Designed by Grammy winning producer & engineer Marc Urselli and built by JZ Microphones, the MU-1 combines two capsules in one level-matched & phase-coherent body
RIGA, LATVIA – [MAY 25, 2026] – JZ Microphones today launched the MU-1, the first studio microphone to house a ribbon element and a large-diaphragm condenser capsule side-by-side in a single, level-matched and phase-coherent body.
Designed by Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer Marc Urselli (U2, Nick Cave, Foo Fighters, Lou Reed, Elton John, John Zorn), the MU-1 replaces a decades-old two-microphone studio technique with a single, level-matched, session-repeatable tool.
Hand-crafting studio microphones in Latvia since 2007, JZ is trusted by Grammy-winning engineers including Rafa Sardina, Thom Russo, Joe Chiccarelli, and Sylvia Massy, and is recognized for its distinctive design language and Golden Drop capsule technology.
The technique every engineer knows. Now in one mic.
Pairing a ribbon and a condenser on the same source is a studio classic – and a workflow headache. Phase alignment, level matching, and positioning routinely turn a five-minute setup into a thirty-minute compromise.
MU-1 eliminates the compromise and gives you more sonic options than ever before. Both capsules sit side-by-side inside a single metal body, aligned in physical space and phase-coherent by design. A single 5-pin XLR carries both signals, splitting the signal via the included breakout Y-cable into two standard 3-pin XLRs – record either capsule alone, or both on separate channels, and blend to taste.
The condenser section is built around the Golden Drop capsule from JZ’s acclaimed Black Hole series. The ribbon uses a premium 1.2 µm foil motor chosen for higher sensitivity and finer detail.
Video with Marc Urselli about MU-1: youtu.be/E57BULH6v6s
Quotes
“The ribbon-and-condenser technique has been my favorite way of recording things for a long time. However, it involves having to set up two stands, negotiate space, align mics in the physical space, and align their phase afterwards. MU-1 is the first time sound comes out of one microphone – phase-coherent, level-matched, and completely repeatable from session to session. That changes how I work: it delivers the best sound, simplifies setup, delivers options, offers a sonic palette that spans decades and improves everything.”
Marc Urselli, Grammy Award-winning Producer, Recording & Mixing Engineer
“At JZ, we’re always looking for innovative, practical ways to make engineers’ lives easier – not more complicated. MU-1 is exactly that. It takes a technique the best engineers in the world already love, and removes every obstacle between them and the sound. That’s the kind of innovation we care about.”
Andris Zemmers, CEO, JZ Microphones
Key Features
- World’s first active ribbon + large-diaphragm condenser hybrid microphone
- Patent-pending hybrid capsule architecture
- Phase-aligned, level-matched dual outputs
- Single 5-pin XLR out with dual 3-pin XLR breakout cable
- Condenser: JZ Golden Drop cardioid capsule, transformerless signal path
- Ribbon: 1.2 µm foil motor with custom transformer,
- Handcrafted in Latvia
- Active design (48V phantom power to both elements)
- Solid All-Metal body
- In the box: shockmount, wooden box, breakout cable, ownership certificate
Availability
MU-1 is available now as a limited presale at jzmic.com
- Presale price: €1999 / $1999
- Shipping window: SHIPS AUGUST 2026
- Matched pairs available on request
About JZ Microphones
Founded in 2007 in Riga, Latvia, JZ Microphones is a handcrafted studio microphone manufacturer and the creator of the patented Golden Drop Capsule. JZ microphones are trusted by more than 15,700 producers and Grammy Award winners worldwide, including Rafa Sardina (19 Grammys), Thom Russo (16 Grammys), Joe Chiccarelli, Sylvia Massy, Dana Nielsen, and Marc Urselli. Every JZ microphone is handcrafted in Latvia. Learn more at jzmic.com.
Video with Marc Urselli about MU-1: youtu.be/E57BULH6v6s
