AudioMedia - June 2008 - (Page 52)

PRODUCT SAMPLER NEW MICROPHONES Cables at the ready as Audio Media plugs in the latest round of microphone releases. “Microphone: an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations which may be reconverted into sound after transmission by wire or radio after recording.” So reads a typical dictionary definition of a ‘long-ish’ word, long since established in modern-day English vernacular. History has seen many different sounding microphone designs come and go over the last century or so, yet new ones still keep popping up. It’s a hotly contested marketplace as attested by the following models released within the last year. According to Product Manager Thomas Stubics, AKG Acoustics’ C 214 “ was designed as a budget-friendly alternative to the leading-edge C 414 family; because the C 214 uses the same one-inch diaphragm as the C 414, the essence of that heralded C 414 has been captured in this newest model.” The C 214 road-tough construction is based around a dent-resistant metal grille that ensures high RF immunity without affecting its acoustical performance, plus a gold-plated XLR-type output. New from AKG is the Perception Series, comprising the P 120, a 2/3-inch diaphragmequipped condenser mic with a wide, extended frequency response for general applications; P 170, a 1/2-inch diaphragmequipped condenser mic with a cardioid polar pattern for acoustics, drums, and percussion; P 220 one-inch diaphragm-equipped condenser mic with a switchable bass roll-off and preattenuation pad, ideal for high sound pressure levels; and P 420 multi-pattern, large diaphragm-equipped condenser mic. Available as of March 2008, Audio-Technica’s AT2020 USB is billed as being an affordable (£99.95, inc.VAT) large-diaphragm studio condenser mic featuring USB connectivity for (Mac- or PC-based) computer-based recording. Featuring a custom-engineered low-mass diaphragm, low self noise, and an extended frequency response, the AT2020 USB has a fixed cardioid polar pattern while phantom power is drawn from the USB connection itself. Ships with a tripod desk stand, stand mount, and carry pouch. www.akg.com www.akg.com www.audio-technica.com Californian company Blue Microphones’ Snowflake is effectively a portable version of its popular Snowball Professional USB Microphone, combining a USB bus-powered capsule with a class-compliant design for true plug-and-play on Mac and PC computers. The mic itself folds into a compact case that also houses a USB cable to aid transportability; unfolded, the case itself serves as a desktop stand or a laptop clip – perfect for podcasting, webcalling, or song sketching on the go. German microphone-maker Brauner’s recently-introduced Phanthera V, a version of its cardioid-only Phanthera released last year, but with the same variable characteristics applied to its Phantom Classic to produce the Phantom V; as such, the Phanthera V is also capable of recording in omni or bi-directional modes via a simple switch. This makes it suitable to form one part of an MS or XY stereo pair, for example. CAD Professional Microphones’ Trion 8000 is the flagship model in its relatively recently released new line of studio microphones. A multi-pattern, externally biased, large dualdiaphragm studio tube condenser design, the Trion 8000 incorporates a precisionmachined, hand-assembled capsule with low-mass 1.12-inch gold-vapour-deposited, hand-dampened diaphragms. A threeposition polar pattern switch provides omnidirectional, cardioid, or figure-ofeight selections, while discrete Class A electronics ensure transparent sound reproduction. www.bluemic.com www.brauner-microphones.com www.cadmics.com CharterOak Acoustic Devices’ M-900T is a new small diaphragm vacuum condenser microphone, employing the same cardioid, hyper-cardioid, and omni capsules used in its popular M900 transformerless small diaphragm condenser, combined with a vacuum tube head amplifier and US-made Cinemag output transformer. Other notable features include a two-step sensitivity switch (0dB and -15dB), and 75Hz bass roll off. Crowley And Tripp’s Naked Eye Roswellite ribbon microphone features the company’s same nanocomposite ribbon material (Roswellite) first introduced in its el Diablo Mercenary Edition microphone, which sharing the True Dual Voicing design and carefullycrafted tone of the Naked Eye Classic. The Naked Eye Roswellite comes complete with a lifetime warranty, wooden storage box, and low-diffraction rotary Monocle Mount. Also new from DPA Microphones is the recently launched 4017, a short and exceptionally lightweight shotgun microphone offering a highly directional pickup pattern. The Danish company also worked hard to produce on the practicalities of its design, weighing in at only 71g with a short body length of 210mm. “If you’ve ever tried holding a mic boom for more than 10 minutes, your arms will appreciate the low weight of the 4017,” stated Sales and Marketing Director Paul Koza. www.charteroakacoustics.com www.soundwavesresearch.com www.dpamicrophones.com 52 AUDIO MEDIA JUNE 2008 http://www.akg.com http://www.akg.com http://www.audio-technica.com http://www.bluemic.com http://www.cadmics.com http://www.brauner-microphones.com http://www.charteroakacoustics.com http://www.soundwavesresearch.com http://www.dpamicrophones.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AudioMedia - June 2008

AudioMedia - June 2008 Contents Recording Post Broadcast AES Review What's Up UK? Geofocus: Australia For the Record Special Report: Videosonics Newstalk: DPA New Microphones Novation SL Compact Allen & Heath IDR-8 Eastwest Quantum Leap SD2 & Goliath Final Cut: Indiana Jones Merging ADR Module Koolworld SSL Duende Good Product Sampler: Microphones Video Guide AMSR Meyer Sound The Blue Planet Live! Royer Labs Mics R-121 & R-122

AudioMedia - June 2008

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