NAMM 2026: Nordic Audio Labs unveils new microphones

NAMM 2026: meeting with Nordic Audio Labs and previewing prototypes

NAMM is one of those settings where, in just a few days, trends, prototypes, and conversations intersect that often anticipate what we will see in the coming months. At this edition, we stopped by Nordic Audio Labs and conducted a video interview in which the team talked about design philosophy, current microphones, and some very interesting previews.

Nordic Audio Labs: sonic identity and "studio-first" approach

Nordic Audio Labs works with a clear goal: to build microphones designed for real production, where tonal coherence, complex source management and a performance that remains "musical" even when the chain is pushed. Their idea is not simply to replicate a classic, but to offer a modern platform: stable, repeatable and results-oriented.

Microphones and prototypes at NAMM 2026

During the meeting they presented us with their microphones and, most importantly, some prototypes in development. In addition to the existing range, the focus was on two items:

• A flagship microphone under development, designed as a top-of-the-line and reference for "main" shooting.
• A system with an external unit for power and pattern management, with dedicated controls and more immediate workflow.

The flagship prototype: the idea

The flagship they showed us is conceived as a "central" microphone for main sources: vocals, solo acoustic instruments, selective shooting, and applications where detail, body, and authority are needed. The promise (and challenge) is to achieve a big, refined sound without losing naturalness and controllability in the mix.

Separate power supply and pattern control: more control, more recall

The external unit dedicated to power supply and pattern management is not just an aesthetic choice. In the studio it can translate into:

• More precise and convenientcontrols without intervening on the microphone body during the session.
• Faster workflow when experimenting with patterns and placements.
• Easier Recall (especially in productions with multiple sessions and revisions).

The most interesting point: analog timbre variation ("voicing").

Among the prototypes, the one that impressed us most is the possibility (in development) of changing the circuitry response to change the character of the microphone analogically. Basically: not just patterns, but also the ability to intervene on the "voicing" to achieve different nuances-more open, denser, more present, softer-directly upstream, before conversion and processing.

This is a powerful idea because it shifts some of the creative work to the most effective point in the chain: the take. And when the take is already "just right," everything that comes after (EQ, compression, de-essing, saturations) becomes much lighter and more intentional.

Do you want to try them in the studio or store?

If you really want to understand a microphone, there is no shortcut: you need to put it in front of your source, in your chain, and in your context. Stop by the store or contact us-we'll help you choose the right setup for vocals, instruments, and production.