp mic (a 507 I think) and got a great liquid, spacey sound without needing any effects.

There's also a 100' long drum hall where we've put one in fig8 about a third of the way back where the snare and kit really went "whoosh" off the back wall and got great sounds. It's a wonderful sounding, exceptionally crafted, really really useful mic.”

+ Sound On Sound – September 2012

“My first experience of a Blackspade mic, and I’m very impressed with both the company’s design ethos and the sound quality achieved with this particular model. It’s well worth checking out if you are in the market for a high-quality, versatile all-rounder valve microphone.”

To read the full review click here.

+ Tobitech Magazine – September 2015

“Das UM17B ist eines der besten derzeit erhältlichen Mikrofone auf dem Markt. Es ist klanglich und qualitativ den Mikrofonen in der Referenzklasse ebenbürtig und das erfreulicherweise zu einem Preis, der nicht zu überbieten ist. Das Mikrofon muss man unbedingt gehört haben um sich eine Vorstellung dessen Klangfülle machen zu können.”

To read the full review click here.

+ Tape-Op Magazine – July/August 2011

“For female vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar and any source where you want to convey a realistic, natural sound, you would be hard pressed to find a better mic in this price range — and without the hassles of maintaining vintage gear.”

To download the review click here.