SAMAR Audio Design

The Samar Audio VL37 is a handcrafted ribbon microphone that reflects the company’s dedication to creating original, high-quality, modern recording tools. Built with the same components and engineering philosophy as the acclaimed MF65, the VL37 delivers a comparable level of performance and sound quality that has helped redefine expectations for high-end ribbon microphones. Its exceptional sonic character is the result of meticulous attention to detail and precision craftsmanship applied to every component. The VL37 offers a unique tonal balance that blends a classic vintage warmth with modern clarity, making it a versatile and affordable solution for professional recording applications. Featuring a bi-directional figure-8 polar pattern with symmetrical response, the VL37 excels in capturing natural stereo images and ambient detail. It is well-suited for a wide range of sources, including drum overheads, choir, piano, violin, orchestra, brass instruments, vocals, guitars, room recordings, and speaker cabinets. The microphone is designed to handle high sound pressure levels with ease and includes a built-in pop filter for added practicality. Its symmetrical response ensures consistent performance in both directions, making it ideal for demanding studio and live sound environments. Constructed with a durable stainless steel body, the VL37 is built for reliability and longevity. It comes supplied with a US-made wooden storage box and an anti-vibration shockproof clip, providing both protection and convenience for professional use.

The Samar Audio VL37A is the active version of the VL37, designed to elevate its already impressive sonic performance to a new level. Engineered for extremely low noise, it opens up a broader range of applications, including classical music recording, broadcasting, film production, and professional studio work. Its condenser-like output level, combined with optimized ribbon loading and precise impedance integration, significantly reduces the demands on preamplifiers and cabling. Based on the same motor structure and tuning as the acclaimed Samar MF65, the VL37A shares identical high-quality components across the product range. Like all Samar microphones, it is بالكامل handcrafted and meticulously assembled in the USA using exclusively in-house manufactured parts, ensuring exceptional build quality and consistency. The VL37A offers a unique tonal balance that blends vintage warmth with modern clarity, making it a versatile and affordable tool for high-end recording. Its bi-directional figure-8 polar pattern with symmetrical response captures sound naturally from both directions, providing excellent depth and spatial accuracy. It is well-suited for a wide variety of applications, including vocals, choir, piano, violin, orchestra, brass instruments, acoustic and electric guitars, speaker cabinets, drum overheads, and room recordings. Its smooth and detailed sound character makes it equally effective in studio, broadcast, and live recording environments. Constructed with a durable stainless steel body, the VL37A is built for long-term reliability. It comes supplied with a US-made wooden storage box and an anti-vibration shockproof clip, offering both protection and ease of use for demanding professional applications.

The AL Active is an in-line 48V phantom-powered preamp designed for studios, artists, and engineers who demand the highest level of sound purity and clarity. It provides increased gain, lower distortion, and reduced noise for virtually any ribbon or dynamic microphone, making it an ideal companion for high-end passive ribbon microphones such as the MF65, VL37, and AL95. Its circuit design is based on the original schematics developed by Dr. Mark Fouxman, founder of Samar Audio Design, and draws from the technology used in the company’s flagship active microphones. Staying true to the philosophy “life is in iron,” all gain is achieved through a premium toroidal transformer, the same signature component found in Samar’s ribbon microphones. Unlike conventional solid-state microphone boosters, the AL Active generates all gain directly within the transformer itself, adding virtually no noise to the signal. A transparent and neutral buffer stage follows, ensuring proper signal decoupling from cables and preamp inputs while preserving the microphone’s natural 3D depth and clarity. With an optimal load impedance of 10kOhm, the AL Active allows passive microphones to perform at their best, delivering open and natural sound characteristics. This ensures consistent performance across a wide range of recording setups. Its custom-designed housing, manufactured in-house using advanced CNC machining, allows the unit to connect directly to the microphone’s XLR output without requiring additional cables. This eliminates issues related to cable resistance, capacitance, and signal degradation, effectively making the AL Active a seamless extension of the microphone for a clean, transparent, and reliable signal path.

The Samar Audio AL95 is a figure-8 passive ribbon microphone that represents years of in-house innovation and craftsmanship. Designed and manufactured بالكامل in the USA, it delivers high-end performance at an exceptionally accessible price point, making it suitable for both budget-conscious creators and professional engineers seeking uncompromising audio quality. Developed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman, the AL95 features an efficient uni-body construction and a unique motor design that minimizes the number of internal components. This streamlined engineering approach reduces production costs without sacrificing performance, resulting in a reliable, high-quality microphone built for long-term use. At its core is a piston-style corrugated ribbon, offering significant advantages over traditional zig-zag ribbon designs. This includes lower noise, deeper and more controlled bass response, higher output levels, reduced resonance, and excellent high SPL handling. The robust ribbon construction also improves durability, eliminating the need for special storage precautions typically associated with ribbon microphones. The ribbon motor is paired with a custom in-house amorphous-core toroidal transformer derived from Samar’s flagship designs. Carefully optimized for the AL95, this transformer ensures extremely low distortion and noise while maintaining a neutral and transparent sound signature across the frequency spectrum. Thanks to its linear response and modern design, the AL95 is highly versatile and well-suited for applications requiring extended low-end and detailed high frequencies. Its symmetrical figure-8 pattern makes it ideal for advanced recording techniques such as M-S and Blumlein configurations. The microphone includes a durable carrying case, shock-proof clip, and is backed by a 1-year warranty with ribbon replacement support and a 15-day satisfaction guarantee.

The Samar Audio AL95 is a figure-8 passive ribbon microphone that represents years of in-house innovation and craftsmanship. Designed and manufactured بالكامل in the USA, it delivers high-end performance at an exceptionally accessible price point, making it suitable for both budget-conscious creators and professional engineers seeking uncompromising audio quality. Developed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman, the AL95 features an efficient uni-body construction and a unique motor design that minimizes the number of internal components. This streamlined engineering approach reduces production costs without sacrificing performance, resulting in a reliable, high-quality microphone built for long-term use. At its core is a piston-style corrugated ribbon, offering significant advantages over traditional zig-zag ribbon designs. This includes lower noise, deeper and more controlled bass response, higher output levels, reduced resonance, and excellent high SPL handling. The robust ribbon construction also improves durability, eliminating the need for special storage precautions typically associated with ribbon microphones. The ribbon motor is paired with a custom in-house amorphous-core toroidal transformer derived from Samar’s flagship designs. Carefully optimized for the AL95, this transformer ensures extremely low distortion and noise while maintaining a neutral and transparent sound signature across the frequency spectrum. Thanks to its linear response and modern design, the AL95 is highly versatile and well-suited for applications requiring extended low-end and detailed high frequencies. Its symmetrical figure-8 pattern makes it ideal for advanced recording techniques such as M-S and Blumlein configurations. The microphone includes a durable carrying case, shock-proof clip, and is backed by a 1-year warranty with ribbon replacement support and a 15-day satisfaction guarantee.

The Samar Audio AL959 is a stereo ribbon microphone that evolves the acclaimed AL95 ‘piston’ ribbon design into a single, integrated stereo unit. By placing matched ribbon motors in extremely close proximity, it achieves exceptional phase coherence between channels, even at very high frequencies. This results in a more accurate stereo image compared to traditional setups using two separate microphones in Blumlein or M-S configurations. Its compact and lightweight design makes the AL959 highly practical for studio, live, and on-location recording. With a single 4-conductor cable and included Y-splitter, setup is fast and efficient, requiring only one microphone position. This makes it an ideal solution for artists, engineers, and content creators who need reliable stereo capture with minimal complexity. Handcrafted in the USA at Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City facility, the AL959 benefits from years of expertise in ribbon transducer design and precision manufacturing. Developed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman, the microphone features an efficient uni-body construction and innovative motor design with a minimal number of components, enabling high-end performance at an unusually accessible price. At its core are piston-style corrugated ribbons, offering lower noise, deeper and more controlled bass response, higher output, reduced resonance, and excellent high SPL handling compared to traditional ribbon designs. The robust ribbon construction also improves durability, reducing fragility and eliminating the need for special storage precautions. The ribbon motors are paired with custom hand-wound amorphous-core toroidal transformers derived from Samar’s flagship designs. This results in extremely low distortion, low noise, and a neutral, transparent sound signature. Thanks to its linear response and symmetrical design, the AL959 excels in a wide range of stereo applications, including orchestral, choir, drum overheads, piano, guitar, and room recordings. It comes complete with a durable carrying case, microphone clip, Y-splitter cable, and includes a 1-year warranty with ribbon replacement support and a 15-day satisfaction guarantee.

The Samar Audio MF08 redefines microphone design as the world’s first hybrid microphone to combine a figure-8 ribbon element with a true pressure omnidirectional small-diaphragm condenser capsule. This innovative transformer-coupled design allows continuously variable polar patterns, including a center-detented cardioid position for precise and repeatable recall. By merging the natural characteristics of both technologies, the MF08 delivers a unique tonal balance that combines the precision of small-diaphragm condensers with the depth and fullness of large-diaphragm microphones. Originally conceived by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman in 2004, the MF08 is the result of over two decades of research and development. While inspired by classic hybrid designs, modern advancements in ribbon technology and true pressure omni capsules have elevated its performance far beyond earlier limitations, achieving exceptional clarity, accuracy, and sonic integrity. To ensure optimal phase coherence, the omni capsule is positioned extremely close to the ribbon motor through a redesigned magnetic structure. This precise alignment extends phase accuracy beyond 22 kHz, effectively eliminating phase irregularities within the audible range. The cardioid pattern is created through a natural acoustic interaction between the omni and figure-8 elements, avoiding the artifacts commonly associated with conventional condenser designs. The combined signals are routed through a custom-designed output transformer driven by a Class A push-pull circuit, allowing the MF08 to handle very high sound pressure levels without distortion. Multiple internal calibration and tuning components ensure consistent performance and sonic characteristics across all units, while operation is powered via standard 48V phantom power. Housed in a resonance-free carbon fiber body with precision-machined components, the MF08 reflects Samar Audio’s commitment to both acoustic performance and design. Its open head basket eliminates traditional side posts to reduce reflections and interference. Entirely manufactured in-house in the USA, the MF08 offers exceptional linearity, wide bandwidth, and low distortion, making it an outstanding choice for applications ranging from orchestral recordings to drum overheads and beyond.

The Samar Audio Design MG20 is a transformer-coupled small diaphragm microphone engineered for exceptional audio performance. It delivers very low noise, high SPL handling, natural sonics, a smooth frequency response, and an extended low end, making it an ideal choice for professional engineers, studios, artists, and home recording enthusiasts seeking the highest quality recordings. Designed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman and handcrafted in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City workshop, the MG20 features an efficient construction and an innovative acoustic body shape. This design ensures excellent off-axis response and minimal phase distortion, while the use of high-quality internal components guarantees long-term reliability and uncompromising performance. At its core is a high-quality capsule paired with a transformer-coupled circuit based on a single JFET stage, inspired by classic designs like the KM84 and enhanced with modern refinements. The custom in-house transformer, developed specifically for the MG20, features chambered winding and an 80% nickel core, delivering low capacitance and outstanding high-frequency response. The microphone body is acoustically optimized to function as a specialized acoustic lens, minimizing wave interference and preserving phase integrity. Combined with an acoustically open mesh grille, this design eliminates reflections and ensures a highly transparent and accurate sound capture, even for off-axis sources. With its neutral and uncolored sonic character, the MG20 excels in a wide range of applications. It produces a smooth, sibilance-free top end and a deep, controlled low end, making it particularly well-suited for vocals, voice-over, and podcasting, as well as instruments such as strings, brass, guitars, drum overheads, percussion, and full ensemble recordings including orchestra and choir.

The Samar Audio Design MG20 is a transformer-coupled small diaphragm microphone engineered for exceptional audio performance. It delivers very low noise, high SPL handling, natural sonics, a smooth frequency response, and an extended low end, making it an ideal choice for professional engineers, studios, artists, and home recording enthusiasts seeking the highest quality recordings. Designed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman and handcrafted in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City workshop, the MG20 features an efficient construction and an innovative acoustic body shape. This design ensures excellent off-axis response and minimal phase distortion, while the use of high-quality internal components guarantees long-term reliability and uncompromising performance. At its core is a high-quality capsule paired with a transformer-coupled circuit based on a single JFET stage, inspired by classic designs like the KM84 and enhanced with modern refinements. The custom in-house transformer, developed specifically for the MG20, features chambered winding and an 80% nickel core, delivering low capacitance and outstanding high-frequency response. The microphone body is acoustically optimized to function as a specialized acoustic lens, minimizing wave interference and preserving phase integrity. Combined with an acoustically open mesh grille, this design eliminates reflections and ensures a highly transparent and accurate sound capture, even for off-axis sources. With its neutral and uncolored sonic character, the MG20 excels in a wide range of applications. It produces a smooth, sibilance-free top end and a deep, controlled low end, making it particularly well-suited for vocals, voice-over, and podcasting, as well as instruments such as strings, brass, guitars, drum overheads, percussion, and full ensemble recordings including orchestra and choir.

The Samar Audio Design MG32 (end-addressed) and MG33 (side-addressed) are compact small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphones that share the same capsule, electronics, and acoustical design. Despite their modest size and price, they deliver high-end performance with low noise, smooth and balanced frequency response, low distortion, and excellent extension in both low and high frequencies. Designed by Dr. Mark Fouxman and built in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City workshop, both microphones feature an innovative acoustic body design. A carefully engineered acoustic lens minimizes standing waves, reflections, and interference, ensuring minimal phase distortion and outstanding off-axis response. The use of premium electronic components, including Vishay-Dale resistors and Wima capacitors, guarantees reliable performance and long-term durability. Sharing the same capsule as the acclaimed MG20, the MG32 and MG33 offer a neutral and natural sound signature. Their smooth high-end response avoids harshness, while the extended low-end provides depth and clarity, making them highly versatile for professional recording applications. These microphones are ideal for a wide range of uses, including piano, strings, brass, acoustic guitars, drum overheads, percussion, room recordings, as well as orchestral and choral work. Their balanced tonal character ensures accurate and detailed sound capture across various musical genres. Thanks to their compact form factor, the MG32 and MG33 are particularly well-suited for environments where space is limited. They are an excellent choice for live sound reinforcement, concert recordings, and setups requiring a discreet yet powerful microphone solution.

The Samar Audio Design MG32 (end-addressed) and MG33 (side-addressed) are compact small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphones that share the same capsule, electronics, and acoustical design. Despite their modest size and price, they deliver high-end performance with low noise, smooth and balanced frequency response, low distortion, and excellent extension in both low and high frequencies. Designed by Dr. Mark Fouxman and built in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City workshop, both microphones feature an innovative acoustic body design. A carefully engineered acoustic lens minimizes standing waves, reflections, and interference, ensuring minimal phase distortion and outstanding off-axis response. The use of premium electronic components, including Vishay-Dale resistors and Wima capacitors, guarantees reliable performance and long-term durability. Sharing the same capsule as the acclaimed MG20, the MG32 and MG33 offer a neutral and natural sound signature. Their smooth high-end response avoids harshness, while the extended low-end provides depth and clarity, making them highly versatile for professional recording applications. These microphones are ideal for a wide range of uses, including piano, strings, brass, acoustic guitars, drum overheads, percussion, room recordings, as well as orchestral and choral work. Their balanced tonal character ensures accurate and detailed sound capture across various musical genres. Thanks to their compact form factor, the MG32 and MG33 are particularly well-suited for environments where space is limited. They are an excellent choice for live sound reinforcement, concert recordings, and setups requiring a discreet yet powerful microphone solution.

The Samar Audio Design MG32 (end-addressed) and MG33 (side-addressed) are compact small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphones that share the same capsule, electronics, and acoustic design. Despite their small size and accessible price point, they deliver outstanding performance with low noise, a smooth and balanced frequency response, low distortion, and excellent extension across both low and high frequencies. Designed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman and built in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City facility, both microphones feature a carefully engineered body shape that acts as an acoustic lens. This innovative design minimizes standing waves, reflections, and interference, resulting in minimal phase distortion and exceptional off-axis response. High-quality components such as Vishay-Dale resistors and Wima capacitors ensure long-term reliability and uncompromised audio performance. Using the same capsule as the highly regarded MG20, the MG32 and MG33 offer a neutral and natural sound character. Their smooth high-frequency response avoids harshness, while the extended low end provides depth and clarity, making them highly versatile tools for professional audio work. They are suitable for a wide range of applications, including piano, strings, brass instruments, acoustic guitars, drum overheads, percussion, room recordings, and large ensemble recordings such as orchestra and choir. Their balanced tonal response ensures accurate and detailed sound capture across different genres and recording environments. Thanks to their compact design, the MG32 and MG33 are particularly well-suited for situations where space is limited. They are ideal for live sound reinforcement, concert recordings, and any application requiring a discreet yet high-performance microphone solution.

The Samar Audio Design MG32 (end-addressed) and MG33 (side-addressed) are compact small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphones that share the same capsule, electronics, and acoustic design. Despite their small size and accessible price point, they deliver outstanding performance with low noise, a smooth and balanced frequency response, low distortion, and excellent extension across both low and high frequencies. Designed by founder Dr. Mark Fouxman and built in Samar Audio’s Salt Lake City facility, both microphones feature a carefully engineered body shape that acts as an acoustic lens. This innovative design minimizes standing waves, reflections, and interference, resulting in minimal phase distortion and exceptional off-axis response. High-quality components such as Vishay-Dale resistors and Wima capacitors ensure long-term reliability and uncompromised audio performance. Using the same capsule as the highly regarded MG20, the MG32 and MG33 offer a neutral and natural sound character. Their smooth high-frequency response avoids harshness, while the extended low end provides depth and clarity, making them highly versatile tools for professional audio work. They are suitable for a wide range of applications, including piano, strings, brass instruments, acoustic guitars, drum overheads, percussion, room recordings, and large ensemble recordings such as orchestra and choir. Their balanced tonal response ensures accurate and detailed sound capture across different genres and recording environments. Thanks to their compact design, the MG32 and MG33 are particularly well-suited for situations where space is limited. They are ideal for live sound reinforcement, concert recordings, and any application requiring a discreet yet high-performance microphone solution.

The Samar Audio TF10 is part of a new generation of condenser microphones featuring a carbon fiber body, developed as a successor to the Omni8 TF08. Built with the same dedication to uncompromised quality and precision as Samar’s acclaimed ribbon microphones, the TF10 represents a significant advancement in condenser microphone design for modern high-resolution recording environments. At its core is a proprietary cardioid capsule designed by Dr. Mark Fouxman. This unique single-sided, three-chamber design allows independent control over frequency shaping and time alignment, resulting in exceptional frequency balance and phase integrity, even in off-axis response. The elimination of parasitic capacitance and the absence of a traditional DC-to-DC bias converter further reduce distortion and enhance transparency, delivering a highly realistic and natural sound. The microphone body is acoustically optimized with a distinctive “lollipop” capsule design, where the capsule is exposed without a surrounding enclosure. Mounted on a specially shaped acoustic lens and combined with an open mesh grille, this construction eliminates standing waves, reflections, and interference, ensuring maximum clarity and sonic accuracy. The TF10’s internal circuitry uses premium components to achieve very low noise and minimal coloration, while offering exceptionally high headroom. It can handle extreme signal levels and deliver undistorted output up to 10V, making it suitable for demanding recording situations. Housed in a carbon fiber body with excellent vibration damping, the TF10 ensures stable and resonance-free operation. It includes a high-quality shock mount and wooden storage box. With its neutral and uncolored sound, deep low-end response, and smooth, sibilance-free high frequencies, the TF10 is ideal for vocals, voice-over, instruments, and a wide range of professional studio and broadcast applications.

The Samar Audio VL373 is the latest addition to the acclaimed MF65–VL37 family, designed to deliver a true-to-life stereo image with exceptional accuracy. By placing two ribbon elements in extremely close proximity, the VL373 minimizes phase distortion even at very high frequencies, effectively functioning as two VL37 microphones within a single, high-performance stereo unit. Based on the same motor structure and tuning as the flagship MF65, the VL373 shares identical high-quality components across the range. A unique swivel mechanism—rare among modern stereo ribbon microphones—allows users to adjust the stereo angle from 60 to 120 degrees, providing flexibility for a wide variety of recording scenarios, from large orchestras and choirs to smaller ensembles and individual instruments. The VL373 is available in both passive and active (VL373A) versions. The passive version follows a classic ribbon microphone design suited for use with high-gain, low-noise preamplifiers. The active version offers extremely low noise and a higher output level similar to condenser microphones, reducing the demands on preamps and cables while expanding its usability in studio, broadcast, and classical recording environments. Handcrafted بالكامل in the USA, the VL373 features a durable stainless steel body and is meticulously assembled using in-house manufactured components. It includes a US-made wooden storage box and an anti-vibration shockproof clip, ensuring both protection and ease of use in professional settings. With high SPL handling, a built-in pop filter, and a symmetrical figure-8 polar response, the VL373 excels in a wide range of stereo recording techniques such as Blumlein, M-S, and XY. It is ideal for capturing orchestra, choir, piano, vocals, strings, brass, guitars, drum overheads, and room recordings with clarity, depth, and precision.

The Samar Audio VL373A is the latest addition to the highly acclaimed MF65–VL37 family, designed to deliver a true-to-life stereo image with exceptional precision. By placing two ribbon elements in extremely close proximity, the VL373A minimizes phase distortion even at very high frequencies, effectively combining two VL37 microphones into a single high-performance stereo unit. Built on the same motor structure and tuning as the flagship MF65, the VL373A uses identical high-quality components across the range. A unique swivel mechanism allows the stereo angle to be adjusted from 60 to 120 degrees, offering flexibility for a wide variety of recording setups, from large orchestras and choirs to smaller ensembles, drum overheads, and solo instruments. The active VL373A version is designed for extremely low noise and provides a higher output level similar to condenser microphones. Thanks to optimized impedance matching and load characteristics, it places less demand on preamps and cables, making it a highly practical and cost-effective solution for both project and professional studios. Handcrafted in the USA using exclusively in-house manufactured components, the VL373A features a durable stainless steel body and is supplied with a US-made wooden storage box and an anti-vibration shockproof clip. Its robust construction ensures long-term reliability in both studio and live environments. With high SPL handling, a built-in pop filter, and a symmetrical figure-8 polar response, the VL373A excels in stereo recording techniques such as Blumlein, M-S, and XY. It is ideal for capturing a wide range of sources including orchestra, choir, piano, vocals, strings, brass, guitars, drum overheads, and room recordings with clarity, depth, and realism.