512 Audio Skylight, Limelight, Academy, 512-BBA and 512-Pop — a review of products from the American audio equipment manufacturer 512 Audio

The 512 Audio brand was created by Warm Audio to offer affordable studio audio equipment. According to the manufacturer, the main Warm Audio engineering team develops 512 Audio devices, using its many years of experience with high-quality professional equipment.

The current 512 Audio range includes four microphone models, headphones, an audio interface, a boom arm, and a pop filter. We begin our look at 512 Audio with the Skylight and Limelight microphones, Academy headphones, and microphone accessories.

What counts as affordable professional audio equipment depends greatly on the buyer's budget. With 512 Audio, however, the position is clear: these are products for a broad audience. The most expensive item in the range is the Skylight studio microphone at only $199.

512 Audio Skylight

The Skylight is a true condenser microphone, not an electret design. It is intended mainly for vocals and speech and already includes a shock mount and a clip-on pop filter.

512 Audio Skylight specifications

Microphone
Capsule	34 mm condenser
Polar pattern	Cardioid
Maximum SPL	144 dB
Frequency range	20 Hz–20 kHz
Sensitivity	-42 dB +3 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa at 1 kHz)
Impedance	200 ohms
Connections	XLR
Dimensions	202 × 55.5 mm
Weight	1 kg
Package contents	Shock mount, pop filter, carrying pouch

The Skylight looks interesting and original. Its body is cylindrical throughout. Instead of a conventional metal mesh cap, the top has a large grille made from metal rods. A layer of compressed fine wire underneath protects the capsule. In theory, this wire screen has an advantage over regular mesh because its openings are random in shape and size, reducing air-flow resonances. In practice, close voice recording still needs a pop filter to remove or minimize breath artifacts.

A special mount attaches the microphone to a stand. The microphone sits in a chassis connected to the main bracket by elastic cords for vibration isolation. The Skylight is large and heavy, but the mount holds it securely in any orientation, including upside down.

The capsule has a gold-sputtered 34 mm diaphragm. Internal construction is as reliable and thoughtful as the exterior. A full discrete circuit uses field-effect transistors. The microphone has one cardioid polar pattern and no controls on the housing.

The supplied pop filter is a semicircular screen that attaches directly to the microphone. Its plastic frame makes it almost weightless. Rubber cords hold it firmly in place. The screen has two layers. Inside is very fine metal mesh, while the outside uses synthetic fabric. The double screen provides very good breath protection while leaving the treble almost unchanged. Our tests showed that it works very well and is an excellent alternative to a traditional gooseneck pop filter. Its small size is especially useful: it blocks less of the view and makes recording more comfortable.

The 512 Audio Skylight left an entirely positive impression in use. Recording quality was good, with no complaints. Detail is high and tonal balance is fairly even, without weak bass or the unusual treble of inexpensive electret models. Importantly, recordings already sound good and require no special corrective processing.

512 Audio Limelight

Microphone The 512 Audio Limelight is a broadcast model for speech recording in streams and podcasts. It uses a dynamic capsule rather than a condenser and needs no phantom power. Its polar pattern is hypercardioid. Like other end-address broadcast models, it is used horizontally.

512 Audio Limelight microphone
Capsule	28 mm dynamic
Polar pattern	Hypercardioid
Maximum SPL	138 dB
Frequency range	50 Hz–15 kHz
Sensitivity	-54 dB +13 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa at 1 kHz)
Impedance	600 ohms
Controls	High-pass filter, 100 Hz (12 dB per octave)
Connections	XLR
Dimensions	167.5 × 60.8 mm
Weight	379 g
Package contents	Stand mount, carrying pouch

The housing is a light aluminum alloy. Compared with the previous model, it feels almost weightless.

The capsule is at the end, which should face the source for a full recording. The side openings are not decoration. They reduce housing resonances that would create a hollow, tube-like effect.

Fine metal mesh protects the capsule and internal parts from dust and dirt. An extra fabric screen directly in front of the capsule reduces breath noise. Built-in protection alone is insufficient, however. Close recording needs an extra pop filter to avoid characteristic artifacts.

We were pleased to find a low-cut filter on the Limelight. Extra controls are useful in broadcasts and live streams. The fixed filter operates at 100 Hz with a slope of 12 dB per octave.

A rigid mount attaches the microphone to a stand or boom arm. Unfortunately, there is no alternative to this mount. Although the clamp around the microphone base has a rubber insert, more vibration isolation would be useful.

The Limelight records quite well. Like the condenser model, it reproduces tone fairly evenly and naturally. Voice sounds pleasant, with no lack of bass. The low-cut filter is effective, but in our view it thins out low male voices. It is better to learn the right recording distance and keep more bass in the voice. The claimed hypercardioid pattern is easy to notice. Avoid turning the head during recording, because even small changes cause signal loss. This also has a benefit: surrounding sounds are barely heard or stay out of the recording or broadcast entirely.

512 Audio 512-Pop

The manufacturer offers the branded 512-Pop filter as an accessory for all its microphones.

This affordable gooseneck filter protects recordings from unwanted air impacts and plosives. Its rounded screen is metal mesh.

A conventional clamp secures the filter. The flexible neck is long enough for convenient placement in front of upright studio microphones. It can also serve an end-address broadcast microphone, but the mounting point may need some experimentation.

512 Audio 512-BBA

Another microphone accessory is the 512-BBA boom arm. Its all-metal structure clamps to the desk edge.

The boom arm uses a common design with internal springs for smooth movement regardless of microphone weight. Both arm sections are 47 cm long. The manufacturer states support for microphones up to 1.36 kg.

We mounted the heavy 1 kg 512 Audio Skylight with a metal pop filter and had no difficulties in use.

The supplied fabric hook-and-loop straps hold the microphone cable neatly along the boom arm.

512 Audio Academy

The 512 Audio Academy is a full-size closed-back headphone model. This allows monitoring of backing tracks and the microphone signal during recording. Large earpads fit closely around the ears, providing good isolation to keep playback out of recordings.

The 512 Audio Academy headphones use a common non-folding design known for simplicity and reliability. The single headband is covered with artificial leather. Very soft foam underneath makes the headphones comfortable to wear.

512 Audio Academy headphones
Acoustic design	Dynamic, closed-back
Ear coupling	Over-ear
Driver size	45 mm
Impedance	32 ohms
Maximum power	1500 mW
Connection cable	Detachable: straight 1.5 m and coiled 3 m
Package contents	Two connection cables, 1/4-inch XLR adapter, carrying case

The detachable cable connects to the left earcup and locks with a twist. We welcome the inclusion of both straight and coiled cables. Users can choose the more convenient one for the situation and distance to the source.

The Academy headphones have a low impedance of 32 ohms. They therefore work well with mobile devices and smartphones without losing volume or bass. The cable ends in a stereo mini-jack. A securely threaded 6.3 mm adapter connects to professional or stationary equipment.

The earpads are soft, pleasant to touch, and fit well, providing the needed isolation. Their artificial-leather covers have a standard shape, so replacements should be easy to find after wear or damage.

 

The photo with an earpad removed shows the inside of the earcup. The diaphragm is centered and slightly angled for better positioning. The neodymium dynamic drivers are 45 mm in diameter. As on other models, a plastic grille protects the diaphragm.

The headphones come with a practical rigid zippered case for transport and storage. It holds the headphones, cables, and small accessories used in professional work.

The 512 Audio Academy headphones sound good. For an entry-level price, they offer very capable sound. The bright, fairly detailed midrange is especially attractive. There is no harsh treble or hollow low-frequency resonance. The sound is fairly neutral and balanced, which is appropriate for professional use.

Conclusions

512 Audio products are attractive options. Direct experience changed our initial doubts about professional use into confidence that they can compete with many branded entry-level products. The Skylight condenser microphone and Academy headphones are especially strong.

Affordable mass-market products are usually approached in one of two ways. Some people lower expectations because of the price. Others look enthusiastically for the best possible quality within the budget. We prefer the second approach, and these 512 Audio devices largely meet that expectation.