Manley Labs: Reference Silver

When one mentions the name Manley Labs, the first thing that leaps to mind is probably “Tubes Rule,” followed by thoughts of Massive Passive EQs, VOXBOXes, and Variable-Mu compressors. However, Manley also offers a selection of tube-based microphones as well. The Reference Cardioid and its larger sibling the Reference Gold have been part of the Manley family for 27 years. EveAnna Manley showed off the firm’s first new microphone since then at last year’s winter NAMM show: the Reference Silver.

The Reference Silver is hand-built stem to stern here in the USA, most of it at the company’s Chino, CA-based headquarters. The only thing not made in-house is the microphone’s capsule, which we will get to in a moment.