Miktek CV4 Large-diaphragm Tube Condenser Microphone Reviews

I have the CV4 and CV3. CV4 works on baritones, altos, esp those with an edge. CV3 works great with airy voices, tenors, sopranos. Mic pre choice helps, obv., but these are stellar mics for the money. Stellar period. Oh, I also have a C5 pencil condenser, and that is stellar also. Michael and his team in Nashville make beautiful mics, affordable priced.

This microphone has completely exceeded my expectations. Let me start off by saying this is the first microphone I have ever written a review about, it is that good.. For this price point it is literally spectacular. If you can find this microphone used you should definitely buy it!! I record primarily vocals and wow it is a perfect microphone for that. This mic gives you a very balanced sound with a lovely high end that is not too sharp. The vocals I have recorded with this beast are huge and elegant. I will never need another microphone for vocals, this thing will do the trick for male and female vocals.. If you are having issues with mixing vocals this microphone will be the remedy. It will produce upfront full vocals with such detail and clarity, it is literally mind blowing. I have used the TLM 103 and the Mojave MA-200 and this microphone is significantly better than both of those microphones. Pair the Miktek with a clean preamp and say hello to sonic bliss!! :)

After listening to a wide variety of wonderful microphones from many famous industry names, I really was blown away by the Miktek CV4. All the frequencies are active, and they are smooth and beautiful. But what really sets this mic apart, from any I've ever listened too, is the 3D sound-stage realism. As many reviewers pointed out, this thing literally makes singers float like they are in the room. It's astonishing. I would go as far as to say that the Miktek CV4 is the best vocal microphone in the world to my ears (which are experienced) on the planet. Nothing is lost. Use only the best Pre and you will be in sonic bliss. 5/5 and beyond.

Was a happy CV3 owner for 4 years but always had my eye on its bigger brother once I had tried it. Did a shoot out with the Cv3, Cv4, Warm audio Wa 47,Neumann U87,and Peluso 2247SE - everyone agreed that on my vocals, the CV4 was by far the best suited. Wonderfully articulate sound with a classy and subtle tube growl in the mids that gives the right vocals, that extra 3D sound. It's the only mic I'm using these days. Also very nice on my Gibson acoustic, especially for picking.. My search for a mic is over. Can only recommend it..

Tried this as a recommendation from Ryan Sloan, and couldn't be more happy. This thing should cost 3x what it does for how good it sounds!

This mic is everything they described it to be and more. If your looking to upgrade and make an excellent investment in your recording journey, look no further and add the Miktek CV4.

I,ve owned the CV4, for over a year now! And, it,s the best one in my mic locker, by far. Built to last and accurately capture whatever it,s pointed at, and that,s all you can ask for! Not hyped, just balanced nicely. Hope I can get another one someday! And, made in the USA.

Just another 5 star review on this mike. I was told about this mike from a friend about 2 years ago. He showed me the video from the engineer that said it compared exactly to his very expensive, hopped-up Neumann. I have several cd projects in the works and was really needing this mike so the purchase was finally made after some extensive research and a great no-interest payment plan. So after a few weeks of recording with this mike, it is time to write a quick review. This mike is incredible, period. I spent all of Memorial Day working on a previous vocal track for intonation and breath edits. Several times during these edits, I was just shaking my head in awe on how great this mike sounded. I sent the final edit to the vocalist on Tuesday. Thursday night, he came over for some touch-up spots and, around an hour in, looked at me and said, "I love this mike!" ...I concurred.

On another note, I called Miktek directly to ask a few questions. My call was answered immediately and had a great conversation with a very educated techy dude about the polar patterns. He had some great info for me and dropped the fact that Journey's producer was using this mike in the studio there in Nashville. I really like the fact that I'm supporting this American company that's producing very high-quality microphones with great customer service.

Also, kudos going out to my salesman, Brendan Murphy, who helped get this mike into my hands after a anxious wait while on backorder. It's probably "demand and supply" instead of "supply and demand". Be patient...it's well worth the wait.

You've seen these reviews: Believe every word of it! (Except the negative one)...

this mic is a true workhorse for acoustic piano, acoustic guitar, drums, woodwind instruments... It's truly worth a great deal more money than it's current price tag...

And did I say amazing on vocals?

I've worked with almost every mic made including Telefunken ELAM 251's, Neumann M149, Brauner, Bock, you name it. The mic is insane for the $$. Very clean. Great low. It's awesome!

The Miktek CV4 has an excellent sound that is true to the source of whatever you are recording. the build quality is truly robust and has the aesthetics of a classic yet modern studio workhorse. I have recorded drums, female vocals, rap vocals and even death metal growls and they sounded phenomenal. This mic continues to surprise me every time i use it! A truly classic mic from a fantastic American company!

After I listened to my first recording from this mic I felt as though the playback was exactly what my ears could hear during the take. This Tube mic is not colored, it is natural and sweet. The proximity effect on the low end is super special on the cardioid pattern. You can get right on the mic and make the recording intimate and warm like a crooner's recording. I will swear by this mic forever as I continue to add too my locker.

I needed an all around vocal mic for a recording session I was doing that was a compilation style with many different singers. In one weekend we cut 4 vocalists and a flutist and this mic delivered excellent results. Everything form deep low male vocals, a belting soul singer and angelic high female harmonies!

I don't own this mic, but I recently received a vocal track that was recorded using the CV4 and I couldn't believe my ears! The initial tracks were all recorded in my studio, but since the client lives several hours away, recording re-takes was a challenge. She was able to find someone in Kansas City who had a small project studio, the only problem was that the guy didn't have near the same quality of gear that I had… or so I thought. I won't say which mic, but the one we used for the initial tracks cost me well over $3K. When this new guy sent me the tracks recorded with the CV4, I was blown away!

Warm, robust, buttery, silky, and creamy! There is no amount of high shelving EQ that can make this thing sound harsh! With the other mic, I had to have deEssers, boat-loads of EQ, heavy compression, and even a limiter (face-palm) to get the vocal to sit right in the mix! The completely unprocessed track from the CV4 was about 75% of the way there without ANY processing.

I'll be selling my "industry standard" mic to buy one of these bad boys, and still have money left over to buy a certain outboard EQ that I've been wanting!

The detail that this mic captures is great. We have mostly used mics in the sub $200 range which were adequate but dull. I don't have a lot of experience with high end mic's (I know this one is not high end price wise) but the step up in performance is more than worth what we paid. The difference in sound quality is unmissable between our older and our newer recordings. I would recommend to a friend.

Had the CV4 for nearly a month and it's everything I'd hoped for. Teaming it with either a UA 2-610 or Grace M101 (both purchased from Sweetwater) has given me a ton of tonal options I haven't had with other mikes, including my Miktek CV7 and AKG 414. Tracking vocals, acoustic guitar and even upright bass has all been great and my recordings have never sounded better. Only negative is I wish my Sweetwater rep would have told me about the free PM9 deal they have with the CV4 this month - I would have waited a couple of weeks for that. Oh well, sales are sales and life is life. Thanks Miktek!

Has everything you need in versatility and sounds incredible! I was veering towards a Neumann but am so happy I went with this one. The tube warmth and punch in this mic is great! If you're in the market for a new studio mic, don't be scared to give this one a shot. Miktek will be a staple in the studio before long. I have some of their other mics and they are all top notch!

I was at Sweetwater presenting with Hammond Organ and was thinking about getting one of these and it just so happens that the president of Miktek, Michael Ketchell, was across the hall shooting out this mic with many of the top contenders costing much more than this microphone . I had spent the last four months looking for a killer workhorse mic for my production studio. When I heard this mic up against the great company it was keeping ; it became clear. It was no contest . This microphone sounded beautiful . I purchased one on the spot and it's become my favorite VO , vocal, percussion and ... well .. workhorse mic. Paired with a Brent Averill 1272 --> Distressor --> Apogee Duet - this transformer / tube mic sings.

I have been in the industry for 20+ years and worked with some of the best .I also compose music and sound design for iOS games , animation and advertising . Believe me when I say this microphone is truly a modern classic.

Worked with Jeff Green on the purchase - buy from him and tell him I sent you :) Sweetwater is the only place I will buy from . A+

Decided to pull the trigger on this bad boy. Had female vocalist and some males come through. I heard samples that I found on gearslutz and so when I bought it I was already aware of the praise it got. When I plugged it in, WOW I was blown away with the clarity I got from it. SOOO smooth at the highs, clear mids, and punchy lows but not overkill. I loved it! tried it on a martin 16 series and woowww!! What made this company THAT MUCH better for me was the fact that I had a clietn come in and drop the mic from about 5 ft (He is a 6 ft 3in guy) onto wood that had nothing but concret under. So dont think it was a slight fall. Anyways, the grille got all bent and when I plugged it in, it made a SLIGHT fuzz. So I called Miktek, and they said hey man we will fix that for you, put a new grille and check electronics for you AT NO CHARGE. The guy told me its not in writting anywhere on their warranty BUT they do that for customers because they are thankful for their business. To see a company that covers even accidental at no charge is rediculous now a days, because I have dealt with many mic companies that just cahrge you to ship it back out, and labor, and parts. MUST GET THIS MIC!!

I just recently bought this mic and have read reviews before buying it. Telling me that it will replace the coveted "industry standard" Neumann U87. I wanted to test this out for myself. I just finished my own comparison with a pretty well known engineer at a post studio. (specializing in mostly voice). And a hand full of other audio guys. The results blew me away. This mic is nearly identical to the U87 sound at times. But on a much closer listen you realize that the Miktek CV4 makes the U87 sound almost Harsh and Brittle sounding in the top end. We compared the mics on Voice, Drums, and Acoustic Guitar. All with the same results. Almost identical but the Miktek feels less "annoying" as said by another audio guy there. It is more pleasing to the ear. I am more then satisfied with my purchase, I am blown away. I have that feeling you get when you know you just got something Awesome!

The Miktek CV4 is astonishing! Sooooo buttery smooth. I was originally going to pick up a Mojave MA300 before my sales engineer Derek told me about the CV4 being comparable to mics in a much higher price range during a recent shootout at sweetwater. I would compare it to the manley gold except with the added versatility of switchable polar patterns. It's really in a class of its own though. I suppose it also depends on what hardware you're running it through as well. I'm using a UA LA610 behind a UA Apollo interface. I feel extremely blessed to have such a great mic in my home studio. Looking forward to diving into some projects with it.

I originally tried this mic out a few years ago and, although it sounded really good, I didn't think it was that much better than what I was using at the time. Since then, I have upgraded my entire studio and after reading some more reviews and hearing a few sound clips of this mic, I decided to give it a second chance. It is only now that I realize the reason I didn't like it as much before was because it was too good! It made the rest of my gear sound awful in comparison! This mic is in a class by itself. It can growl and whisper. It can punch and breathe. It is actually kind of bizarre how 3-Dimensional it sounds. One of the best ways to know how good a mic sounds is to start stacking vocals and harmonies with it. This is (IMHO) where the cheap mics lose and start rearing their ugly heads because you start compounding the issues that they have. The CV4 just blends beautifully and seamlessly. Nothing gets mushy or harsh. Get this mic now, but just realize that it sounds so good that you may end up having to replace a bunch of other gear just to compete with it! So glad I gave it a second chance!

The subtle crunch of the tube, warms the vocals, giving them presence in the mix.

1. feels great seeing it in your studio.
2. it will pack your U87.
3. "hand crafted warm tube sound" was enough to convince me to buy it.
4. pattern 8 captures true front and back directions.
5. true sweet nashville sound.

I've been singing Gospel music for almost 35 years and have recorded my vocals in many of the great studios in the US. I've used many of the best known microphones these studios had to offer. Since building my home studio I have been looking for a great vocal mic with a budget in the $1,500.00 price range. I've found it in the Miktek CV4. While working on my latest project the first thing I noticed was the purity of this mic. It does record everything,so be aware. I love the warm but distinct character this mic produces. My dream of owning a big tube 5K mic is over. I'm very pleased with this Sonic Sensation!

This is one of those is that will sound great on just about anything you put it on. It shines on male vocals. It have a very pleasing top end. Silky would be a fine adjective to use. Warm, fast, responsive, true... Others that certainly apply. My new favorite!

far and away my favorite mic for vocals

This is real great sounding mic BUT it has some physics problems
1-Shockmount is not Vertical strait ..the mic looks like the tower of Pisa... I give (1 of 5 stars) for its Shockmount..

2- when you want to unplug it ...it is so difficult to press the 5pin cable switch to remove the cable ...because the Shockmount is not Designed well for the mic..
In Total... if you are looking for great sound but you Don't care about the pro looking and Finishing details ...
THIS IS THE TRUE GREAT ONE

THE CV4 WAS GIVEN TO ME AT THE NAMM ANAHEIM THIS YEAR, AND GUESS WHAT, IT REPLACED MY NEUMAN U87 IN MY STUDIO, THIS IS NOT A LIE BUT I ALREADY HAVE 3 RECORDING PROJECTS COMING OUT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND ALL MY CLIENTS LOVED THE CV4. SORRY NEUMAN YOU HAVE BEEN REPLACED!!!

Do yourself a favor and get this Mic already. As soon as started A/B ing ing this thing with my older Mic's i was astounded on the difference in detail on every application that i recorded. I truly became a believer after i recorded vocals and acoustic guitar through it. Word of warning however the CV4 is sensitive and has a VERY flat frequency response aside from a slight bump around 700 to 1500 kHz. So if you are used to Mic's with a bit of a Bass rolloff like i was, don't expect that here. It took me a second to get acclimated to this change because it doesn't do well with proximity to vocals, but now it is one of the best sounding microphone's that I have ever heard.

It's hard to characterize this microphone the way i would all my other mics, it just adds a magic touch to vocals that draws you in and makes you want to listen. There is still a place for my sm7 and my ksm32, but when i need to capture a song that is very vocal present I will grab this all of the time...it just draws you in and puts you right there with the vocals without sounding to harsh. I ran it thru my pacifica into the distressor and completely fell in love. If you can afford it get it. if you can't then start saving.

I picked up the demo that SW had available. Sooooo worth it. Wow, I paid even less than street price but you WILL NOT be disappointed regardless of the deal you get. The CV4 is well worth a significantly higher price tag based on comps alone. I recorded a vocalist/guitar in 8 pattern setting and it sounded phenomenal. Since then it just keeps getting better as I experiment with new settings and instrument types. Nothing has sounded sub-par.

My sweetwater rep Alan Carter pointed this out to me while I was looking for a quality vocal mic.

The sound is instantly fantastic on my female vocalists and sounds incredible on my own male tenor voice. It has a tubey high-end, very graciously soft, and a fat low end. One male vocalist I tried it on didn't work as well, it was a little too deep on him and we needed something more aggressive and forward-sounding.

On acoustic guitar I put it over the player's shoulder and pair it with a brighter mic at the 12th fret, then blend to get incredible imaging.

On top of the fabulous sound, the variety of polar patterns make this microphone outclass most other mics in its price range. With the figure-8 pattern and another mic I can do Mid-Side miking and get that beautiful sound in stereo. This is truly a bargain and i'm extremely pleased to be its owner. Thanks Alan for the advice.

The build and finish are great. I love the carrying case. You are getting a first-class piece of equipment for a very reasonable price.

I'm very critical on vocals I do a ton of female vocal work from, Pop, R&B, Rock and so forth. I'm currently working a big Commercial Project and I wanted a new vocal sound I looked at everything between $2,000 -$3,000 and Bob Furlong pointed me here. One of the best moves ever. I'm recording to a Focusrite Liquid Channel to a Apogee Rosetta 200 WOW. Please take my advice this Mic is CRAZY the polar patterns are surgical. I have achieved that Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Ke$ha, Mariah Carey Vocal sound. These are not my words, but industry professional whom have called and said "You're Vocals are the S#!?" and that makes me feel good, because we work so hard and spend so much to compete, so to have a product like this that takes some of the pressures away is great, I've only had this beauty for TWO WEEKS!!! Immediate Results!!!

BEWARE!!! This mic will allow you to hear things you have never heard before!!!! This will be scary to singers at first, it's like hearing themselves in 3D literally. I like to feel the vocalist in my heart when I work and the cv4 is emotional when the singers sings "I love you" you feel it when the singer sings "I Hate You" you feel it. Every word, nuance, emotion, diction, phrase, breathe and vocal booth Farts (LOL) are on display. Most microphones captures the voice this microphone captures the HEART!!! Big difference this thing is magical i love it more everyday. No Lie You are going to hear this mic on a national commercial campaign that I'm turning in on Thursday done right here in my home studio mixed by a mixing GENIUS (I legally can't disclose names). If you're into U87, Manley Mics, High-end Blue Mics, ADK, please pay the cv4 a visit this puppy will EAT a lot of the proclaimed BIG DOGS of recording.

I actually opened the mic up to see the NOS Telefunken tube kind of geaky, but i did. I must must say fellow audiophiles I am happy that it comes with such a cool case, because i take it everywhere and believe me i am not shy i run this thing with the SSL pre, Manley Voxbox, Grace, Vipre, 1176 do i need to say more? every studio i go in i pull it out. I want to run it with everything. I like to piss off guys who've paid $3,000 to $5,000 for a mic and I come in with this and destroy their previous vocal recordings. OH! people don't buy high-end mics and pres and you don't have high-end Convertors, it's just pointless.

Conclusion
Get gear that makes sense for you and the results you want not what's popular. I didn't want a Neumann or a Blueberry or a Manley MIc I wanted something different a great sound that's new. It's better to sound new than someone saying oh! you recorded that with a U87 a avalon 737 pre and a Manley Variable Mu. If a person can pick apart your vocal chain then you've lost. I like for guys to say "What The HELL is That?" take a chance on something other than the Norm and you'll be very surprised to find better results at a fraction of the price.

I've recorded lots of sources with this guy (had it since july i think it was) and i've loved it across the board but what I really loved was when i recorded a flute. this is the only time i've ever put a mic in front of a flute (or in the same room with one) and not gotten a single ounce of shrill. on every other source i generally just think "man, i wish that's how my ears heard." Actually, my first thought is "that is so natural sounding" but then i realize that's just how i perceive the sound, not how i hear it. this mic tends to make me hear things how i wish they sounded to me anyway.

I started out with a couple $300 dollar mic, because over the years I was told that this price range would give me a good mic for vocals. One of my friends let me hear a few songs that he did in a local studio and I I asked him what kind of mic they recorded on. He said it was a Neumann U87. That is 3x the price of all the mics I've purchased put together. I was at the point where I knew the kind of quality I wanted and was about ready to pay, but before I spent any unnecessary amount, I called an engineer at Sweetwater, he recommended the Miktek CV4. He also recommended I check the reviews. I checked the reviews and the only con was on a YouTube video where someone stated it was painted instead of nickel. This mic is a tube mic so it gives you that smooth/warmth that a lot of engineers love. Immediately I noticed it sounds amazing clearly happy with my purchase.
Pros- awesome sound, reasonably priced
Con- seem like there is not much promotion for the mic.

I would give five stars, but I haven't put it through everything that I have planned on. I have only used it in cardioid on female vocals so far. It is articulate and capture every nuance. It is present and smooth too. I don't have the high-dollar mics to compare it too, but it is warm and a vast improvement over a NTK. Worth the money.

I just finished my first day with my new CV4 mic. Before purchasing, I did a lot of research, talking to Sweetwater, reading reviews, visiting online forums, talking to a few owners. I even was able to get in touch with 2 people at Miktek who were intimately familiar with the mic from both a design and application standpoint. I wanted a studio workhorse that would enhance my rather modest mic locker, and so far, this mic is proving to live up to the promises about it. I tried it on several sources today and am sharing my findings below.

The Cliff Notes version - if you just want to get to the main points, here goes. you can read the other parts for more detail if you want. The mic has a nice bottom - full but not flabby. Its tight and smooth. Mid range feels open and natural, and there is a subtle presence that has a smooth character to it. The top end of the mic opens up nicely. On vocals, this mic seems to be very forgiving, with a large sweet spot, yet with acoustic guitar it responded with great sensitivity to very small changes in placement. Nothing about it is overhyped, no fizzle on the top and no flab on the bottom and no murky low mids, with presence that is smooth and not peaky. When compared to a more "budget friendly" mic in "solo" mode, I found the two very similar in tonal balance, but with the CV4 having a smoothness and richness that is hard to describe but clearly outshined the other mic. Those differences became much more noticeable when auditioning the different tracks in a full band mix. The CV4 sat nicely in the mix without a hint of compression, eq, or effects - a nearly finished sound right out of the gate. The other mic sounded like what it was - a raw track that needed to be massaged in order to work it into the mix. All in all, not bad for a days work. more specific details below:

Acoustic guitar - I found this brought in some of the warmth of a ribbon mic, but with the mid range and high end detail of a small diaphram mic, all with a smooth top end. Very responsive to changes in placement. I particularly liked it as a "body mic" especially when in a figure 8 mode with my cedar wall a couple feet behind it - it really livened up the track. It also did exceptionally well in my situation in the over-the-shoulder mode. if not placed carefully, i could see it being a little too bright for SOME guitars in the traditional 12th fret position, but as an all around mic it was warm and smooth, with ridiculously good detail, and a light top end that is hard to describe...maybe a bit "creamy".

Electric guitar - used a couple feet back on a Matchless Chieftain in cardioid mode it nicely captured the amp sound with a splash of room. The detail in the amp reverb and a subtle delay effect came through with flying colors, and the music was full bodied with a bit of richness to it. I can't say that the mic did some amazing thing to the sound - it really just comes down to the fact that on playback over the monitors, it sounded like it did when it came from the amp but with a hint of "sweetness" that I'm not used to hearing when I record it.

Female vocal - on a teenage alto voice, the sound was very natural, with a subtle sweetness to it. The vocals had a nice presence while still somehow managing to be slightly softened. Sibilance performance seemed good, a little better than I had expected, and the top end definitely felt more open and airy than I have been used to hearing on her voice. On past recordings I have used a hint of the 12k shelving on my preamps to try to create this sound, but with this mic that sound was already there, and very smoothly done at that. When switching from cardioid to a more omni directional pattern, there is a very subtle increase in the "air" - after hearing this, I analyzed the audio and confirmed a bit more energy in the track in the 10-11k range. Up close, the mic was very rich and breathy, and would be fantastic on an intimate vocal piece.

Male vocal - on a low tenor, the mic delivered good body and warmth, while maintaining very good definition. vocals were present but smooth and natural feeling, and the top end was again more airy and creamy than I am used to hearing. as with the female vocal, getting up on the mic yielded a great intimate sound, and when backing off and belting it out, it performed well also.

Got this mic last week and wow. Makes my other vocal mics sound less than awesome. Quick overview...

+ Lows are solid and not hyped, highs are nice on vocals that need sparkle. Mids are what I'm raving about. Keeps all the frequencies without harshness, and the whole mic feels like the vocals are 2 inches closer than on my other mics at the same distance. The 9 pickup patterns are amazing. I've found myself just cycling through them with headphones on till I find the sound I like. Sometimes it's surprised me. Nice packaging.

- only one and that is through my UA610 highs can get a little crispy on vox with a lot of rasp/highs or on bright acoustics. Settled on using my api's and having really bright vocalists sing a touch above the capsule and problem solved. Small issue and sometimes the high end is exactly what is needed to give the track sparkle.

Overall this is my new go-to vocal mic. Getting the mids and low mids right without eq has been awesome for me. I put this up against a u87 and was happy to keep this mic. It seems to keep the detail and adds character. The fact that it's built in Nashville is nice too.

I really do love the sound this mic produces. If you take the mic apart, you will immediately notice a fine level of detail. Great looking board, German NOS tube, transformer, etc. The highs are present, but not harsh. Mids and lows are very pleasing as well. I have used this on many vocalists that seem to really like the character it imparts. Let me say it one more time just to be clear: This thing ROCKS sonically.

The only thing I don't like about this microphone package is the accessories/finishing touches. I realize that they had to skimp on accessories to keep cost down, but dang, I would have paid 150 more dollars to have a higher quality shockmount, a less cheap looking frame and grill, so forth. From the exterior (the case, the shockmount, the quasi-generic psu, the glued on decals) this appears to be a somewhat cheap mik. The sound blows me away, I just wish the rest of the package did. I actually saw a similar (well it looked identical, but for the sake of not knowing for certain I'll say similar) made in china shockmount on a 50 dollar samson condenser. Really?? This is a 1400 dollar microphone.

Hey, and while you're at it, maybe you could put some neutrik connectors on your included 7-pin cable. Also the case could use some dramatic improvements. I mean, I guess it's made out of aluminum, but hey, so are soda cans. Nice glued on decal.

In the end, I would just say manage your expectations. When I pull this microphone out, I expect it to sound really good. I just don't feel really proud of the package.

I would give this piece of gear one more star if it looked cooler. Sounds perfect! Very open and clear sounding but with warmth and bass. Amazing metal work. Super Solid!

For Vocals: Not at all what I was expecting, considering all of the praise that others have for this mic. Lows are fine, mids are very weak, and the top....don't even get me started on the top! Not silky, and way, way too high of a 5-8k presence peak. Sorry, not my cup of tea at all!! But I suppose it's best to try and see for yourself.

This mic always gets so much praise that I picked one up believing I could get U47/M49 type tone from it. I specifically bought it for use on an alto voice. (think Carly Simon /Natalie Merchant) In this case I was hugely disappointed. There is a bite in the 5-8k range that cannot be tamed. I was hoping it would be smooth but it isn't, at least on this voice. So, it sat in the mic locker for months unused. I didn't like it on upright bass, acoustic guitar or violin (ouch). I was just about to sell it off when I read about replacing the capsule. Trust me, the capsule is EVERYTHING. I bought a Beesneez K7 (from Australia) and installed it, being very very careful. This CV4 is now on every recording I've done in the last year. Easily the best alto vocal mic and violin mic I've used. It stacks up against a Wunder CM7GTS/M7 very well and is preferred in many cases.
This mic stock was not to my liking but a fairly painless swap of the capsule made it great. In fact, i wouldn't mind having a couple more. It's that good. Hope this helps others.

I do not recommend this mic if you are recording a nasal sounding voice or anything that needs an accurate midrange response. The upper midrange is extremely harsh and the highs are not smooth as you might expect from a mic at this price point. If you love to spend hours on trying to eq your tracks recorded with this mic to try and get it to sit in your mix, then this mic is for you (sarcasm). In addition to the harsh sound, the capsule seems to have this weird compression effect when pushed. I thought it might be the tube, so I replaced - but I learned that is just the way this mic sounds. This mic is no better than mass produced mics that cost several hundreds less. Trying to sell mine for much less than I paid for it. I really wanted to love this mic and believe the marketing, but I was fooled...

I have thoroughly enjoyed Miktek's stuff, but I returned this mic because it did not suit the singer for which it was bought. He has a somewhat nasally voice (somewhere between Axel Rose, Robert Plant, and Dave Mustaine) and this microphone pushed this aspect of his voice forward. He actually sounds much better on their C1 FET LDC.

He didn't actually sound baaaaaad, but Sweetwater defines 1 star as "Just Not Right For Me* - which is accurate.

The mids were horrible on this mic. After using a world class mic I tried this out because of the reviews.
I couldn't get it back in the box fast enough. Sounds like a smiley face EQ response.
There are so many better choices for this price point. Not impressed.