Chaikin Keeps Things Real for Acoustic Recording

Hollywood, CA (May 1, 2025)—Peter Chaikin has used many microphones over the years, but recently had an opportunity to try an unfamiliar brand when recording an acoustic music project.

The project was a collaboration between Ian McCrudden, a film producer, director, writer and founder of Epiphany Pictures, and East Coast-based vocalist and guitarist Wendy Joyner covering John Prine’s “In Spite of Ourselves.” “I loved their vocals, the interplay and humor, and we knew it would be great fun to record together,” says Chaikin, a Grammy-nominated recording engineer and video producer.

“My objective was to capture a recording that was authentic, and the key to that is compelling vocals, present, honest and clear without embellishment,” he continues. “I’m fortunate to have worked with many vintage mics over the years and each had its own character. For this project, I wanted mics that could capture the intimacy and emotion of their vocals with no coloration or strain.”

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Chaikin elaborates, “While Ian’s vocal is gruff with lots of character, Wendy’s is pure and clear and they each play acoustic guitars. Vocals can sometimes sound great when solo’d but become boxy when the instrument mic is added. I’d heard great things about the Sanken CU-51 and CU-44X. They are cardioid mics with very neutral off-axis response and virtually no proximity-effect. I thought these properties would capture natural, authentic vocals. The innovative dual capsule design was intriguing, and longtime friend Jim Pace, principal of plus24, the USA Sanken distributor, supplied his personally owned Sanken mics we needed for the session.”

Afterwards, Chaikin recalls, “Listening in the control room, I was taken by surprise. I wasn’t used to hearing cardioid mics without proximity effect—the vocals were natural and present. The guitars were full and crisp without boominess. Soloing the mics, there was great separation. The vocal sound didn’t change when summed with the guitar mic. I was really impressed by the neutrality, realism and lack of coloration overall. Ian and Wendy were very pleased when they heard the results.”

In summary, he says, “I really enjoyed these mics. It was a new experience for me. Rather than turning to my familiar go-to mics, the Sanken mics delivered neutrality and a sense of presence I hadn’t experienced before.”

McCrudden comments, “To my ears, the result was a sound that was faithful to the playing and singing in the room, giving us a spirited and unique duet.”