Vanguard V13 and Vanguard V4 condenser microphones: review and test
The American manufacturer Vanguard focuses entirely on microphones and takes a careful approach. The brand may not be widely promoted, but it is a real manufacturer. The people behind it have 50 years of experience making microphones and monitors for studios and major artists.
Design and production are 100% the company's own, based in Southern California, USA. The styling recalls luxury American Cadillac and Chrysler cars. The pinot-noir finish stands out against the usual black or gray studio equipment. Importantly, Vanguard's prices remain attractive, often much lower than expected.
One user, GRAMMY-winning recording engineer Boris Milna, who has worked with Carlos Santana, Shakira, Placido Domingo, Luis Fonsi, and others, says: “The Vanguard V13 is my best purchase in the last couple of years. It sounds great on everything and can easily be compared with any microphone at any price.”
We listened to the manufacturer's full range ourselves and were impressed. This is a manufacturer with its own identity, original ideas, and fully professional sound. These microphones can be used in any professional studio without hesitation.
We will look closely at two similar models: the Vanguard V13 tube condenser microphone and the Vanguard V4 condenser microphone with a field-effect transistor circuit. Both use the same dual-diaphragm capsule and are similar in appearance and sound. We liked both. In our view, the difference is purely a matter of taste.
The official SoundCloud channel has many demonstration recordings of the Vanguard V13 tube microphone. They are well worth hearing.
The Vanguard V4 and V13 come in excellent branded carrying and storage cases. Separate compartments hold everything needed: the mount, a very long microphone cable, the external power supply, and its mains cable.
The VLSM mount is especially interesting and very different from a conventional spider-type shock mount. It is the manufacturer's own design, combining a special structure with flexible elements that do not stretch or break over time. Unlike typical tube-microphone mounts, Vanguard's design has no front support. This allows closer placement to a sound source or pop filter.
Inside the velvet-lined case is a wooden microphone box with the company logo. Everything suggests a high-quality product. The packaging is as careful as that of an expensive collector's wine. The pinot-noir color, limited production, and hand manufacture in Southern California strengthen the association.
When developing the Vanguard V13, the American engineers used respected vintage tube studio microphones as sound references. The aim was full, warm bass, accurate and detailed mids, and smooth treble. Modern circuits and components give the V13 much lower noise than well-known European tube microphones costing $5000. After extensive work and studio listening to prototypes, the result was competitive in both price and sound.
Inside is a 34 mm capsule with two gold-sputtered 3 µm Mylar diaphragms. The hand-selected tube carries Vanguard's logo and is made in Europe. Common 12AX7, 12AT7, and 12AY7 tubes are compatible.
The microphone is 208 mm long and 50 mm in diameter. Weight is 480 g.
The external PS-13 power supply has a custom fully shielded transformer with a 110–240 V switch. A selector on the supply offers 9 polar patterns. All assembly takes place in California, USA, with strict quality control and a 5-year warranty on all products.
Vanguard V13 specifications
| Type | Tube condenser |
| Capsule | Dual diaphragm, 34 mm |
| Polar pattern | 9 settings: cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-eight, and intermediate patterns |
| Frequency range | 20 Hz–20 kHz |
| Sensitivity | -35 dBV |
| Maximum SPL | 144 dB with PAD enabled |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 82 dB |
| Output impedance | 200 ohms (transformer isolated) |
| EIN | 13 dBA |
| Low-cut filter | 125 Hz, 6 dB/octave roll-off |
| Attenuator (PAD) | -10 dB |
| Package contents | Microphone, shock mount, metal case, wooden box, power supply, cables |
Interestingly, the noise specifications are significantly better than those of the legendary U67 tube microphone reissued in 2018, priced at $7000. This alone proves nothing about the sound, but it demonstrates the high technical standard of the American designers.
The solid-state field-effect transistor (FET) version is called the Vanguard V4. It is not inferior to the V13 tube microphone, uses the same high-quality capsule, and costs about half as much.
The Vanguard V4 also includes a metal case, wooden box, and branded shock mount. Buyers receive the same careful treatment.
The circuit uses high-quality junction field-effect transistors (JFETs). The manufacturer says that the V4 electronics cost tens of times more than those usually found in microphones at this price. The output stage is electronically balanced and transformerless.
Anyone can assess the recording quality by listening. The V4 clearly performs at the leading edge of modern microphone design. The original recording has no tube coloration, but that can easily be added with modern plugins or a tube preamp if desired.
Vanguard V4 specifications
| Type | Solid-state condenser (FET) |
| Capsule | Dual diaphragm, 34 mm |
| Polar pattern | 3 settings: cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-eight |
| Frequency range | 20 Hz–20 kHz |
| Maximum SPL | 135 dB (145 dB with PAD enabled) |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | >80 dB |
| Output impedance | 200 ohms |
| EIN | <14 dBA |
| Low-cut filter | 120 Hz |
| Attenuator (PAD) | -10 dB |
| Package contents | Microphone, shock mount, metal case, wooden box |
The specifications match top microphones, with figures similar to the solid-state U87Ai.
We recorded the same source simultaneously with the Vanguard V13 and V4. We also used a Neumann microphone and the cheapest unbranded Chinese microphone we could find to provide a wider quality reference.
In our experience, the Vanguard V13 tube microphone needs at least an hour of warm-up to reach its proper performance and sound. We left it running for more than two days to ensure that everything had warmed up and settled. We connected it to an American preamp based on the THAT 6263 and to a top-quality discrete preamp. Recordings were assessed on suitable studio equipment. Both Vanguard microphones sound excellent and are very similar.
The difference was easy to hear with either preamp. The Vanguard V13 has very pleasant, smooth treble and a small but noticeable tube thickening of the midrange. The sound has a refined studio character, somewhat like vintage microphones, while retaining the detail and natural tone of modern models. Overall, the recordings are excellent and clearly professional at the highest level.
We liked the Vanguard V4 even more. We consider added warmth a matter of taste that can be applied during processing. The V4's strengths are its attractive detail and transparent sound reproduction. In this respect, it is very similar to our solid-state Neumann microphone. Its wide range and versatility also make it suitable for sources from vocals to instruments.
With its affordable price and excellent accessory package, the Vanguard V4 is a very safe choice for any studio. When comparing competitors' prices, compare complete sets with a branded shock mount rather than bare microphones. That makes the comparison more meaningful.
We also tested the Vanguard V1S + Lolli Stereo Pencil Kit. The pencil microphones recorded acoustic instruments very well. We liked everything and concluded that this manufacturer simply has no weak products.
Conclusions
All the Vanguard microphones pleasantly surprised us. These are original American designs made to a very high technical standard. The manufacturer has good reasons to compete with market leaders: it combines high quality with reasonable prices. The microphones also look excellent in any studio and have outstanding accessory packages. Everything shows the care and experience of an established manufacturer. At these prices, competitors have serious reason to pay attention.
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/vanguard-v13.shtml.