Aston Microphones is a relative newcomer to the audio gear space, but the company has made huge waves over the past several years. Musicians of all types, and especially younger successful artists and producers, seem to be flocking to the Aston Origin in particular, a reasonably-priced and unique condenser microphone. The reviews have been nothing short of effervescent, and I had to find out why.
So I picked up an Aston Origin for myself about a year ago to see what all the hype was about. The short version: it’s not hype. This is a truly impressive microphone that almost seems too good to be true at a sub-$300 price point.
The Aston Origin microphone and its beefier more pro-grade sibling, the Aston Spirit, both landed near the top of my list of the Top 10 Home Studio Microphones. So I thought it would be great to put together a full Aston Origin review (which is what you’re reading now), plus a Full Aston Spirit Review. And if you’re sitting on the fence trying to decide between these two great microphones, check out the final post in the series, Aston Origin vs Spirit: Which Microphone Is Right for You?
My Personal Experience with the Aston Origin
For several years I was using a cheap mic I inherited (stole) from my dad. It was starting to give me issues, so I made the decision to upgrade and purchase a new mic (an upgrade I should have made MUCH earlier).
I probably went to the local Guitar Center 8 times to test their microphones before I actually pulled the trigger and walked out with the Aston Origin in-hand. I kept second-guessing myself because everyone I talked to was unfamiliar with Aston and recommended different brands. But each time I tested that mic, it sounded so much more crisp and full of character than other microphones. Maybe it was just a better fit for my voice or maybe many were still just unfamiliar with Aston since it’s a newer brand from the UK.
I’ve been so happy with this mic and have no plans to upgrade or change any time soon. I’d definitely recommend grabbing the Halo and the SwiftShield Mic Shockmount in a bundle that I’ll link for you below. If you don’t have a treated room or live in a big city with lots of sounds, the Halo Reflection Filter will be a life-saver for you.
Now, on to the full Aston Origin review!
Unboxing: Look and First Impressions
When you purchase an Aston Origin microphone, the first thing you’ll notice is the box. Many pro-grade condenser microphones come in substantial carrying cases, but not the Aston Origin. The Origin ships in an eco-friendly recyclable package that might even come across as flimsy. But if you do want to store the microphone in its box, it’ll hold up just fine.
The box seems like an unusual choice, but there’s purpose behind it. The company has examined every angle for saving production costs, so the custom wooden box had to go. Aston saves money on packaging, storage and shipping, plus the company does the earth a favor in the process.
When you remove the Aston Origin microphone from its box, you’ll immediately notice some visual differences. It doesn’t look like most other condenser mics you’ve seen— in a good way. The beautifully rugged stainless steel barrel looks almost unfinished, and the microphone head looks like none we’ve ever seen elsewhere.
Of course, both the body and the head are designed with both cost and performance in mind, and we’ll get into some more technical details later on.
As far as first impressions, though, the Aston Origin somehow manages to look equal parts vintage, modern and rustic all at once. To say nothing of the sound quality, the microphone certainly has a unique visual appeal. It’s easy to imagine it showing up in music videos for the visual alone.
Check current prices on Amazon for the Aston Origin Microphone
Microphone Type
The Aston Origin is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone. The one-inch diaphragm is perfect for capturing vocals, single-source instruments, guitar cabs and more. It’s the sort of microphone that’s more likely to show up in a studio than on a stage, though with a narrow cardioid polar pattern, stage applications aren’t out of the question.
If you’re looking for a single microphone that’s an all-around performer for vocals and single-source instruments, this is it. That said, if you envision needing multipattern functionality, you won’t find it here. You’ll need to check out the Aston Spirit for that.
Let’s Talk About That Head
Far and away, the most visually striking aspect of the Aston Origin is the head. What’s going on with that wavy, springy stuff, and what’s happening underneath it?
Aston is proud of its Wave-Form Mesh Head, and for good reason. The springy outer layer is much more than just a design flourish. It’s actually a cost-saving protective measure, which absorbs accidental impacts and keeps the microphone capsule from taking the brunt of the hit. You can actually push on the wave-form layer, and it will spring back into place.
Other microphone makers turn to more costly and less visually pleasing solutions, or they don’t bother to provide this kind of protection.
Thanks to the innovative placement of this wave-form layer, you also get a little more off-axis rejection from it.
Below the wave-form layer is a built-in stainless steel mesh pop filter. It’s very effective at eliminating vocal pops thanks to the random weave. Other benefits to this pop filter are some shielding from electromagnetic radiation and that it can be removed and washed.
Mounting
Most large-diaphragm condenser microphones are ultra-sensitive to vibration noise and must be shock mounted to be usable. (If you’re not sure what this means, pull up just about any Twitch streamer and listen to the sound when they inevitably bump the microphone or its stand. And that’s *with* a shock mount, typically.)
Aston has done something intriguing, though, creating a custom-molded stainless steel end cap that directly integrates both the XLR connection and the thread mount for your normal microphone stand. The company has built in exceptional internal shock absorption, eliminating the need for a shock mount.
Sound Quality
The top consideration when buying just about any microphone is sound quality. The tough thing is, sound quality is subjective and hard to judge, and it’s not like there’s one right answer about which microphone is best. Everything in the audio chain (preamp, interface, etc.) affects the end result. And in a professional recording environment, differences between singers’ voices or desired production styles might also weigh your microphone choice.
So, with that caveat in place: reviewer after reviewer sings the praise of the Aston Origin. The sound quality is superb. Aston describes the sound as “forgiving” and warm, producing a sound that’s true and natural. It’s a microphone that lets you hear yourself sounding like yourself— with a bit of a forgiving warmth.
It’s not just gear reviewers singing the praises of this microphone, either. Artists like Noel Gallagher, Kylie Minogue, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and more all trust Aston for their microphone needs. And we’re not talking about some super exclusive pro model, here: they trust the Aston Origin and the Aston Spirit— microphones priced at a point that home artists can easily afford.
Potential Drawbacks
As good as the Aston Origin is, there’s no such thing as a perfect microphone. Now, I’m really nitpicking to find these potential drawbacks, but here are a few things to be aware of.
Unusual Size
The Aston Origin is perfectly cylindrical, which isn’t all that common for large-diaphragm condenser mics. Because of its unique size and shape, most standard shock mounts won’t fit it.
Now, in most applications, you don’t need a shock mount because of the excellent internal shock absorption. But if you end up needing one, finding a good fit can be a headache.
If for some reason you’re expecting to need a shock mount, you might want to go for the Origin Black Bundle, which adds a high-quality custom external pop filter and shock mount to the package. (You also get the microphone itself in a gorgeous black finish.)
Unique Tonality
It’s tough to find the right words to describe this potential drawback, because saying a microphone has a “unique tonality” sounds like the microphone is either wildly experimental or terribly cheap. The Origin is neither of these things. Still, when Aston reimagined the condenser microphone pretty much from scratch, it didn’t arrive in the exact same place as the competition. The tonality here is just a bit different. Excellent, but different.
The Gearspace Aston Origin review gives the microphone 5 out of 5 stars for sound quality—and even clarifies that this rating is before accounting for the surprisingly low price. That’s high praise, but it’s coupled with a similar caveat that you’ll want to spend a little time getting used to the microphone and its tone before casting judgment.
The Spirit Is Even Better – and Not Much More Expensive
This isn’t so much a drawback as an observation. The Aston Origin was, quite literally, the origin of the company. It was their first microphone and the one that launched to stratospheric levels of popularity unheard of for a brand-new company. It’s a deeply impressive all-around condenser mic and would be a worthy addition to your home studio.
But Aston didn’t stop after making one microphone. They kept innovating and eventually released the Spirit. The Spirit is everything the Origin is, plus a lot more (namely, it’s a multipattern microphone with some higher-end circuitry that creates more headroom, transparency, and harmonic sparkle).
Again, these kinds of aspects of sound quality are subjective. But on paper, the Spirit looks to be the better microphone in terms of overall sound quality, and the multipattern flexibility is a nice touch.
If you aren’t a beginner and you can stretch your budget by around $150, there’s a compelling case to be made that you should buy the Spirit instead.
Final Thoughts
No matter how you slice it, the Aston Origin is an impressive microphone— maybe the most impressive innovation in the space in more than a decade. Unless you’re rocking $3,000 Neumanns in your home studio, the Aston Origin is likely to be a big step up from whatever you currently have. (And even if you are, you might find that you like it better than the Neumanns, even. Others have!)
The few slight imperfections or potential drawbacks fade into meaninglessness when you consider that this microphone retails for just $299. At that price, it’s definitely worth the purchase and will be a solid addition to any home studio.
Check current prices on Amazon for the Aston Origin Microphone