Designed and engineered in Vienna, the City of Music, the Austrian Audio OC16 is a versatile large-diaphragm condenser microphone that captures instruments and vocals with sparkling fidelity and shimmering transparency. With its versatile cardioid polar pattern, svelte profile, and low weight, the OC16 is easy to position in tight quarters, making it eminently useful for capturing snare drums and other hard-to-reach sources. You’ll notice it doesn’t have a pad — and that’s because it doesn’t need one. It can handle punishing SPLs of up to 148dB, so you can even close mic a cranked electric guitar amp without fear of capsule damage. The OC16 features Austrian Audio’s proprietary handmade CKR6 capsule and Open Acoustics technology, which neutralizes acoustical interference such as standing waves and reflections within the microphone. This advanced engineering delivers the acclaimed, natural and open-sounding OC sound. Factor in the OC16’s robust build quality and reasonable price tag, and you have another value-packed winner from Austrian Audio.

Outstanding results on any source

The heart of any classic mic is a superior handmade capsule, and this wisdom is borne out in the Austrian Audio’s proprietary CKR6 ceramic capsule. The CKR6 capsule, in concert with the microphone’s custom electronic circuitry, delivers excellent results when used for vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, drums, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, drum overheads, room capture, and more. An onboard 40Hz/160Hz low-cut/highpass filter lets you eliminate rumble and proximity effect to tailor the mic’s low-end response to the specific task at hand. The capsule is suspended elastically at three points within its cage, which keeps structure-borne noise to a minimum, making it feasible to use the mic even without a suspension mount (although one is included).

High tech meets tradition

The OC16’s sonic profile is inspired by a coveted classic microphone, but under the bonnet it’s a marvel of modern engineering. Employing highly insulating industrial ceramics that mimic the acoustic properties and mass of traditional brass along with other high-tech materials allows for a level of precision in manufacturing that was unimaginable even a few years ago. Each CKR6 capsule and assembled microphone is tested to ensure adherence to exacting tolerances before leaving Austrian Audio’s Vienna factory. Whether deployed in music recording, broadcast, voiceover, podcasting, or streaming applications, the OC 16 provides you with consistent, reliable performance, session after session, year after year.

Austrian Audio: the new Vienna classics

Carrying on the rich legacy of high-end Viennese transducer and microphone design into the modern era, Austrian Audio is driven by an engineering team with over 300 years of combined experience. Their motto: “Making Passion Heard.” Their mission: to design and manufacture a new generation of recording tools that embrace cutting-edge technologies and sonic excellence while honoring Vienna’s rich musical heritage. That vision is realized in Austrian Audio’s proprietary handcrafted capsules and the superior build quality of their products. Sweetwater is proud to bring you Austrian Audio’s distinguished lineup of fine microphones.

Austrian Audio OC16 Large-diaphragm Condenser Microphone Features:

• CKR6 ceramic capsule, handmade in Vienna
• Incorporates Austrian Audio’s Open Acoustics technology
• 40Hz/160Hz low-cut/highpass filter negates rumble and proximity effect
• Handles up to 148dB SPL
• Includes OCH8 mic clip, OCS6 elastic “spider” suspension, and MSC6 soft case
• Designed and engineered in Vienna