> STUDIO MICS LIVE SOUND >> SENNHEISER
AT THE recent NAMM Show, Sennheiser launched the new MK 4, a large-diaphragm, side address, true condenser – the first mic of its kind to be issued by the company. Manufactured in Germany, the MK4 is designed to provide the best possible sound quality, rather than technical extravagance. With a one-inch, gold-spattered diaphragm, elastically mounted capsule and nickel-finish the MK 4 was developed for pro users in project studios, but is equally well suited to other recording environments. It has a maximum SPL rating of 140dB, and very low self-noise of 10dB (A).
SHURE
SHURE’S latest studio microphones are the KSM42 and the KSM44A, the first, a large dual-diaphragm condenser, the second, a large diaphragm multi-pattern condenser. Both mics feature Shure’s Prethos preamplifier circuit technology, which promises unprecedented audio performance. While the KSM44A, with its three pickup patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, bi- directional) is designed for a variety of recording tasks, the KSM42 is a side-address microphone for the primary application of vocals. It offers optimal proximity control and a broad ‘sweet spot, with extremely consistent sound quality below 1000Hz.
KORBY AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES
korbyaudio.com
AS WELL as providing a renowned ‘revamp’ service, Korby builds several of its own prestige models – the Blue, Red, Fet, System and Custom. The KAT Red and Blue microphones are hand-made, tube condensers designed to deliver the classic large diaphragm tones made famous by the Austrian and German classics, respectively. The free-floating diaphragm of the Red offers that desirable top-end ‘air’, while the Blue delivers a powerful mid-range that lets vocals sit perfectly in a mix, and is also ideal for instruments, making it something of a ‘go-to’ mic. The KAT FET, as you might have guessed, is the company’s solid state offering which, according to the firm is perfect for overheads, with its tight low end and airy top end. The KAT System is the first hot-swappable microphone capsule system of its kind to incorporate a matrix connection that will accept both the Neumann-style centre contact and the AKG-style floating diaphragm. Available with 251, C12, U67, U47, and C800 head assemblies.
BEESNEEZ
beesneezmicrophones.com.au
BEESNEEZ’ Producer Series of studio mics includes nine models, all of which are hand-built (as are their power supplys) within its own factory in Australia. One of the highlights of the range is Arabella, which shares lineage with the Neumann U47 and M49 and has been designed to take the best of each for great versatility. The mic is fashioned in bronze and brass, with a NOS European steel vacuum tube, paper in oil and foil film capacitors, American-made resistors that have been designed for use in medical imaging and a hybrid capsule that is said to capture the sound of the M7 with the stability and repeatability of the K47.
40 audioPRO May 2011
shure.co.uk sennheiser.co.uk AUDIO-TECHNICA
audio-technica.com
AMONG an extensive range of studio mics, Audio-Technica’s 40 Series ribbon mics stand out on account of the extensive praise they’ve received of late. The AT4080 and AT4081 are side address microphones with figure- of-eight polar patterns. Both are phantom-powered and use aluminium ribbons to add significant durability. The larger AT4080 features two ribbons, while the low profile ‘stick design’ AT4081 has one, but both feature Audio Technica’s innovative Micro Linear ribbon imprint, which protects the ribbons from lateral flexing and distortion. In Frankfurt this year, AT launched two new studio condensers – the
AT2022, an X/Y stereo microphone, and the AT2031, a cardioid end- address microphone. The AT2022 features a dual-element, with two unidirectional condenser capsules for 90-degree or 120-degree stereo operation, while the AT2031 is ideal for string instruments and piano, with its extended frequency response and slight rise in the HF range for detail.
LD SYSTEMS
ld-systems.com
LD SYSTEMS’ D1013CUSB is a universal digital condenser mic that connects directly to a Windows or Mac computer via USB. It is a ‘plug and play’ device and requires no drivers. This microphone features a cardioid pickup pattern and a wide frequency range (30Hz to 18kHz), making it suitable for a wide variety of studio applications, including vocals and almost any instrument. Low self-noise without ambient noise and a high output level demonstrate the quality of the microphone relative to its very affordable price tag.
LD Systems also offers the BM1, an electret condenser microphone with a hemispherical directional characteristic, designed for the miking of upright and grand pianos. It features a linear frequency response, uniform pickup angle, rugged housing and a foam rubber base for isolation of structure-borne noise.
BEYERDYNAMIC
beyerdynamic.de
ALONGSIDE its ever-popular M 130 and M 160 ribbon mics, considered reliable workhorses by many engineers, Beyerdynamic has been busy in recent years, adding several mics to its studio line-up. Most notably, the MC 840 is a compact, large diaphragm model with a gold vaporised double diaphragm and five selectable polar patterns including omnidirectional, wide cardioid, cardioid, hypercardioid and figure-of-eight.
Building on the MC 740 microphone capsule, the new mic has been equipped with an improved low-noise pre- amplifier and an impedance transformer without transducer. Due to a two-stage roll-off filter (80 and 160Hz) compensating for the close miking effect and a two-stage pre-attenuation (-10 and -20dB), the MC 840 is suitable for pretty much any application, including the recording of orchestras. In addition, the company’s MC 900 series of small diaphragm true condensers includes mics such as the omni-directional MC 910, which offers a wide frequency response of 30Hz to 20kHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 69dB. It is suitable as a main microphone for stereo and surround recordings as well as close miking of voice or individual instruments. Its subtle treble boost provides an open and natural sound even over larger distances.
www.audioprointernational.com
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