Xlson Double Bass Microphone System

We've been honored to work directly with Peter Axelsson to test many versions of this mic (as it was being developed and refined) over the last couple of years, helping to "dial it in" and solidify the design, sound, and features of this mic.

Xlson has already found success with the "Chuck Israels" Signature bass mic; that mic provided a warm, full-bodied, uncompromising sound, for both live and studio use. We've been proud to carry them for several years now. Peter Axelsson, himself a jazz bassist, set out to build on his unique bass microphone concept, to make a truly integrated system.

His elegant solution was to move most of the electronics from the microphone itself, and put it in a separate pre-amp (included). This makes the microphone super-tiny and lightweight - and therefore very easy to mount and use - with no sonic compromises.

The included preamp box has 2 outputs; one balanced XLR output, and one amp output for standard 1/4" instrument cable (excellent for sending to an onstage amplifier). The simple and clever "Optimize" knob controls the level of blend with the surrounding sounds; turning it all the way down will allow more of the ambient sounds to slip through the microphone, while turning it all-the-way up will minimize the sound bleed (which in most cases is generally preferred). But being able to adjust the ambient sound mix provides the bassist with the ability to customize their tone on the fly, and adjust to various rooms and sound systems with the simplicity of a single knob. You don't have to be a studio engineer to get your sound - just turn the knob until it sounds good to you!

The mic element has been particularly well-engineered for the sonic needs of the double bass, and designed primarily to be used for live performance/amplification. Its tiny form factor practically disappears on the bass, with a small mount that is non-permanent and requires no special tools or modifications. You just use the included clamp to clip it into the edge of the sound hole, plug in, and GO. The surface of the clamp attaching to the instrument is covered with a soft, pliable rubber that will not scratch the instrument.

Gollihur Music is proud to be one of a very exclusive handful of retailers authorized to directly acquire and sell these microphones.

Includes:

• XLSON Bass Mic, wired to proprietary 5-pin cable
• Special spring-mount f-Hole Mounting Clamp
• XLSON Mini Mic Preamp, designed specifically for this mic
  • Provides the necessary phantom power
  • Has Optimizing Control knob
  • 1/4" and XLR outputs
• A/C adapter with US and EU plug options
• Aluminum, foam-lined hardshell protective case for storage and transport

Add-On Adapter Ring?

To be able to use the XLSON mic with other instruments, as well as other options for mounting the mic on an upright bass, there is an optional mounting ring adapter you can add when purchasing the mic. It's designed to allow you to remove the mic mount ring (the part that actually holds the mini mic) from the clamp mount (the part that clips into the edge of the f-hole) and re-mount it on a small adapter that can screw into standard European mic threads - the same threads that happen to be on the H-Clamp mic mounts, for instance. So you can use one of the H-Clamps for mic-ing your bass, or a guitar, or a Cello, or... pretty much most stringed instruments. There are other accessories sold elsewhere that you might also be able to use - just note that the threads cut into the mounting adapter are the smaller European style, so if you have a stand or mic holder with the larger USA-style threads, you'll need a thread adapter (common and cheap).

Note that the photo in the selector box shows the adapter with the mount ring installed onto it for use. If you add the adapter, you only get the adapter itself - a second mounting ring is not included. You unscrew the mount ring from the stock spring clamp and move it to the adapter to use it.

What makes it so special?

Certainly, there are already some popular and well-used microphones out there for the purpose of amplifying the double bass, as well as loads of general-purpose mics that work well for capturing the bass for recording situations in the studio. On stage, the limits of the acoustic microphone are set by its ability to suppress acoustic feedback. The bass player often has to lower the level of a mic, whether running solo or blending with a pickup, to a level where it almost doesn’t matter if it is in use or not. At the very least, one might need to channel it through the PA system to mitigate feedback issues. But even then, the acoustic bass microphone can be subject to picking up other instruments on stage, disturbing the clarity of the mix.

Likewise, in the studio, a high-end mic can sound amazing, capturing the whole sound of the bass beautifully. But in most recording situations, you will have to hide the bass player behind baffles to block the leakage from other instruments in order to have a bass track that is possible to use – and even then, the sound from the band can be significant in the bass microphone.

So Peter Axelsson set out to create a mic that could effectively capture that wonderful studio sound, while providing the best protection against feedback and leakage possible. Did he do it? The proof is in the pudding. What he ended up with is a microphone that is ideal as a blending -- or stand-alone -- microphone for amplifying your bass on the stage. It offers a warm, natural bass sound that is easy to control and handle in the mix, and does a very good job of avoiding undue feedback issues (no mic is immune, but this one does a pretty good job!)

How does it sound? We often champion the idea of "transparency" - if you're looking for 100% sonic accuracy, we've got a bass mic for that. However, there's also an argument to be made (when using a mic) that you want a mic that "sweetens" the sound - one that smooths out the rough edges, warms up the low end, and makes the bass sound great. We've also got a bass mic that does that.

The XLSON straddles the line between the two - not exactly transparent, but not "hyped" either. The f-hole mount certainly brings out fullness in the tone. It's not usually my first (or even second) choice to mic a bass over the f-hole, as it can be overly boomy and ill-defined, but this mic was designed specifically to excel in that location, so it's an exception. It also "plays well with others"; for those who fancy the idea of blending a microphone with a pickup to take advantage of each of the components' varied strengths in live performance, this mic seems to be a good candidate for using in tandem with a quality bass pickup and blender/mixer. (Check out my article with ideas for getting good results here!)

TL;DR:

So, enough of the talky-talk, here's the bullet points...

• Rich, natural sound
• Developed primarily for the stage
• Pre-amp with optimizing wheel to control the instrument-to-bleed ratio
• Minimal leakage and feedback
• Small, portable, lightweight
• Easy-to-install without tools, other accessories, or instrument modification
• Minimizes sound bleed from other instruments more than many other condenser microphones
• Patent-pending design