Turn the budget mic you already own into a studio gem!

Full microphone rebuilds and capsule swaps for MXL, Sterling, M-Audio and more, hand-built and tested in Newport, RI, since 2020. Plus a working studio for mixing, overdubs and sweetening.

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Studio & music

RockScience recording studio control room with mixing desk and monitors

Bob and Rich working in the RockScience studio

A group of rebuilt RockScience microphones

Rich cutting vocals in the RockScience studio

Java source code open in a code editor, from Bob's software engineering work

About Us

RockScience is a recording studio and microphone workshop in Newport, Rhode Island, shaped by the energy of the ocean, the history in the air, and the artistry that thrives in this coastal town. In the workshop, I do custom mic rebuilds that transform low-end mics into pro-level gear. In the studio, it’s sweetening, overdubs, editing, and mixing. Behind both is a long career as an engineer, including years building digital audio workstations at Cakewalk.

Bob, founder of RockScience, at the laser engraver in his Newport, Rhode Island mic workshop — Bob at the laser engraver, where every mic gets its build code.

I’m Bob, and I build every RockScience mic myself, from the circuit board to the final test. Questions about your mic? Get in touch, or follow the workshop on Facebook.

What is it ya do here?

Hand-built microphone circuit board for a RockScience mic rebuild

Microphone Mods

Since 2020, the Mic Shop has grown into a rewarding venture, with over 200 mics built so far. I take real pride in putting great mics in the hands of talented artists.

MXL 990 rebuild (most popular) from $269.00
Capsule replacement from $179.00
Finished mics from my stock from $229.00

Not mass-produced. Every mic is hand-built, hand-tuned and configured to your choice of capsule, circuit and transformer, then tested before it ships.

Ships within 7 days of your mic arriving · 1-year warranty on parts and labor · How to ship your mic

See rebuilds & prices

RockScience recording studio control room in Newport, Rhode Island

Studio & Music

The studio is where it all began for me. I’ve always maintained a professional-grade home recording space. With a comfortable control room for mixing and tracking, plus an adjacent big room, it offers everything I need to create, capture, and produce.

Illustration of software development: laptop, code, devices and servers

The Engineering Background

I’ve been developing software professionally since 1985, including years as an engineer at Cakewalk helping build digital audio workstation (DAW) products. It’s why I approach every mic rebuild like an engineer.

200+ mics built since 2020

Here’s what some of the people using them have to say.

I really love this microphone now. My MXL 440 has been sitting in a box for almost 20 years & I have never touched it. Since getting the

John X Volaitis

I had a Rode NT-2 from the mid 90s that I hadn’t used since probably the late 90s, as it was WAY too bright. I contacted Bob, and

Jonathan Hughs

Bob was great to work with right from the start! He walked me through step by step and showed me photos of the process. Most of all, the

Scott C

High quality materials + good workmanship = high quality performance. It’s that simple. I love the concept of transforming these plebeian tools into something wonderful, and Bob has

Buddy Woodward

I was using a Focusrite mic to record my vocals, which I really liked but I was getting too much high-end and this made my voice sound a

Tommy Cook

I had an mxl 550 modified and what a difference from the original factory version more open , more clarity, its like taking a blanket off the speakers

Ant

I didn’t get into music production so I could sound like everybody else, and that attitude has influenced how I have populated my mic cabinet. I could walk

Buddy Woodward

I’ve had my 990 rebuilds for a few weeks now and used them on vocals, drum overheads, and a baby grand piano. Honestly, they have been a pleasant

Don

I really was just trying to make my mic usable. I was not expecting it to be the go-to that it has become. Thank you so much! I

Karl Sokol

I had two Sterling mics upgraded and they are a huge upgrade from the original product. I highly recommend anyone getting an upgrade from Rockscience.

David Arnold

AKG C414, Rockscience 990: they sound so similar. 990 before vs after? Night and day difference. I recorded a before and after comparison and the the response was

Isaac Duquette

Bob will transform your MXL990 from a meh mic into an outstanding mic. Great for vocals, acoustic and electric guitars. Loved my first one so much, I picked

Tom Biller

Bob and Rock Science created a wonderful new microphone for me, that Bob had already built for himself, from the donor body of a MXL 910 LDC mic.

Tommy Norton

I went with the AMI Tab-Funkenwerk T12 transformer and the CK12-Style Edge-Terminated capsule in my 990 and what a huge difference it made! I did some before and

Tyler Farmer

I reached out to Rock Science and Bob about modding my MXL 4000 as I saw the project on the website. I couldn’t be more pleased or satisfied

Tommy Norton

Yes, I could have just purchased a higher quality mic. I already have several in my locker now, my goal was to take one of my first inexpensive

Vinnie

The MXL 550 & 551 mics were a quick and dirty purchase I made years ago thinking maybe, even if they were cheap, they might sound good. I

Flip Hayes

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