When it comes to phones, Teenage Engineering is best known for its collaboration with Nothing. The unique design identity of the Phone 1 and Phone 2 was created by the Swedish brand. And while the company works with many other brands to create eye-catching products – such as the Playdate handheld console – its main focus is music production devices.
I’ve always been a fan of Teenage Engineering’s Pocket Operator series of miniature synthesizers, and even a decade after its introduction, the OP-1 continues to be an outstanding synthesizer. The brand launched its field system early last year, introducing a range of devices designed for portable use. The CM-15 is part of this range, which includes a field recorder, a mixer and a lighter OP-1 called the OP-1 Field.
The idea is to be able to make music on the go, and each of the products is designed to work with the others. The CM-15 is particularly characterized by its versatility; You can use it as a traditional studio microphone to record vocals or instruments, and there’s the option to connect it to your phone and use it for audio recording – handy for interviews – and much more.
Then there is the design. Obviously design doesn’t play a crucial role in a microphone, but the CM-15 has a minimalist aesthetic that sets it apart from other studio microphones. The small size makes it a great choice for use on the go; It’s about half the size of a phone and weighs just 132g – no small feat considering it has a built-in battery.
Clearly a lot of thought went into the design of the CM-15, and the small form factor combined with the anodized aluminum body makes it inherently portable and durable. You also get a neat set of accessories in the box; The included adapter makes it relatively easy to mount the CM-15 on a tripod, and you get a mini XLR to XLR connector along with USB-C to USB-C cables and a water-resistant fabric field bag.
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The design feature I like best is the integrated stand on the back; This allows the microphone to stand upright on the desk without having to use a stand. Connectivity is via Mini-XLR, 3.5mm and USB-C, and you can power it via 48V phantom power, USB-C or the internal battery. It automatically switches between the three and there is a small LED on the side that serves as a visual indicator of the battery charge level.
The battery takes just over two hours to charge and the usage time between charges is almost nine hours – which is more than enough in this setting.
Aside from the power button on the left, the gain switch is the only other switch on the CM-15; There are three modes available: the leftmost position is 0 dB, the middle setting increases the gain by 14 dB, and the rightmost position increases it by 32 dB.
As for the microphone itself, the CM-15 features a 1-inch diaphragm capsule manufactured by Peluso Microphones. The sound quality is fantastic; I typically use a Blue Yeti to record audio and occasionally instruments, and the CM-15 is in a whole different league.
The condenser microphone has a unidirectional polar pattern, so it picks up sounds in front of it and isolates ambient noise well. The best part is the versatility; I’ve used the CM-15 for almost four months, during which time I’ve recorded interviews on the go, plugged it into my phone to record audio, and while it’s completely overkill for this use case, I’ve attended several dozen briefings and meetings with it.
It works great as a studio microphone and its portability gives it a distinct advantage. Priced at $1,199, the CM-15 is several orders of magnitude more expensive than most products in this category, but if you’re looking for a high-quality studio microphone with a durable design that can be used anywhere, it’s a great choice.
Teen Engineering CM-15
With fantastic sound and elegant design, the CM-15 can compete with the best studio microphones.