Sterling Audio ST31 Review
Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Microphone
- Preamp: Low noise FET circuitry
- Polar Pattern: Fixed Hyper-Cardioid
- Frequency Response: 20Hz - 18kHz
- Equivalent Noise: < 28dB SPL ” A Weighted
- Sensitivity: 5mV/Pa
- Maximum SPL: 146dB
- Typical Load Impedance: >500 ohms
- Output Source Impedance: 200 ohms - transformer
- Dimensions: 7" long, 1.2" max. dia.
- Weight: 7oz.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 19 of 19 Reviews
My Favorite Snare Mic (for recording)
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by RICHARD on Guitar Center
My snare of choice is a PorkPie Cherry/Bubinga. I've tried sm57, i5, sm7b, and an EV n/d408b for years. The st31 is the only one of all these I've used that can truly handle the spl without coloring the tone, or at least without excluding most of the rest of the tone besides the thwack. I can use it at multiple distances and angles for an array of usable tones. Even with blaring cymbals and hats, my current sweet spot is one inch directly over the rim aimed across to almost the center. Which brings up my only negative point about this microphone: how can this mic be marketed as a hypercardiod with so much off-axis bleed? The diaphragm is totally exposed. BUT... because its a pencil mic, I easily wrapped some one inch thick acoustic foam around the outside windscreen with a strip of Velcro. I'll try to upload a pic of it. Now, I have even less hihat and cymbal bleed than ever. PLUS... the original bleed actually made my hihat sound slightly better than both pairs of OHs I already have, too bad about the unmanageable levels. Which led me to consider buying a couple more as overheads. Which I did. And WOW... for that price, you WON'T find better overhead mics. Overall I'm very happy with my 3 st31s and I'm even more happy that I can finally stop looking for "the right" mics. ... More
Best you can get for the price
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Joshua Coughey on Guitar Center
This is no KM85, but if you're on any sort of budget, I would strongly recommend this mic. It sounds good on acoustic instruments, putting out a bright, but not too much so, tone on anything that would normally take a small cap condenser. But allow me to tell you a story... I recently mixed a 7-piece band on a board with 10 mic inputs. Needless to say, I was very crunched for space. So for the drums, I put an Audix D6 on kick, SM57 on snare, and a Sterling ST31 as an overhead. I wound up not even using the snare channel; the ST31 worked amazingly as an overhead mic, picking up everything beautifully (the channel was compressed to hell, which helped). The snare actually sounded better in the context of the show through the overhead ST31 than with the 57. The drummer was fairly aggressive, and even with the channel gain set to minimal, I was still clipping on snare hits. That said, I never heard any distortion whatsoever. My one complaint about this mic is definitely its low SPL limit. However, the upgraded version, the ST33, has a built-in pad, and I'm definitely looking forward to trying that one out. ... More
st 31 review
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by MB on Guitar Center
I purchased two of these mics for drum overheads. These little condenser mics capture a true picture of a drum set amazingly without a drop of EQ, add a little reverb and your set. The true crack of the piccolo snare shines through and the cymbals don't bleed threw but yet actually fit right into the music. I've been recording hard rock for 8 years and this drum sound with the ST 31s is the best drum sound I have yet encountered. I'm writing this because I spent countless hours researching a good set of overheads for CHEAP that would work with my budget and couldn't find anybody saying what I needed to hear. ... More
Just OK
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by UUcoffeehouse on Guitar Center
Hey, you get what you pay for. I bought a pair of these mics for a children's choir in a church. One of them was defective and after replacing it, I was disappointed in the dynamic range. I tried them on acoustic guitars, a pipe organ, grand piano and even tried 'em as overheads for congas. They're treble efficient and lack a little in the 40-300hz range. So far I've tried three and each one has sounded remarkably different. In the end, they are what they are and I'll use one of them more frequently than the other and that one as a last resort. I strongly recommend the MXL 993 pair in this price range. ... More
Please do your homework guys
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by James Hare on Guitar Center
If you've never used a medium to high-end small diaphragm condenser, you can't accurately rate this mic. Unfortunately what everyone refers to as "crisp" and "detailed" is just a mic with EXTREMELY hyped high frequencies. Just about any track recorded with this mic is too brittle and thin to hold up in a mix, yet somehow maintains a horrible harshness that can't be eq'd or compressed out. I think too many people are rating this mic with NO EXPERIENCE mixing with nicer small diaphragm condensers. I too thought I loved my pair when I got them 2 years ago. Then I realized no matter what I did, cymbals were too harsh from the overheads, electric guitar had a horrible nasal mid-scoop, and acoustic guitar was thin brittle and lifeless. ... More
Ads
Economic Device to Amp String Instrument on PA System
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Ziggy Arnold on Guitar Center
I play double bass in church, in which I bow, orchestral style. We have an elaborate PA system. I had used pick ups, which made the bass sound raspy. All other strings are on microphones. Sunday, I used an ST31, and ran it into the board using phantom power. The mike delivered a strong, deep clear signal over our PA system (we have six cabinets, each with two twelves and other speakers. Our sound engineer said it was the bass sound he ever got out of my bass. I highly recommend the microphone if you need a mike for your accoustic instrument. Regards, Ziggy ... More
great little mic
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Jesse Farrah on Guitar Center
This is a fantastic little mic, i am so pleased with it's sound that i want to buy more mics from sterling audio. It has been used for a harpsichord, vocals, and acoustic guitar, even some wind instruments, all sound great i am really impressed. Vocals come in clearer and stronger on this mic than a large condenser that was more in price. Such a great deal.
Bought a couple fo these ...
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Anonymous on Guitar Center
Bought a couple fo these to use on Drum Oh's at church. Pretty decent soundiong little mics. I didn't find them to be overly harsh, and they picked up the kit well, without too much bleedthrough. Also tried one out on Ac Gtr in my studio. Sounded pretty good, though a tad boomy too my ears, but nothing I couldn't eq out. All in all, pretty good little mic for $100.
Better than SM57 for recording guitar cabinet
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by DurrtySteve on Guitar Center
We were having a hard time getting a good sound using the trusty SM57 on my guitarist's Orange 2x12. We swapped the mic with our ST31 and immediately got the tone we were wanting. Sounds just like how the guitar sounds live. We have the mic 2" away from the speakercloth, pointed off-axis at about a 20 degree angle.
Provides Great Sound
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by J Peckham on Guitar Center
I own five of these mics. We utilize them for children's choir (about 30-40 kids can be ample enough for two of these mics). I also use one for a drum overhead mic. In addition we put one up against a guitar amp. And I have one for backup. They seem to be sturdy enough. We actually move all our equipment every week being a portable church and they seem to uphold the small beatings each week.
Sterling audio St 31
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm Hypercardioid FET Condenser Microphone
Reviewed by Esaul V. on Reverb
I love this microphone, this is an istrument target instrument, but it works amazing with my coice, adds a lot of character im low and mid and keep high frequencies im place, low noise and feedback good condenser microphone for the price
Good deal
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm Hypercardioid FET Condenser Microphone
Reviewed by Steve S. on Reverb
I have bought 3 of these microphones. They are a great for the price. I have used them on snare and on piano in a live show to great effect. Worth every cent.
Excellent mic but...
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Braulio Soto on Guitar Center
I use this in the worst audio conditions, in a close space with lots of echo, traying to mic a piano or guitar I found it really hard to equalize to avoid the most problematic frequencies and feedback, I used to mic with pg81 with no problems and excelent results, I?m not telling this is a bad mic, but doesn?t work for mi needs, I will use it on my studio, then I post a new review.
Awesome Sound
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Mark Owens on Guitar Center
This mic gets an awesome sound when miking my classical guitar. Hook this mic up to a good acoustic amp and you one great sound!!
Great Workhorse
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Nick on Guitar Center
Great little mic, sturdy, clear detailed sound. Needs a good eq to get the best performance but otherwise a top notch field mic.
Sterling Microphone ST31
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm Hypercardioid FET Condenser Microphone Stereo Pair
Reviewed by Steve S. on Reverb
These little microphones are a great sounding pick!
MIc to Noisy to Use
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Ross on Guitar Center
I purchased the ST31 after reading the reviews, looked like a inexpensive mic to close mic brass and sax, I tried the mic on my Mackie mixer, The self noise was so high I could not hear the other channels, over 40 Db. I think it was a bad mic, sounded like the ocean, I put three other mics on the same wire and channel without issue. I returned the mic, to Guitar Center for a full refund.
Great For Anything!!!
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by Andrewvox on Guitar Center
This mic is straight-up awesome. Its good for live, its good for recording, its the overall working mans mic. I use it on my acoustic guitar and it picks up just what I want it to.
Sterling Audio ST 31
Sterling Audio ST31 Small Diaphragm FET Condenser Mic
Reviewed by webrack on Guitar Center
The st 31 is a great sounding mic! Despite being a relatively new brand to the industry, the technology and experienced work behind it is amazing! Definitely on my must try list.
