Microphone Book

AKG Model C 414 B/ULS Type – Condenser Polar Response – Cardioid / Hyper-cardioid / Omni / Bi-directional Maximum SPL – 134 dB (unpadded) Frequency range – 20 to 20,000 Hz Pads – 10 or 20 dB Roll-offs – 12 dB/ octave from 150 Hz or 75 Hz Typical applications – Widely used and flexible. Vocals, grand piano, brass, guitar / bass amps, percussion – snare, toms, hand percussion, over head, etc. Frequency response chart – Omni

Cardioid

Hypercardioid

By-directional

AKG 452 EB Type – Condenser Polar response – Cardioid Maximum SPL – Frequency range – 5Hz to 30 KHz Pad(s) – Roll Off(s) – Typical application – Frequency response chart -

AKG C 3000 Type – condenser Polar response – cardioid Maximum SPL – 140 dB for 0.5 THD Frequency response – 20 Hz to 20KHz Pads – 10 dB Roll off – 6d B / octave under 500 Hz Typical application – Guitar and bass amps, lead vocals, stage applications

Polar response

C 451 EB Type – condenser Polar response – Cardioid Maximum SPL – 135 dB for 0.5 % THD Frequency range – 20 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – 10, 20 dB Roll offs – 12 dB / octave at 75 Hzor 150 Hz Typical usage – Great for sounds with sharp transients, minimal handling noise, Percussion of all kinds, not very sensitive.

Polar response

AT 350 D

AT 4050 Type – condenser Polar response – omni, cardioid, bi-directional Maximum SPL – 149 dB for 1% THD Frequency range – 20 Hz to 18 KHz Pads – 10 dB Roll offs – 12 dB/ octave at 80 Hz Typical application – multi pattern, Great for piano, vocals, drum over heads, amps, percussion, etc Frequency response curve – OMNI

Polar response - OMNI

Polar response - cardioid

Polar response – bidirectional

CAD 350 Type – Condenser Polar response – Omni, cardioid, bi-directional Maximum SPL – 128 dB with 1% THD Frequency range – 10 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – 20 dB Roll offs – 80 Hz Typical application – side address, shock mounts are cumbersome, huge diaphragm, great match of dynamic and frequency range, piano, vocals, over heads, etc.

Polar response - omni

Polar response – Cardioid

Polar response – bidirectional

CAD VSM 1 Type – Tube Polar response – cardioid Maximum SPL – 133 dB for 0.5 % THD Frequency range – 10 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – 8dB, 16 dB Roll offs – 3dB / octave below 80 Hz Typical application – Vocals, piano, guitar, strings, good dynamic range

Polar response

Electro voice ND 457 Type – dynamic Polar response – hyper cardioid Maximum SPL – 144 dB Frequency range – 25 Hz to 21 KHz (close miked) 55 Hz to 18 KHz (distant - stage) Pad – no Roll offs –no Typical application – vocals, live reinforcement, snare, loud amps, over heads etc

Polar response low, low mids

Polar response – mids, his

RE 20 Type – Dynamic Polar pattern – Cardioid Frequency range – 45 Hz to 18 KHz Pads – none Roll offs – Filter – reduces 100 to 400 Hz by 4.5 dBs Maximum SPL – best I could find – ‘Extremely high. Better than condenser mics’ Typical application - Accordion, Acoustic Strings, Brass, Guitar Amp, Kick Drum, Snare, Speech, Tom, Woodwinds. Loud sources can be placed close to it. Vocals can be done really close with a different kind of a proximity effect.

Neumann KM 184 Type – condenser Polar response – Cardioid Maximum SPL – 138 dB for 0.5 % THD Frequency range – 20 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical applications – guitars, Strings – solos, ensembles, jazz piano, backing vocals / choirs etc

Neumann M 147 Type – Tube Polar response – cardioid Maximum SPL – 114 dB for 1% THD Frequency range – 20 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – no Roll offs – none Typical application – Vocals, backing vocals, guitar amps for mellow sounds, acoustic guitar etc

Neumann TLM 103 Type – condenser Polar response – cardioid Maximum SPL – 138 dB for 0.5% THD Frequency range – 20 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical application – Big diaphragm, Guitar, bass amps, most of acoustic strings, vocals etc

Polar response

Peavey PVM 480 Type - Electret condenser (phantom powerd) Polar response – Supercardioid Maximum SPL – 128 dB Frequency range- 40 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical application – Sensitive, plosive, acoustic instruments, spot on a soloist within an ensemble, live reinforcement etc

Polar response

PVM 520 i Type – Dynamic Polar response – cardioid Frequency range – 50Hz to 20 KHz Maximum SPL – high - about 138 dB Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical applications – Snare, Kick, toms, OH, guitar amps, brass etc

Polar response

PVM 580 i Type – Dynamic - handheld Polar response – hyper-cardioid Frequency range – 80 Hz to 15 KHz Maximum SPL – high – about 138 dB Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical applications – Reinforcement, kick, snare, amps, brass, etc

Polar response

Realistic PZM Type – Boundary microphone – electret condenser – Phantom Powered Polar response – Hemispherical Frequency range – 50 Hz to 16 KHz Maximum SPL – 120 dB for 3% THD Roll offs, pads – none Typical application - Noisy, used for speech, video sync sound, broadcast, piano lids, theatre, tap dancing (?)

Polar response – hemi sphere

Sennheiser 421 Type – Dynamic, medium diaphragm Polar response – Cardioid Maximum SPL – high –about 138 dB Frequency range – 30 Hz to 17 KHz Pads – none Roll off – 4 position 6 dB / octave fromn 100 Hz – refer response curve Typical applications – Speech, wide applications in live sound, Drum overheads, loud amps, etc

Polar response –

Sennheiser 441 Type – Dynamic Polar response – Super cardioid Frequency range – 30 Hz to 20 KHz Maximum SPL – high about 138 dB Pads – none Roll offs – 5 position – 18 dB / octave below 100 Hz – refer frequency curve

Polar response

MKH 20 Type – Condenser Pattern – Omni Frequency range – 12 Hz to 20 KHz Pads – 10 dB Roll off – Diffuse field EQ may function as a HP filter in cases such as drums in a drum booth where the mic is used as an overhead. Maximum SPL – 134 at 1 KHz

Typical application - main microphone for orchestras and solo instruments, and picks up the natural acoustics of the room. The frequency response is extremely flat, generally hot, great dynamic range.

Shure Beta 52 Type – DYNAMIC Polar response – Supercardioid Frequency range – 20 Hz to 10 KHz Maximum SPL -174 dB for 1 % distortion Pads, Filters – none Typical application – kick drum – outside / inside

Polar response

KSM 32 Type – condenser Pattern – cardioid Frequency range – 20 Hz to 20 KHz Maximum SPL – 139 dB Pads – 15 dB Roll off – 6 dB per octave at 115 Hz, or 15 dB per octave at 80 Hz

Typical application – Varied. Works with the room. Big dynamic range, A low frequency bulge when placed close – watch for amps.

Polar response

Shure KSM 32

Shure SM 57

Type – Dynamic Polar response – Cardioid Frequency range – 40 Hz to 15 KHz Maximum SPL – High - about 145 dB Pads, Roll offs – none Typical application – snare, over heads, guitar amps, anything loud, live sound – vocals, speech, etc. rings around 6 K for snare

Polar response

Shure SM 58 Type – Dynamic Polar response – cardioid Frequency range – 50 Hz to 15 KHz Maximum SPL –High – about 145 dB Pads and filters – none Typical applications – flatter response than 57, snare, over heads, guitar amps, anything loud, live sound – vocals, speech, etc. rings around 6 K for snare

Polar response

Shure SM 98 A Type – miniature electret condenser – battery or phantom powered

Polar response – Cardioid Frequency range – 40 Hz to 20 KHz Maximum SPL – 145 dB Pads – none Roll offs – none Typical application – Blends well for a Solo spot in a group, brass, flying it, speech, reinforcement, interviews etc

SM 98