Design
The VANGUARD V1+LOLLI is very different from other microphones in its price range. It is designed and precision-built in limited quantities to “no-compromise” standards, with final assembly and 100% testing taking place here in Hatfield, PA. We spent more than three years designing, developing and refining the V1+LOLLI.
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 V34C “LOLLI” Capsule houses an extra-large 34mm edge-terminated, gold-sputtered 3µm Mylar dual-capsule assembly which is custom-voiced with a proprietary hand-tuning process. It is placed in a shockmount saddle nestled in a retro-aesthetic chassis CNC-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminum billets. Open-weave mesh, a carefully radiused interior, and precision-machined venting prevent standing reflections and allow for an “open-air” voicing. We engineered the V34C LOLLI head to spin 360 degrees while mounted on the V1, allowing for quick Y-axis positioning adjustments with no futzing around with mic stands.
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 JFET. The circuit is designed with an “In = Out” philosophy, with only four components present in the signal path.
The V1 was designed by a team of experts with more than 65 years of experience and vetted by award-winning engineers and producers.
Performance
We designed the V1+LOLLI 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+LOLLI kit was created to be the most flexible and adaptable microphone in your locker. The four small 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.)
The V34C “LOLLI” capsule adds another level to your toolkit by coupling the smooth, lush sound of our custom-voiced V13 capsule with the precision and detail of the V1 microphone. The LOLLI excels in almost any recording situation, with vocals being of particular note.
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+LOLLI was designed in the USA, and undergoes final assembly in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. We perform 100% quality control – every single piece of your V1+LOLLI 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 on a calibrated analog oscilloscope (a Tektronix 465B).
Every part of the V1+LOLLI 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, aircraft-grade aluminum and zinc are part of the heavy-duty construction.
Features
Capsule & Electronics
4 small-diaphragm 22mm capsule assemblies – cardioid, hypercardioid, omnidirectional, wide cardioid
Large-diaphragm V34C “Lolli” multi-pattern capsule assembly
Transformer-balanced solid-state circuit
Ultra low-noise high-quality hand-biased 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
Deep-gloss Pinot Noir finish
Polished nickel trim
Precision-cast Vanguard badge
Final Assembly & 100% Quality Control in Pennsylvania, USA
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