You don’t need a $10,000 microphone to capture the soul of sound.

The Myth of the Price Tag

Many people believe a lie: “To get pro-quality sound, you need expensive gear.”
Or, “Beginners can never achieve world-class audio.”

I used to believe that, too.
But I was wrong.
You don’t need a $10,000 microphone. What you need is passion, ingenuity, and the right tool.

The Origins: A Boy and His Boombox

My journey began in middle school in Japan. I found an old cassette boombox in my brass band’s club room. I became obsessed with recording my practice sessions.

I discovered that moving the boombox just a few inches changed the sound entirely. It wasn’t just technology; it was physics and art. That curiosity planted a seed in my mind: “Recording technique defines how music touches the soul.”

The Mentor & The Legend: Akihiko Goto and the “Kaneda Style”

Mr. Goto is the only engineer in the world authorized to run a recording label using the legendary “Kaneda-Style DC Recording” method, inherited directly from the inventor, Mr. Akihiko Kaneda.

For those who know, “Kaneda-Style” is the Holy Grail of Japanese pure audio—an uncompromising approach to DC (Direct Current) amplification that captures reality with frightening precision.

When I was his assistant, Mr. Goto built a prototype microphone specifically for me.
That prototype is the ancestor of the Kotaro Studio microphone you see today.

The Moment Everything Changed

When I first plugged in that prototype and put on my headphones, my world flipped upside down

The crinkling of a plastic bag. My own footsteps. The breath of my family.
Everyday sounds became a symphony. It wasn’t just “audio”—it was life.
It was transparent, organic, and shockingly real.

Later in my career as a pianist, I traveled to studios in Sweden and Germany. I worked with legendary gear: Neumann, DPA, and vintage German tube mics. They were magnificent.
But my ears always longed to return to that sound. The sound of the handmade mic that started it all.

Why I Build These by Hand

I made a decision: “I want to share this ‘shiver-inducing’ experience with the world.”

I am Kotaro Asahina. I craft every single microphone by hand in my studio in Tokyo.
I cannot mass-produce them. I hand-solder the components directly (point-to-point style) to ensure the purest signal path.
This isn’t a factory product. It is a bespoke instrument made just for you.

Why Omni-Directional Stereo Pair?

My microphones are sold primarily as a Matched Stereo Pair.
Based on Mr. Goto’s teachings and blind tests against ultra-expensive microphones, we found that the Omni-directional Spaced Pair (A-B Stereo) method is the ultimate way to capture the atmosphere of a room.

Whether you are a pro or a beginner, the result is the same.
Just set them up. Decide the distance. Record.
That’s it. You will capture a soundstage so real, you’ll feel like you can touch the air.

Simple, Yet Professional

Complex settings are the enemy of creativity.

  • P-86S: Works with Plug-in Power. Just plug it into your portable recorder.
  • X-86S: Works with standard XLR phantom power.
  • 32-bit Float Ready: High headroom design minimizes clipping, perfect for modern field recording.

My Wish for You

I want you to experience that same “goosebumps” moment I had years ago.
This is more than a microphone. It is an invitation to a world of beautiful sound.

From Tokyo to your studio,
Kotaro Studio

  1. “Kaneda-Style” & “Akihiko Goto” (権威性):
    • 海外のマニア（特にDIY Audio Forumなどの住人）にとって「Kaneda」は魔法の言葉です。これがあるだけで、無名のマイクが一気に「伝説の血統」に変わります。
  2. “Germany / Sweden” vs “My Mic” (対比):
    • 「ノイマンを知らないわけじゃない。知った上でこれを選んだ」という文脈にすることで、安物ではなく「あえて選ぶもの」というポジションを確立しました。
  3. “Matched Stereo Pair” (価値の最大化):
    • 欧米では「ステレオペア＝高級」という認識があります。ここを強調することで、単価を上げても納得感を醸成します。
  4. “Kotaro Asahina” (個人名):
    • 「誰が作ったか」を明確にしました。海外バイヤーは「日本の職人（Kotaro）」から買いたいのです。