The Lauten Audio Clarion FC-357 FET condenser is an inspiring mic upon review, pairing the best of vintage class with modern hi-fi. Lauten’s microphones always impress, thanks to a combination of premium sonics, innovative design, and affordability relative to other mics in a similar price bracket.
What Is a FET Microphone & How Do They Work?
FET stands for field-effect transistor. A FET is an active electronic that controls current flow. In the case of a microphone, the capsule generates an electrical field that converts acoustic energy into electrical energy. In the first stage, the initial electrical signal is high-impedance; the FET converts it into a recordable, low-impedance signal.
FETs are extremely common in condenser microphones as solid-state alternatives to tubes. The sound is typically characterized as having an articulate transient response, with lots of detail, depth, and realism. One of the most famous FET condensers ever made, for example, is the Neumann U 87.
Lauten Audio Ups the Game Once Again with the FC-357
The Lauten lineup never ceases to impress. Representing one-third of the brand’s Signature series, the Clarion FC-357 is all-around multi-polar pattern large-diaphragm condenser microphone. It boasts exceptional sound quality with hints of both retro and contemporary sonics. Reminiscent of the iconic U 47 FET, it’s marketed as a microphone for male and female vocals, kick drum, and bass guitar.
Lauten Audio Clarion FC-357 Review: Features at a Glance
Built to Last
The FC-357, like all Signature Lauten microphones, is hand-built and finished by the team in Silicon Valley, CA. The custom 35mm capsule receives a tuning by hand so that it equally reproduces classic warmth and depth with modern top-end air.
- RELATED: Lauten Audio LA-120 Review | The Ultimate Small-Diaphragm Condenser Pair?
- RELATED: Lauten Audio Atlantis FC-387 Demo
Even the solid brass enclosure gets a hand polish and finish before a durable ceramic coating covers it. After baking and curing the ceramic coat, the FC-357 goes to final assembly, burn-in, and testing. A lot of love goes into these microphones, both at the design and assembly stages.
3-Way Gain Switching
The Clarion features three individual gain settings: -10dB, 0dB, and +10dB. You could consider these pads, but they’re also a means of getting different sounds out of your outboard equipment and the microphone.
For example, at -10dB, you could drive a high-end preamp harder to impart more of its saturation and color onto the sound. At +10dB, you could plug it into an affordable audio interface, have plenty of clean gain, and get more color from the mic itself. This is an incredibly useful feature and perspective that allows you to coax more desirable sonic characteristics out of your sound sources, Clarion, and outboard gear.
Classic FET Sound
One of the brilliant qualities of a nice FET condenser is its lightning-fast response to transients, which reproduces them in full detail. A classic FET condenser simultaneously has the ability to sound smooth and natural, seeming almost at odds with a sharp transient reaction. This is the genius of these microphones that engineers have loved for decades.
The Clarion captures the essence of those vintage classics with elegance. Its sound is immediately familiar and comfortable, but what sets it apart is Lauten’s attention to contemporary aesthetics. The Clarion’s enhanced top-end adds modern air to any signal. As a premium condenser, it never sounds brittle or shrill at the top. Instead, it retains the smoothness of a high-end FET condenser even when adding a touch of hi-fi to the signal.
How Does the Lauten Audio Clarion FC-357 Stack Up in the Studio?
This is a deceptively versatile microphone. With three polar patterns (cardioid, omni, figure-8) and three gain settings, you can try it on a variety of sources and in various mic configurations. The Clarion has exceptionally low noise and ample SPL handling as well, contributing to its versatility. Intended primarily as a vocal, kick drum, or bass guitar mic, the FC-357 has the potential to be a workhorse.
The accuracy and realism with which the Clarion captures sound is most certainly worth trying on virtually any instrument. Acoustic guitar, strings, piano, and overheads would all be great matches.
Closing Thoughts: The Clarion FC-357 Is Everything You Want & More
Equal parts vintage and contemporary, the Clarion FC-357 is on pace to become a modern classic — all at a price that’s actually attainable for the average engineer or recording enthusiast. It has just the right amount of features (polar patterns, gain settings), though the emphasis on sound quality is definitely where it shines.