Design
The VANGUARD V1 gen2 is very different from other microphones in its price range. It is designed and precision-built in limited quantities to “no-compromise” standards, with hand assembly and 100% testing taking place here in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. We spent more than three years designing, developing, and refining the V1 gen2.
Our small-diaphragm capsules begin with a 16mm 4µm gold-sputtered Mylar diaphragm, carefully positioned in front of a precision-machined, custom-voiced backplate. We engineered the housing to bring the diaphragm as close as possible to the front of the capsule housing, preventing comb filtering.
The capsule is coupled to a transformer-balanced solid-state circuit that matches the unique musical properties of our capsules and is loaded with premium-grade, over-spec components sourced from manufacturers all over the world. We cryogenically treat critical components in the signal & power paths, including an ultra-high-grade hand-biased FET. The circuit is designed with an “In = Out” philosophy, with only four components present in the signal path.
Aesthetically, we think a microphone should look at least half as good as it sounds. The precision-machined brass body is coated with our signature Pinot Noir hue, finished with a deep, lustrous gloss, and accented by polished nickel trim and a precision-cast Vanguard badge. Your V1’s serial number is laser-engraved on the lower rear of the microphone.
The V1 gen2 was designed by a team of experts with more than 65 years of combined experience and vetted by award-winning engineers and producers.
Performance
We designed the V1 gen2 with the character and versatility of iconic pencil condensers in mind, while also utilizing modern technology & design to meet the demands of today’s recording professionals.
The V1 gen2 kit was created to be your most flexible and adaptable microphone system. Four 22mm capsules allow tonal variety on any number of sources, but we found them to be exceptionally well-suited for close-to-medium-range mic’ing of acoustic guitar, percussion, piano, and stringed instruments. (The wide cardioid capsule in particular deserves special mention here as our favorite, but each capsule has sources and situations in which it excels.)
After hundreds of hours of listening and testing exhaustive design variations with world-class engineers, we can confidently say that this microphone will exceed the performance of other pencil condenser microphones in its price range, and rival or exceed the performance of microphones costing several times more.
Quality
The V1 gen2 was designed in the USA, and undergoes final assembly in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. We perform 100% quality control – every single part of your V1 gen2 kit undergoes a series of stringent audio and visual tests here in Hatfield before being hand-packed. We precision-bias each high-grade JFET by hand.
Every part of the V1 gen2 was designed to be robust and reliable. Wherever possible, the circuitry is over-spec’ed. Deep-cycle cryogenic treatment improves the lifespan and performance of critical electronic components. Brass, steel, and zinc are part of the heavy-duty construction.
Features
Capsule & Electronics
4 small-diaphragm 22mm capsule assemblies – cardioid, hypercardioid, omnidirectional, wide cardioid
Transformer-balanced solid-state circuit
Ultra low-noise high-quality hand-biased dual-monolithic JFET and other premium-grade components
Deep-cycle cryogenic treatment of critical signal & power path components
Transformer-balanced output – custom-wound humbucking dual-bobbin transformer
Works via 48V phantom power
Construction
Heavy-duty brass, aircraft-grade aluminum, steel, and zinc construction
Each V1 comes with its own laser-engraved serial number
Over-spec componentry
Stealthy Matte Black finish
Precision-cast Vanguard badge
Hand Assembled & 100% Quality Control in Pennsylvania, USA
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