Sterling Audio ST51 Review – A Truly Solid Choice

Design:
Features:
Performance:
Value:

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Sterling Audio is not a name that has weight like some other brands in the business. Even so, their offer includes a few interesting models. Sterling Audio ST51 comes to mind as one of the most cost efficient condenser microphones you can get for less than $100 at the moment.

Design

Affordable microphones in general are usually simple. Most of the funds and effort that went into design, was limited to areas that enhance functionality or performance. As you could expect, aesthetics are first to suffer. That is mainly the case with Sterling Audio ST51. It is a plain looking mic with no discerning features that would make it stand out. Its body comes in form of a rugged and chunky metal chassis paired with side/top address grille configuration. From a purely aesthetic point of view, it is a stealthy model.

The type that draws zero attention in the studio. Its all black exterior and simple lines do however inspire confidence as the whole thing appears to be fairly durable. Considering how cheap this mic is, we can't really hold Sterling Audio at fault for taking the path of least resistance. They have made it up in more important way.

Features

Underneath the bland exterior hides a rather solid set of hardware. Sterling Audio has packed this mic with a 1″ brass capsule that is hand assembled and heat treated. The diaphragm is a Mylar unit with gold applied for additional performance. It is worth mentioning that ST51 packs a Class-A FET circuitry, which is more or less standard practice in this price range. When it comes to raw specs, you are looking at 20Hz to 18kHz frequency response range with a max SPL set at 134dB.

At the bottom of the microphone there is a standard XLR connector, which also indicates that ST51 requires phantom power. In terms of build quality, Sterling Audio has left very little to guess work by using stainless steel for most of the body. Without exaggerating anything, chances are that ST51 could withstand the horrors of daily studio use without issues.

Performance

Out of the box, ST51 comes across as fairly flat, especially when recording vocals. With that said, it does add tangible amounts of warmth in the mid section, which is what makes most vocalists sound better. Even though its max SPL isn't as high as we would like it to be, ST51 can still be used for recording instruments with great success. Its polar cardioid pattern is easy to work with and requires no special planning in terms of positioning. Whether or not you would want to try and mic up amps with it is up to you. However, that might be taking things a bit too far. As it is, Sterling Audio ST51 does what it is designed to do. In other words, it gives beginners and enthusiasts an extremely affordable way to get decent recordings at home. Pushing ST51 out of that spectrum of applications wouldn't be fair.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, Sterling Audio ST51 is a proper choice for those on a tight budget. It isn't too far behind the popular models in this price range in any aspect that matters. Based purely on the bang you get for your buck, ST51 is pretty sound.

For more info about the Sterling Audio ST51, click here.
For more Condenser Microphone Under $100 you might like, click here.