Since Teenage Engineering released its flagship synthesizer, the OP-1, we’ve seen the Swedish company craft incredible audio equipment and instruments that border on art pieces. The OP-1, in particular, became quite popular over the last decade due to its intuitive design featuring a unique display and is considered to be one of the best portable synths in recent years. Now they’ve seen fit to finally enter the microphone space and offer us not just that, but a compact condenser microphone for studio-quality sound on the go.
The CM-15 Microphone from Teenage Engineering is an ultra-portable condenser mic and offers a variety of options for use via its multiple outputs. You can draw power by plugging it into a mixer the old-fashioned way (phantom power), utilize the built-in battery that lasts up to 10 hours on a single charge, or through the USB-c port. There’s also a 3.5mm jack and 48V Mini XLR connection (which can be converted to standard XLR with provided cable) along with an integrated audio interface and pre-amp so you can plug right into a computer or another Teenage Engineering device like the TX-6. Inside we have a large 1-inch diaphragm capsule, not commonly found in portable mics, along with an ESS Sabre analog-to-digital converter for high-fidelity sound and detail.
On the back, the device features a three-position gain switch which allows the mic to adapt to different loudness and distance scenarios and offer dynamic sound ranges. As for the accessories, the mic comes with one USB-c and Mini XLR to XLR cable and the mic stand adapter with the option to add a mini tripod for an extra $100 – or you can use the built-in kickstand.
Between multiple outputs and the large diaphragm capsule, the brand has developed a lean yet versatile microphone ready to rock. Teenage Engineering’s CM-15 Microphone will start shipping this summer for $1,199.
