Fen Tone: A Retro Soul with a Modern Purpose.

“This style of microphone has been around for years, but its sonic character has evolved from the original design. We're thrilled to offer an affordable version that captures its modern voice. Everyone knows the body shape of this mic — but few realise it traces back to a 1950s design. We’ve reworked the original ‘Talk / Music / Orchestra’ switch into a powerful inline preamp, adding even more value. We revived the original trademark to keep it authentic, and upgraded it with premium components to deliver the most sought-after tones for guitars, instruments and more.”

— Bryce Young, Founder & President, Warm Audio

Where Ribbon Tradition Meets Modern Ingenuity

In the world of ribbon microphones, few models manage to blend vintage aesthetics with modern performance as elegantly as the new Fen tone from Warm Audio. Inspired by the iconic Bang & Olufsen designs of the 1950s, the Fen tone isn’t just a revival — it’s a reintroduction of the ribbon sound for the 21st century.

Craftsmanship that Spans Continents

At the heart of the Fen tone lies a custom Japanese made ribbon element, precision-crafted for consistency and performance. This is paired with a CineMag transformer — one of the most respected names in American signal path fidelity. The result is a ribbon microphone with: Rich midrange presence, a natural and neutral tonal signature, carefully shaped high end roll off above 15 kHz which smooths out harshness without dulling the detail. The mic’s body, with its upright geometry and retro elegance, pays homage to the golden era of industrial design — yet it meets today’s studio demands with grace.

Built-in Selectable Inline Preamp: The Secret Weapon

The Fen tone introduces a genuine breakthrough: a JFET-powered inline analog preamp integrated directly into the mic. Activated with a simple switch, it delivers +26 dB of clean, low-noise gain, making it ideal even with modest preamps.

What this means in real-world use:

• Plug directly into an audio interface without needing a high-gain preamp

• Use easily in live and location recording setups

• Eliminate the need for bulky inline boosters like Cloudlifter or FetHead

Note: Phantom power should only be used when the preamp is switched ON.

Advanced Features & Bypass Design

The Fen tone goes beyond passive vintage specs with stepped precision controls for reliable stereo matching and repeatability. A true relay bypass ensures the mic remains entirely transparent when operating in passive mode. Bonus features include: Three high-pass filter presets in the compressor’s sidechain, preventing low-frequency overload. Switchable compressor In/Out mode, retaining tonal character from the transformer and JFET even when the compressor circuit is bypassed

Compression In/Out Flexibility

The built-in compressor allows for seamless In/Out switching, preserving the signature tonal character imparted by the CineMag transformer and JFET circuitry — even when the compression stage is disengaged.

Alternative Sidechain Compression

The sidechain section offers three high-pass filter options, designed to prevent excessive low-end triggering. This allows for more refined compression behaviour, especially when subtle dynamics control is needed without compromising the source's body and warmth.

View the full technical specifications of the Fen tone here.

See the video of Fen-tone - Ultimate Instrument Ribbon Mic | Product Deep Dive w/ Founder Bryce Young

Why Ribbon — And Why Now?

A ribbon microphone holds a unique place in every serious engineer’s collection. Its dynamic response, smooth presence curve, and natural ability to tame harsh sources make it ideal for:

• Electric guitar amps

• Brass and woodwinds

• Vintage-style drum overheads

• Character-rich vocals (especially jazz and blues)

• Room ambience capture in film scoring and post-production

The Fen tone makes this revered sound more accessible than ever — even to home studio users.

The Sonic Signature

“Warm, smooth, slightly compressed, yet open in the mids. The low-end is rounded, and the top-end naturally rolls off — no harshness, no veil.”

— Chris Graham Mastering

“This isn’t an all-purpose mic, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But where it shines — it really shines.”

Final Thoughts

The Warm Audio Fen tone is more than another entry in the vintage ribbon revival. It’s a redefinition of what a ribbon mic can be today — with smart design, accessible pricing, and a focus on tone and usability. Whether you're a musician chasing that elusive “sweet spot” in your recordings or an engineer looking to add character and depth without resorting to plugins, the Fen tone deserves a serious listen.

Explore all Warm Audio products here

AthensProAudio Team ©