Like many Tape Op readers, when I receive the magazine, I thoroughly
take in every page. One of the items I came across recently was a very
small ad for Cascade Microphones. I have been in the market for a ribbon
mic for a while now, to fill the need for getting some different sounds
other than what my small collection of studio condensers and dynamics
can provide. With this in mind, I thought I'd check out Cascade's
website. What I found was almost too good to be true! There were several
mics with bargain price tags, one of which being their Fat Head ribbon
microphone! At $159 street, I couldn't pass this opportunity up!
They offer a 1-year warranty, so I figured I had little to lose. After
ordering, I e-mailed the company to see if I could get a PDF copy of the
Fat Head owner's manual. A representative from the company informed me
that they were in the process of creating owners manuals, and all they
currently had available was the same frequency response spec sheet PDF
available on the site. The PDF does include some basic notes, but the
info is minimal. The rep from Cascade informed me that I could e-mail
him with any questions or concerns that I had before or after I received
it, which was nice. Customer service seems to be lacking these days when
it comes to a lot of pro gear manufacturers and distributors, so the
extra mile is always appreciated.
I received the mic a week or so later. The Mic comes with a wooden box,
a velvet mic pouch, a cleaning cloth, and a shockmount made especially
for the Fat Head. Upon inspection, I felt that the mic and shockmount
were of decent build quality. The shockmount was sturdy, and the mic fit
into it snugly and stayed put. Again, I was very impressed that this mic
and all its accessories were only $159. The head of the mic is fairly
large at 3'' in diameter, hence the name, and the body is fairly small
and thin. It is truly a unique mic with a classic look.
You may be thinking, "How did it sound & perform?" Well, I ran the mic
through a small tube mic preamp and boosted the gain so it would really
open up. The sound of the mic was open, yet warm and definitely natural.
I used the Fat Head close-up on acoustic guitar as well as on a small
Vox tube amp with an electric guitar, as an overhead for hand
percussion, and as a straight-up vocal mic. I was impressed by the
variety of sounds I was able to get with this microphone. On close
mic'ing, it was very responsive and clear; on overhead applications it
picked up the sound of the room beautifully, although it would've been
best using a pair of Fat Heads. Vocals were warm and full. Overall, it
made my digital tracks sound not so sterile. For me, I liked the Fat
Head best on vocals and acoustic guitars.
Bottom line, the Fat Head is a very versatile microphone that anyone
could easily integrate into his or her recording sessions. For those of
us who haven't yet entered the world of ribbon mics or just don't have
the dough for R84s and the like, the Fat Head is a perfect choice. I
might even purchase another one!
$159 street
