The mic offers a super-cardioid polar pattern which is great for singing or podcast recording. There’s no pad or option to change polar patterns on the mic but really, why would we need this? The recording bundle is aimed at home producers and content creators after all. However, the mic is heavy and reminiscent of an AKG C414 look (and weight) which is instantly reassuring with so many budget mics that feel a bit light and flimsy. So there was some concern about the quality of the mic and headphones that we’re only paying an extra $120 for.
The EVO audio interface itself retails at around $129 with the full EVO Start Recording Bundle coming in at $249. The first thing we’ll take a proper look at is the included SR1 condenser mic. (For a crash course on using external gear with your DAW, check out Using External Hardware With Your DAW (Step By Step Guide)) If you still need more info, you’ll find some really useful videos on Audient’s website that go into even more detail.
There are also some handy instructions that fold out explaining how to set the hardware up (including your features and setting volume) but really it couldn’t be much easier than simply plugging in and hitting record. Audient includes a simple bullet-pointed sheet with the bundle showing you the EVO features and how to activate the Smartgain feature. Ok, maybe a mic stand would be the only thing missing, but it just makes everything too bulky.
Open this up and you’ll find the full recording bundle neatly packed away. In keeping with the EVO 4 packaging, the EVO Start Recording Bundle arrived in our hands in a super cool black box that looks very sleek indeed. However, Audient has gone one step further and introduced their own Start Recording Bundle which we recently put to the test.ĮVO Start Recording Bundle: What’s Included? The EVO 4 comes with two EVO preamps (capable of a 58dB gain range), 2 mic inputs, instrument input, and (perhaps one of the biggest USPs) its own ‘Smartgain’ mode which allows you to simply test your signal while the EVO accurately gain stages itself. We won’t go into the nitty-gritty as you can read the full EVO 4 review here but we will say that it’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve been thinking about getting a new interface or upgrading your existing one. The sound quality was superb and with ease of use really at the forefront of people’s minds (particularly for those just starting out recording), the EVO proved to be one of the best budget interfaces available. We got our hands on the EVO 4 last year and were really impressed with this USB audio interface. But aside from making some of the industry’s most loved top-end gear, recently we’ve been really excited about their venture into the home recording market with the release of their EVO audio interface.
Audient are world-class leaders of pro audio equipment.