# Thoughts on the Slate ML2?



## merlinhimself (Aug 4, 2020)

I posted a thread about getting a pair of mics and a friend recently recommended the Slate ML2, was just wondering what anyone here who has used it thought of it! The idea of the mic modelling sounds interesting but also a little suspicious lol


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## ALittleNightMusic (Aug 4, 2020)

I have both the ML1 and the ML2 - I sold my SM7B and am trying to sell my U87, so...there's my vote  For my purposes, they sound great and offer a ton of flexibility at a much lower price than buying an entire mic locker. In the mix, nobody is going to be able to tell.


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## merlinhimself (Aug 5, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> I have both the ML1 and the ML2 - I sold my SM7B and am trying to sell my U87, so...there's my vote  For my purposes, they sound great and offer a ton of flexibility at a much lower price than buying an entire mic locker. In the mix, nobody is going to be able to tell.


How do they do with stuff such as cello or percussion?


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## ALittleNightMusic (Aug 5, 2020)

merlinhimself said:


> How do they do with stuff such as cello or percussion?



Well I haven't recorded a cello, but the benefit of it is you can find the mic emulation that works best for your source, room, and micing technique. If you buy a standard mic, you are locked in with that color no matter what source you put it on.


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## Trace (Aug 25, 2020)

merlinhimself said:


> How do they do with stuff such as cello or percussion?


So, I bought an ML1.

I also own several other mics including an 87, a 147 and a Mojave Audio MA 1000 And a pair of MA 201 FETs. I also own an SM7 and a handful of other great mics.

I do not like the way the Slate mic soounds in comparison with the others I have when recording pretty much anything.

So, I bought a Townsend Sphere, and it sounds brilliant. IMHO, you could replace the other mics I own with the Sphere. Although, the Sphere‘s models of small diaphragm and ribbon mics are a little suspect.

i do not own the ML2, but I wouldn’t buy one after my experience with the larger mic. The models just don’t sound authentic to me.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Aug 25, 2020)

I haven't liked the material that I've heard recorded with it. Compared to other options around that price, it's pretty good but it doesn't hold up against higher end mics. At the end of the day they're using cheap parts and you can hear it. Emulations are nice but you can download the Sphere plugin for free to use on any mic or you could just use a combination of EQ and distortion to try to emulate different sounds. 

I've heard great things about the Townsend but haven't used one myself.


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## Nyran (Aug 26, 2020)

I kind of agree on ML-1 even though I have been on a blind test and I was pretty damn impressive.

On the contrary ML-2 is very cheap for what it provides. I have recorded lots of acoustic instruments (incl. cellos, violins, perc and guitars) with it and even though I agree that having a Royer 121, a Shoeps 222 is different BUT for 160euros I don't care that the sound is not up to that standards and I can choose during mixing the sound I like. I made the same mistake before buying it and kept comparing it with microphones costing thousands of dollars. If I could afford a mic cabinet like that of course I would prefer it. Even the flexibility of changing the sound between different tracks while recording with only 1 mic is very valuable.

The AKG414 and the Shoeps emulations on it are great. I would have liked it to have a Neuman KM-184 emulation too.


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## ag75 (Aug 26, 2020)

+Townsend Sphere


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