| Series | No |
|---|---|
| SKU | AST-ELEMENT |
| warehouse_eta | No |
| Colour | N/A |
| Warranty | Yes |
ASTON - Element Mic with Cradle & Magnetic Pop Filter Bundle
Availability
0 Available in Newcastle Store
Warehouse Stock: Good Stock
Element Bundle
After 18 months of R&D and 3 months of public listening tests to develop the sound of our new mic, the Aston Element, we can finally reveal the full product details.
Aston Element, with its all-new ‘Ridyon’™ capsule technology for superior performance at low cost, ships complete with a custom shock mount and pop shield.
Like all Aston mics, Element incorporates a huge amount of innovation. Everything from the capsule technology, the chassis design, the magnetic pop filter, and even the backlit-LED logo 48V phantom power indicator (or as we like to call it, cool light!) massively go beyond the limits of products normally sold at this price point.
Not only is Element extremely affordable, but it will consistently outperform all mics in its class. This is something which you really don’t have to take our word for because over 4000 customers from all across the world have helped us to define the sound of Element in peer-reviewed blind listening tests against the biggest brands in the business. During the course of this 3-month public testing series, we have developed the sound of the mic using data collected from these comparison tests, which have included major brand competitors such as Blue, Rode, AKG, Audio Technica, and Neumann.
Blind listening test results
We spent a total of over 18 months developing the Aston Element; much longer than most products take in this class. More usual would be 6-9 months, which gives you some indication of just how complex this microphone package is.
The first 15 month period of our R&D process involved the development of our new Ridyon capsule technology, the acoustic housing for this (which involved a LOT of testing) and the design and prototyping of the chassis, the grille diffuser and many other pieces of proprietary technology in both the mic and the shock mount and pop shield accessories.
The final 3 months, however, has been all about public choice. Rather than simply putting a new technology straight to market, we engaged in public blind listening tests (by this we mean that coded audio files were made available to the public to audition and rank in order of preference) across 3 separate sessions from May 1st to July 15th. The results of this process, a world’s first in the ProAudio industry, are what have determined the sound of the final product… the world’s first ‘People’s Microphone’ – Aston Element.
The Sessions
Session 1 included our first Aston Element prototype in its raw form up against the 5 dominant, big-brand competitors chosen as the best of the best in their class. These included mics from Audio Technica, Rode, AKG, Blue, and Neumann. Before we even got to these 5 mic brands we tested mics from over 20 different brands to pick the best in class (that, with the exception of Neumann, being sub $500 mics… the Neumann was somewhat more expensive!)
Voting in the first round highlighted which mics the public preferred on 3 sources, male and female vocals, and acoustic guitar (the same 3 sources chosen throughout the tests), and what was liked and disliked about the sound of the raw Element prototype. This enables us to discard 2 brands form the test so that in Session 2 we had the top 3 competitor mics chosen by the public and 2 new versions of Element. By the end of the 2nd session, we had a much clearer picture of what people wanted from our mic, driven by the voting, subjective comments made about the competitor mics, and the relative preferences for 2 very different sounding Aston prototypes.
So, by session 3 we had only 2 remaining competitor mics… representing AKG and Neumann brands. We also had 4 different Element prototypes, each with different voicings based on preferences from the first 2 rounds. This enabled us to home in on the final sound and give our customers a wide range of choice for the final sound, whilst also making sure that the final Aston Element mic was able to at least equal, or hopefully out-perform the top 2 competitors on the market.
In the final analysis one Element prototype was the clear winner in the Session, beating both the Neumann and AKG mics (as well, of course, as all the other competitor mics that had come before in early testing and the first 2 sessions), as well as the other 3 prototype versions.
In Summary
Firstly, ALL the mics chosen for these sessions are very good examples of entry level mics from each brand. We did not make this easy for ourselves. We wanted the best so we could make our own mic as good as possible. As the sessions progressed it was clear that the voting got closer and more difficult for participants to rank in each successive round. This is something you see not only in the subjective comments, but in social media threads about the project. That’s a good thing, because as you get better and better quality and performance, it becomes more difficult to chose between products as the differences are much smaller… so we knew we were on the right track.
Another interesting proof of data is that it was very clear that different mics performed better or worse on different sources as you’d expect… in other words one mic does not fit all. For this reason, we always suggest, where possible, that it’s a great idea to have a couple of different mics in your cupboard to choose from if you have the budget. Our aim, with Element, is not to say “Element is the best mic” … that’s silly because these things are very subjective. No, our aim was to ensure that our entry level mic has the best possible sound, performance and quality and that it comes with the best accessories possible for people who only have the budget for one mic, or want to add a new, high performance mic to their collection, without having to spend a fortune.
The Element, in the final round, outperformed the other mics in the test on both male and female vocals… but was narrowly beaten by both the Neumann and AKG on guitar. The total vote count across all 3 sources showed Element as the clear winner, both in total votes, and in winning 2 out of the 3 source tests, vocals, of course, being the big one as they (on any non-instrumental track) are the most important element of the recording.
It is also important to state, at this point, that the full raw data for the summary information above has been peer reviewed by Music Tech Magazine and Sound on Sound magazine, two of the most influential and respected independent pro-audio publications in the world. We have also chosen not to name names when it comes to specific mic models as we have a great deal of respect for these brands and the quality of their microphone products. At no point do we wish to suggest that Aston is ‘better than another brand’… we have used key models from each competitor brand as a way to gauge the relative performance of our own mic, and although Element came top in the rankings after 3 rounds, there is a lot of love for each of the mics involved in our tests, both from us at Aston, and from the public voting in the sessions.
And the final word… none of this means that ‘Element is best’ – we would never suggest that because mic sound is a subjective choice. But it does mean that Element can consistently out-perform all other sub $500 brands in subjective choice tests (and some more expensive ones too!). Combine this with all the cool accessories and it’s got to be your No.1 choice as a first studio mic, or to add to your collection.
Aston Mics at Musos Corner
Musos Corner is proud to be a retailer of Aston Microphones and accessories.
Aston is a reasonable new player in microphone production and they are all designed and built in England.
Aston employs serious research and testing throughout all of their product line and has engaged with some of the top audio professionals in the industry to create a development panel to be their ears.
The results are a range of microphones that not only some of the best sounding in their class but boast unparalleled build quality and reliability.
The award winning Stealth microphone is a great example of this, offering four unique selectable voices, a built in preamp and the ability to run with or without phantom power.
In a world first a 48 volt detector has been included allowing a passive mode for a clean unprocessed signal or if phantom volts are available the Stealth will automatically detect them and switch to the onboard mic pre offering a massive 50db lift for massive amounts of headroom and sensitivity.
Musos Corner highly recommends Aston Microphones and accessories and if we don’t have your dream Aston product in stock or listed online please contact us at Musos Corner today.
Musos Corner has a great relationship with Aston Microphones, after a visit from owner James Young to give us a rundown of their awesome, robust and unique products, we put them up against a host of industry favourites and we were astounded at the build quality, price points and overall results.
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World Class
Musos Corner even brought some Aston microphones with them when we were privileged enough to visit Abbey Road Studios for the day to do some tracking. It had some amazing company with vintage U47’s side by side.
Important Notice
Please allow a few extra days for delivery as our couriers & Australia Post are experiencing higher than normal parcel volumes due to COVID 19
Ordering
Is this product in stock?
We try our best to have everything in stock, but sometimes items sell out faster than we can update the website, as this is a manual process. If this is the case we will call or email you and let you know if your order cannot be fulfilled, and what your options are as soon as possible. We have multiple warehouses around the country so the "in stock" and "out of stock" is an indication of if the item is able to be shipped from one of them, our store, or one of our distributors. Most of the time there is no difference in turn around depending where it is shipped from but if there are any delays we will contact you immediately. We do also ask if you plan on picking up an item, please contact us so we make sure it is in our store ready for you.
I want a certain product but I don't see it on your site, Why don't you have it!!!?
We have a HUGE store here in Newcastle (which we would love to see you in) and not every product we stock is online & vice versa, but if you don't see what you are after, give us a call or email and we will chase it down for you!
Is everything on your website in stock?
We try our best to have everything in stock, but sometimes items sell out faster than we can update the website, as this is a manual process. If this is the case we will call or email you and let you know if your order cannot be fulfilled, and what your options are as soon as possible.
Do all the guitars come set up & with strings?
They sure do! All the guitars are set up at the factory & often once in the country as well! Every guitar we sell is ready to play (after a quick tune of course)
Price Match
Do you price match?
Yes we do! We will do our very best to match & beat any genuine Australian quote or advertised price!
Just email us a link to the cheaper product and we will match or beat it for you (Prices valid for 48 hours) The Musos Corner Price Match option only applies when comparing identical products in the same condition, where payment is made in full by cash, eftpos or credit card. It is subject to verification and does not apply to ebay, american or overseas sites (come on guys), global sounds, grey importers, bulk buy discounts or site licence prices apply or to prices of other sellers that are available for less than one week. Price Match does not apply if retailers are out of stock or if Musos Corner is out of stock of the product in question. Shipping is also generally not included with the Price Match, that said we will always endeavour to pass on the very best price we possibly can.
Payments
Pricing Policy
All of our prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and include Australian GST (Goods and Services Tax). All transactions are processed in AUD.
In this industry our suppliers can often change their prices quickly and without notice. Sometimes the website or the store will not accurately represent these price changes and sometimes there may be genuine pricing errors due to either technical or human error. In these instances we are not bound by the information offered in error and may not be able to honor the incorrect price, but we will explain the error to you and do everything we can to pass on the best possible deal.
Do you guys Lay-by?
We certainly do in store, for an online lay-by each one is selected upon its own merrits with a 50% Deposit if approved. For in store Lay-bys: 20% Deposit, followed by weekly or fortnightly payments for 8 weeks. If cancelled, a 20% of RRP Fee will incurr.
Freight
How do I know if my item ships Free?
Many products we stock have free shipping to certain locations.
Please put in your address into the freight calculator and if there is no delivery charge your order may be eligible for free delivery. General exceptions include anything over 20kg or 105cm and areas as deemed remote by our delivery partners, including all of NT & WA.
Some Items on ZipMoney, ZipPay, or Studio19 Finance may not be eligable for free delivery. We will contact you if this is the case.
Some large/heavy items (over 20kg) , or items deemed not able to be delivered by our standard courier, Australia Post, may have an extra shipping charge.
Free Postage Details
Some items such as certain pedals and stomp boxes, accessories and effects may have free postage. This will go via the cheapest method. Courier/Express/Insurance/Registered Post would be extra. Please contact us for more information or check the "Free Freight" tab at the top of our website.
Express Post
Sometimes we can Express Post/Courier your items if necessary but additional charges may apply. Orders generally leave at 2:00pm daily so if you need an item ASAP, make sure it is ordered by 1pm (please call 1300 687 672) to ensure there is stock of the item and to get an estimated time of arrival. Express post is to capital / major cities only (for next day service). This service is for small items under 3KG only!
How can I track my order?
Check your email and you will have been sent a tracking number, input the number into either Fastway Couriers, Startrack or Australia Post's Track & Trace engine. If you have any problems, please call us and we will call the couriers on your behalf.
Do you take international orders?
Sorry, we do not take international orders, we only sell and ship around Mainland Australia & Tasmania. For remote & Island locations please contact us.
How much is shipping?
To work out a shipping cost, please go through the cart and our system will work out a freight price to your area.
If you think there may be an error, or want to clarify the price, you are welcome to contact us and we will work out the best shipping price for you.
There may be some exceptions for heavy or large items (over 25kg), remote locations or some regional areas. We will contact you if this problem arises prior to shipping the goods.
Do you offer freight insurance?
We certainly do, and highly recommend it as Australia is a big country. Insurance / Shipping protection is available and is only 1.5% of the value of the goods.
Can I pick my goods up in store?
Of course! Unlike some stores, we do not charge for you to pick up in store. We are open 7 days for your convenience, but please give us a date and time of pick up so we can make sure your goods are ready. Orders that are left for over 1 week and not picked up will be returned to stock, unless other arrangements have been made. Valid ID will be required for picking up goods that have been paid for online or over the phone.
What if I am not home for the delivery?
IF you are not home, the driver will leave a card in your mail box so you can pick-up from the local depot/post office or arrange a re-delivery.
We have found it to be much quicker & easier to have all items sent to a business address where someone will be present.
Can I ask for the courier to leave the goods at my door?
Whilst it Is possible, we highly recommend that you do not do it. All freight warranty & insurance will be void. Only do so at your own risk, if someone steals it, Musos Corner & The freight company will not be held accountable.
If you will not be able to take the delivery, it might be worth asking a friend or neighbour to take delivery of it for you.
What if it appears my goods have been freight damaged?
Please check all items before signing for them! This is very important. Do not sign for an item that appears damaged, to sign for them means "Signed for in good working order" and subsequently is out of the couriers hands, and voids insurance. If this was not possible, there can be a 24 Hour window to try and claim insurance, please contact us & the courier immediately. This only applies to orders that have paid for Insurance & are sent via courier.
Can the courier or delivery person call me prior to delivery?
Unfortunately as often as we request this, we get denied as many times. No courier or Australia post worker will call you prior to delivery despite any bribes we may try and offer.
If you select courier we will send you a tracking number which you can use to find out an estimated time of arrival for your goods, or alternatively have it sent to a business address.
Can I have my goods delivered on the weekend or after hours?
Unfortunately this is not possible at the current point in time, however you are welcome to pickup in store late night Thursday or on weekends from our Newcastle store. Please contact us to set a pickup time.
Send to a PO BOX?
We cannot ship guitars to a PO BOX under any circumstances. Australia Post will not accept deliveries over 105cm LCM, we cannot change their policy.
Products
Do i need to set up my product?
All guitars come fully set up ready to play (after a quick tuning). Banjos will need to be set up after delivery as they cannot be shipped set up unless they are bought with a case. Some products like piano stands require some basic assembly as they are flat packed for shipping. Digitial pianos and clavinovas may require some simple assembly.
Are all products brand new?
Yes! Everything we sell, unless clearly specified, is considered brand new with full warranty. Some items, especially guitars will have been taken out of their boxes for inspection, demonstration or quality assurance. This in no way effects your warranty supplied to you by Musos Corner or Australian consumer law.
Are the items individually photographed?
All images are for illustration purposes unless otherwise specified. While we wish we could take photos of every exact item, this is not always possible and we use the pictures supplied by either the a) Australian Supplier or b) Manufacturer.
If you require a specialty photo of your instrument prior to purchase, just contact us to see if this is available.
Does my item come with Australian warranty
All items we sell come with Australian Warranty, please read our returns policy fo rmore information. Some manufactuers provide aditional warranty over the 12 months once registering the product with them. This warranty is between you and the manufactuer, but we will be happy to help should any is needed.
Product Changes
All product descriptions and specifications listed online are subject to change without notice and all images are for illustration purpose only.
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Our mission is to have unparalleled service. Whether you need tech support, help finding the right product or just want some more information, we are here to assist you. Our sales team are all musicians, free from commissions, with no pressure to up-sell expensive product. We are here to help put right gear in your hands.
Price Match
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Musos Corner has been here in Newcastle for 50 years. You are welcome to try out any of our instruments in store or just pop in for a visit.
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