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| Q: Where is the front of the microphone? |
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Your microphone has a cardioid pattern symbol on the upper body, below the grill which indicates the front of the microphone. |
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| Q: My microphone makes no sound. What do I do? |
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Your microphone requires phantom power. Check to ensure you have this and that your connections are correct and everything is powered on. If you
don’t understand phantom power, please read on. |
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| Q: What is phantom power? |
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Phantom power is DC power, typically in the form of a 48-volt signal
(though phantom power can range from 9V – 52V), supplied to condenser
microphones by either a dedicated preamplifier or a preamplifier built into an
audio mixer’s input channel. Phantom power enables the microphone to operate. |
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| Q: Where does phantom power come from? |
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Phantom power is provided by either a standalone microphone preamplifier or one that is built into an audio mixer’s input channel. Many hard disk recorders have phantom power built-in. |
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| Q: What if I don’t have phantom power? |
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You can obtain phantom power by purchasing a dedicated microphone pre
amplifier or a 48-volt phantom power equipped audio mixer. |
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| Q: How many volts of phantom power do I need? |
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MXL microphones require 48-volt phantom power to operate correctly.
Some devices provide 15 volts, and although the MXL microphone will
work, it will not operate at maximum efficiency. |
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| Q: What kind of cable do I need to use with phantom power? |
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You must use an XLR cable. The XLR cable uses a 3-pin connector on both
ends of the cable. Phantom power will not work with a cable that has an
XLR connector on one end and a quarter-inch phone plug connector on the
other end. |
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| Q: Is phantom power bad for my other microphones? |
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Phantom power is not harmful to microphones that do not require it. If a
microphone does not require phantom power, it will ignore the signal. This
way, you can use a phantom powered condenser microphone at the same time. |
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| Q: How do I connect my mic to a PC or a 4-track recorder that
doesn't have phantom power? |
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You will need to obtain a phantom power supply such as a microphone \
preamplifier or a mixer with built-in 48-volt phantom power. You’ll use a
standard XLR cable to connect between the microphone and the microphone
preamplifier / audio mixer.
PC Connection: From the output of the mixer or microphone preamplifier, you’ll use cable with either a quarter-inch phone plug or XLR
connector. If you’re using an XLR connector, you will then use an adapter
converting from XLR to quarter-inch phone plug, and another adapter from
quarter-inch to 3.5mm mini jack (the connector type common to most
computer audio inputs). If you’re using a cable with a quarter-inch connector, you’ll use an adapter from quarter-inch to 3.5mm mini jack.
4-track Connection: From the output of the mixer or microphone preamplifier, you’ll use cable with either a quarter-inch phone plug or XLR connector. If you’re using an XLR connector, you will then use an adapter converting from XLR to quarter-inch phone plug. If the recorder has XLR inputs,
you can patch directly into the recorder. If you’re using a cable with a quarter-inch connector, you’ll go directly into the recorder’s quarter-inch input. |
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| Q: My microphone keeps cutting in and out while I’m recording. What is the problem? |
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Condenser microphones require that you use a pop filter for vocal work,
which is a round ring with a very fine mesh material stretched across it.
The pop filter should be placed roughly 3 - 4 inches away from the microphone - between the microphone and the vocalist. The pop filter not only
eliminates plosives (those “popping Ps”), it collects condensation from one’s
breath and protects the microphone’s capsule from moisture in the process.
Condensation on the microphone’s capsule will cause the microphone to
short circuit - resulting in the microphone cutting in and out of operation.
Should this occur, you can leave the microphone uncovered, out in the open
for approximately two weeks to thoroughly dry. This will likely rectify the
problem. Afterward, you should always use a pop filter. |
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| Q: What is a shockmount and why would I use it? |
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Shockmounts de-couple the microphone from the mic stand and the
environment. The shockmount will minimize floor noise as well as any noise
induced by people handling the microphone stand. Shockmounts should be
considered “standard equipment” for all recording applications. |
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| Q: What is a 10 dB pad? |
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A 10 dB pad is a switch or knob that lowers the level of an incoming signal
(such as a microphone) before it reaches the rest of the circuitry. If you are
recording something very loud (such as a guitar amp) and the signal is
overpowering your recorder, you would select the 10 dB pad. This will lower
the volume of the microphone - making the input signal more manageable. |
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| Q: What is a lo-cut filter? |
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A lo-cut filter is an electronic filter that allows only the frequencies higher
than a given point to pass, eliminating all frequencies below this point.
In actual use, it has an effect similar to that of using a shockmount, in that
it eliminates low-end rumble and similar noise. Lo-cut can be used when recording acoustic guitar and, sometimes, vocals to alleviate low frequency
noise that can seep into your recording. |
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