Samson C01 Large Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone
The Samson C01 is a large diaphragm cardioid condenser aimed at recorded vocals, acoustic instruments and overhead drum duty. Its 19mm dual-layer diaphragm resolves detail that a dynamic capsule will simply miss, so you hear the strings and wood of a guitar, the breath and resonance of a singer, and the shimmer of a ride cymbal.
- 19mm dual-layer diaphragm: two ultra-thin sensor diaphragms give a smooth, flat frequency response with warm bass and extended highs.
- Cardioid pickup pattern: concentrates on the source in front of the mic and turns its back on the room behind it.
- 48V phantom power with LED: the indicator confirms the mic is actually receiving phantom from your interface, mixer or preamp.
- Gold-plated XLR connector: a clean, corrosion resistant handoff into your cable run.
- Heavy-duty mesh grille: protects the capsule through daily handling and transport.
- Swivel mount included: threads onto any standard microphone stand.
- SP01 Spider Shockmount available: an optional upgrade for added microphone and sound stability.
Samson lists the C01 for content creation, live sound and audio for video.
The C01 has the performance characteristics you would expect from a large diaphragm condenser: a big, detailed picture of whatever you point it at. Samson built it as a general purpose studio workhorse for vocals, acoustic instruments and overhead drum miking, and it behaves like one.
Warmth and clarity from a 19mm capsule
The capsule uses a large 19mm dual-layer diaphragm with a cardioid pickup pattern, which produces a smooth, flat frequency response. Two ultra-thin sensor diaphragms capture far more detail than any dynamic element, and the result is accurate, detailed and smooth audio with warm bass and extended highs. On acoustic guitar you get the strings and the wood. On a vocal you get the breath and the resonance. Over a kit you get the shimmer of a ride cymbal rather than a dull wash.
Built for the studio
- Heavy-duty mesh grille around the capsule.
- Gold-plated XLR connector.
- LED that indicates 48V phantom power is present.
- Swivel mount included, fits any standard microphone stand.
- Optional SP01 Spider Shockmount for increased microphone and sound stability.
What you need to run it
Like any condenser, the C01 needs 48V phantom power, so plan on an audio interface, mixer or preamp that can supply it. The phantom LED is genuinely useful here: if the light is off, the problem is upstream, not the mic. Cardioid means placement matters, so aim the front of the capsule squarely at the source and let the rear rejection do the work of keeping the room out of the track.
Where it earns its keep
Samson points the C01 at content creation, live sound and audio for video. In practice that covers vocal tracking in a home studio, acoustic guitar and other acoustic instruments, and a pair used as drum overheads. If you record in an untreated room, the optional shockmount and careful placement will do more for the result than any amount of processing afterwards.