Warm Audio has built its reputation on making classic gear accessible, and the Retro 64 continues that tradition with vintage broadcast styling wrapped around a thoroughly modern dynamic capsule.
When it comes to buying audio gear, there are few things more satisfying than finding a rugged, versatile, workhorse microphone that is going to have your back for whatever challenge the live stage throws your way. In the case of the Warm Audio Retro 64, it doesn’t hurt for the microphone to have a bit of vintage charm in the looks department, either.
Since starting Warm Audio out of his Texas garage in 2011, founder Bryce Young’s desire to put fully professional, high-quality recording equipment in the hands of aspiring musicians and engineers for an affordable price hasn’t changed. The Retro 64 is the latest offering from Warm Audio, and it is no exception to the company’s endeavour to faithfully recreate the classic analogue recording gear that has delivered the biggest music hits.
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Re-imagining a classic broadcast-style dynamic microphone design, the Retro 64 has an updated sound profile for the modern stage, designed to reject noise and feedback while simultaneously delivering vintage styling.
The live music environment can be a tough, unruly and unpredictable beast, whether you’re in the familiar territory of your favourite hometown venue or taking your show on the road, having a durable microphone like the Retro 64 doing its job night after night, delivering a tried-and-true sound can make all the difference. With its cardioid polar pattern and 300 Ohms impedance, the Retro 64 is designed to slot naturally and seamlessly into any contemporary front-of-house setup, making it a trusty new addition for any FOH engineer.
The Retro 64 solves one of the biggest live vocal mic problems by creating a trusted, mid-focused sound. Like the most tried-and-true dynamic vocal microphones, Warm Audio has tuned the Retro 64’s humbucking dynamic capsule to embellish the sweet spot in the upper-midrange while rolling off just enough highs to keep speakers from squealing. Talk about a real frequency sweet spot.
Looking at the frequency chart, we can see this is a broadly responsive microphone with some slight attenuation just below 2 kHz, where it begins to gradually enhance those sweet spot frequencies up until around 18 kHz where we see it roll off. On a female vocal you can hear the microphone effortlessly capturing those upper-midrange frequencies, allowing the vocalist to cut through and shine prior to any EQ or compression being applied, which allows the vocal to hold a clear space in the mix from the beginning.
We can’t underestimate how important it is for the vocalist to hear themselves in this way with clarity and volume free from harsh frequencies in the loudest of environments. The combination of noise rejection and the roll off of feedback happy frequencies gives FOH and monitor engineers the peace of mind to be able to send a little bit more signal to the vocalist on stage when they need it, without anticipating the dreaded squeal of feedback.
Live vocals are not the only application for the Retro 64, you can utilise this microphone for miking guitar cabs, toms and snares, whether performing live or tracking in the studio. The microphone’s excellent off-axis control comes in handy when close-miking a snare or tom and handling the inevitable bleed of the rest of the drum kit. In a home studio environment, it can be a balancing act to get your guitar amp to a volume where it sounds at its best, but also keep it at a volume that your microphones can actually handle.
With a frequency response of 50 Hz – 18 kHz and a max SPL of 135 dB (THD<1%), capturing a consistent, controlled and articulate sound from loud sources like your guitar amp is not going to be a problem with the Retro 64. Showing further versatility, this microphone can also be used for miking acoustic guitars. It captures the best blend of bass, mids and treble when placed 15-30 cm from the 12th fret. In addition to live and studio sound, this microphone is also completely capable of broadcasting duties given its classic broadcast-style design.
Any microphone that you’re preparing to use night after night needs to be durable. The Retro 64’s rugged construction and strong exterior is inspired by vintage broadcast microphones known for their hammer-like durability. Some have said that these vintage microphones were strong enough to hammer nails into wood without harming the microphone. I don’t know if I’m brave enough to put any microphone through those exact kinds of stress tests myself, but that level of durability is certainly worth aspiring to when designing a mic to take on the road.
It’s not just the strong external construction that makes the microphone so resilient; added durability comes from the internal shockmount, which keeps the microphone safe from drops, knocks and even journeys into the mosh pit. Weighing in at approximately 771 grams with a length of 19.05 cm and diameter of 5.08 cm, this microphone has a lovely weight and feel like you would expect from most vintage-inspired microphones.
Not only is the Retro 64 a reliable and durable companion on and off the stage, but with its matte black finish, it is also an eye-catching piece of gear. Looking like it was pulled straight out of the 60’s, it adds an instant vibe that only comes with retro-inspired equipment. Included with the microphone is a hardmount and EVA foam case keeping it protected during transport. Like all Warm Audio gear, every Retro 64 comes with a 5-year warranty and is meticulously hand-tested and inspected by trained technicians in Austin, Texas.
Whether you’re taking to the road or the studio, singing live or tracking a loud guitar amp, Warm Audio’s Retro 64 might just be the perfect workhorse microphone you’ve been saving space for in your collection.
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