Soyuz 013 FET — a Russian studio condenser microphone
Maxim Liadov
Soyuz has been on the market since 2013 and has already earned a strong reputation among studio recording microphones. Soyuz microphones are made only at the company's own factory in Tula, Russia. Its specialists have extensive experience, allowing them to design and manufacture critical parts such as diaphragms and transformers. The manufacturer also makes the brass housings and wooden cases. It is effectively a full-cycle production facility.
In Russia, Soyuz is known mainly to specialists. Its handmade microphones are expensive, sound excellent, and are popular with studios and musicians abroad. The quality largely sells the product without much advertising. Many reviews in leading international publications give all the models very positive ratings. Russian publications have covered the brand less, so we will try to help fill that gap.
The Soyuz 013 FET belongs to the small-diaphragm pencil microphone family. Compared with large-diaphragm vocal microphones, these designs respond faster to signal changes and are often better suited to instruments. Typical uses include acoustic guitar, piano, and drums. Diaphragm size is a balance, however: a very small diaphragm may produce a thin tone, especially in the bass. The Soyuz 013 FET has a relatively large diaphragm, specified at 25 mm. The result is a versatile microphone for situations that need accurate detail and an even frequency balance across the range.
The official Soyuz channel has examples of its microphones recording piano, vocals, drums, wind instruments, and other sources.
There is also an interesting acoustic guitar recording accompanied by video showing microphone production.
A good selection of recordings is available on SoundCloud. Original WAV files can be downloaded there without the quality loss associated with YouTube.
FET stands for field-effect transistor and indicates a solid-state internal circuit. The slightly more expensive Soyuz 013 TUBE uses a tube circuit. Neither type is always better: each model has its strengths. Choose according to the music style and the sound character needed. Trying different models on the actual source is also useful. The 13 series is available in matched pairs and with interchangeable capsules offering different polar patterns.
We tested the most versatile version, the Soyuz 013 FET with a cardioid capsule. Soyuz follows the design philosophy of classic microphones. According to the manufacturer, its custom transformer adds coloration and depth.
Soyuz 013 FET specifications
| Type | Condenser |
| Capsule | 25 mm, gold-plated diaphragm |
| Polar pattern | Cardioid (optional omnidirectional and hypercardioid capsules) |
| Frequency range | 20 Hz–20 kHz |
| Sensitivity | 20 mV/Pa |
| Impedance | 150 ohms |
| Self-noise, A-weighted | 16 dB |
| Maximum sound pressure level | 140 dB |
| Dimensions | 25 × 122 mm |
| Weight | 200 g (microphone only) |
The stated frequency response is highly linear from 50 Hz to 10 kHz, with a gentle roll-off at both ends. If necessary, EQ can make the instrument clearer in a mix. The recording has enough quality to support this processing.
The microphone ships in a cardboard transport box. It comes in black or white; our sample was black. Color does not affect performance or sound and is simply a matter of preference.
Inside is an envelope containing branded printed materials: a descriptive booklet, a product card with the serial number, stickers, and business cards from the chief engineer and every craftsperson who handmade this microphone. There is also a printout of frequency response and sensitivity with the microphone's serial number. This is more useful when matching a pair, but is a welcome detail in any case.
A foam insert protects the branded wooden case. Everything is well thought out. Build quality raises no concerns and matches leading global brands. The process of making these wooden microphone cases can be seen on the official Soyuz YouTube channel.
Magnets keep the storage case lid closed. The included accessories are a stand clip and a -10 dB attenuator for loud sound sources.
We had no difficulties in use. The microphone mounts easily on any stand. As expected, it needs an XLR input with +48 V phantom power.
We made our own test recordings of an alto saxophone, playing several examples without a backing track. The performer was Maxim Liadov. The instrument was a professional Yamaha YAS-62 with a Vandoren A7S+ jazz mouthpiece and a Fibracell 2.5 synthetic reed.
Recording used 24-bit/44 kHz format in a rehearsal room of about 60 square meters. Since this was an off-site session, we used a portable MOTU M2 audio interface with a laptop running Cubase 12. The -10 dB attenuator was unnecessary because the preamp had a wide gain range. We tried it out of interest, heard no difference, and removed it from the signal path. Spectral editing removed a few saxophone key noises, which the microphone inevitably picks up even from a meter away. The recording was a single take, played freely without a backing track. Please judge the microphone sound and tonal reproduction rather than musical preferences.
We were very pleased with the result. We have useful references, since we normally record with professional Neumann microphones and the DPA 4099. Our saxophone recording with the DPA can be heard in the review. The Soyuz handles every register of the instrument well and captures what is needed. The sound has a rich tone, good dynamics, and plenty of room for post-processing. Compared with the DPA, we find the Soyuz richer in tone, more dynamic, and clearer in attack. It feels as if the performer is playing more freely. On stage, a clip-on DPA is preferable because freedom to move matters more than some subtle details. In the studio, we would clearly prefer the Soyuz for instrument recording. A better preamp and studio converter would improve the sound further. Good room acoustics are important, however. One option is a large live room. Another is a highly absorbent room with artificial reverb added later. The choice depends on the music and the artistic goals of the producer and recording engineer.
Conclusions
We liked the Soyuz 013 FET very much after testing it. We had expected a modest Russian export microphone, like an Oktava, attractive mainly for its low price. Instead, its high quality pleasantly surprised us. We are confident that it will suit individual musicians and commercial recording studios. Russian craftspeople have built it very well, with premium packaging and accessories. Most importantly, it captures the full detail of the performance. Our only criticism is the rigid stand clip. Some manufacturers offer a better mount for this form factor, using a soft rubber suspension.
Unfortunately, the Soyuz 013 FET has become more expensive recently, but its price remains attractive and competitive.
Note. This is an adapted machine translation into English. It follows the “In simple terms” approach. Read the original article at https://prosound.ixbt.com/microphones/soyuz-013fet.shtml.