Our Gear

Every single facet of any Vanguard product has been designed, tested, questioned, and rethought to give you the best possible product. For instance, we put the pad and rolloff switches on the Vanguard V13 on the rear of the microphone, so that the engineer can easily control them without affecting microphone placement. Our VLSM shockmount is created so that microphones can be as close as desired to the source, and utilizes aerospace-grade suspension rings that won’t snap, crack, or lose elasticity. On one microphone, we tested over 20 different capacitors at a single critical circuit junction to ensure the best possible aural match. And whenever possible, we over-spec our components to ensure you’ll be making music for years to come.

The bottom line is that each of our products is designed by a team of experienced microphone experts to be original, innovative, and high-performance. With deep-cycle cryogenic treatment, hand-tuned microphone capsules, and high-grade electronic components, we don’t cut corners, and we don’t settle for anything less than top-shelf.

We know that whether you’re a major studio owner or a songwriter in your converted garage, you want an incredible sound without emptying your wallet. After extensive testing against some of the most iconic microphones in the industry, we can say with confidence that Vanguard Audio Labs products will rival or exceed the performance and quality of high-end brands at a fraction of the cost.

We also want to address the obnoxious “MSRP” pricing trend in the industry. Oftentimes, you’ll notice that manufacturers set an absurdly high “list price” that seldom reflects on what you’ll actually pay for the product, and leave it to the retailer to wrangle as much as they can. We think that’s not only unfair, but also incredibly exasperating for customers. We have a No-Barter, No-BS pricing policy – we want our products to be reasonably priced so that anyone can afford them, whether you are a multi-million dollar studio tracking platinum records or an artist just buying your first great mic.

There’s no “MSRP” or “list price” with our products – just the fair price you’ll pay.

It’s always been our belief that your microphones should look as good as they sound. Brushed nickel and matte black are a bit too milquetoast for our liking. We’ve taken our visual cues from the Italian auto manufacturers of yesteryear’s classic designs. As a result, Vanguard products exude class and invite confidence the moment they’re placed in front of your client.

Each Vanguard product is crafted with one goal in mind – pure, unadulterated audio bliss. Endless hours of research, design, listening, and testing have been spent in relentless pursuit of that goal. After using world-class studios and engineers to test our microphones against some of the most timeless designs ever conceived, we can say with confidence that each Vanguard microphone will rival or exceed the performance of microphones that cost many times more.

Some microphone manufacturers’ goal is to achieve the flattest possible response. While this is one valid approach, I think we’d all be sad if the only flavor of ice cream was vanilla. Great records, like great recipes, need several delicious ingredients. Great records, like great paintings, benefit from a depth of tones and colors.

Instead, Vanguard Audio Labs’ philosophy is that the track should sound incredible right when it’s cut to tape. The authenticity of the sound source needs to be captured, but when we can add warmth, clarity, depth, and body to the signal, then that’s icing on the cake. We recall (in our early studio years) getting goosebumps the first time we heard our voice on a superb, world-class microphone. We strive for that ideal in all of our designs. Vanguard microphones hold true to the original performance while adding wonderful, subtle detail to the end result. Imparting just the right color and shape to your audio is a Vanguard specialty, and we’ve hand-tailored each product to bring your music to life.

Each Vanguard microphone undergoes final assembly & inspection and is hand-packed here in sunny Southern California.

Our products are precision-cast and machined from heavy-duty materials like brass, aluminum, steel, and zinc alloys. With padded microphone storage boxes and custom-designed carrying cases, your recording tools will be helping you make great music for years to come.

Additionally, each microphone goes through 100% quality-control in a series of stringent visual and audio tests – many manufacturers skip this process entirely or use a “spot-checking” method.

At Vanguard Audio Labs, we stand by our products with a FIVE-YEAR WARRANTY on every single item sold.