Wayne Toups, the Grammy-winning creator of the musical gumbo known as Zydecajun, has become an endorser of Electro-Voice ND Series microphones. The opportunity was offered by Larry Habetz of Gulf Coast Sound, a long-term friend of Toups and his FOH engineer Ben Husser.

Husser, who also serves as production manager and tour manager, was open to trying new microphones but skeptical about committing to a single brand. After a rehearsal at the Gulf Coast Sound showroom, both Toups and Husser responded to what they heard. “One of my concerns when we were approached about this was being bound to any particular mic,” says Husser. “I've never been brand-centric. In fact, I had been using three different microphone brands on the drum kit alone. As an engineer, I just want to best tools for the job. But Larry Habetz is a fan and a friend, so we set up a rehearsal at his showroom. Once we tried them, both Wayne and I instantly liked what we heard.”

The central question was whether any of the ND Series vocal microphones would suit Toups, who had been satisfied with a premium microphone he had used for years. According to Husser, the reaction to the ND76 cardioid was immediate.

“He had been using the same thousand-dollar microphone the past three years, so frankly, I did not think that was going to change,” reports Husser. “But as soon as Wayne hit the ND76, he instantly said, 'whatever you did, don't touch a thing. I like this better.' He said it complemented the warmth in his vocals a lot more, and I had to agree.”

Husser and monitor engineer Josh Crapo tested the ND86 and ND96 on the rest of the band's vocals, then settled on the ND76 for frontline duty. “The ND76 is so EQ-friendly, it just fit the job better,” says Husser. The exception is the drummer's vocal, where Husser uses the ND46 instrument microphone and its pivoting head to control bleed.

The ND Series instrument microphones cover the rest of the rig. The ND44, with its tight cardioid pattern and rotating head, handles guitar and fiddle cabinets, while the low-frequency extension of the ND68 suits the bass amp and the kick drum. The ND44 also appears in several positions on the kit — two on the snare drum (top and bottom) and a pair on the small 10-inch and 12-inch toms. Husser prefers the ND46 on the larger toms, and ND66 articulating condensers handle hi-hat and overheads.

“The patterns are nice and tight, so I've been able to open my gates up a lot, which gives me a more natural sound without having to worry about bleed,” says Husser. “I am thoroughly impressed with the overhead mics, which are very well thought out. I want the overhead mics to breathe and pick up the entire kit, and the ND66 really opens it all up for me.”

Before committing to the endorsement, the band put the ND Series to work on tour. “The more I use these mics, the more I like them,” says Husser. “I now have a fuller, more open mix, with less compression and gating. EQing the mix is much easier, too – just letting the mics do the work instead of having to cut stuff at the console. Overall, they just feel more real, more true to the instrument. So whether we're doing traditional Cajun music at a crawfish boil or the full Zydecajun experience at a big festival, these new EV mics capture it all perfectly.”