microphones For Public Address &; Tape Recording •·~ SHURE BROTHERS, INC., 222 HARTREY AVE" EVANSTON, ILLINOIS 60204 U.S.A. TELEPHONE: AREA CODE 312, DA 8-9000 Selecting the Correct Microphone for STEP I PICK-UP PATTERNS WHAT IT IS WHERE TO USE IT These microphones pick up sound mainly The most commonly applied solution to from the front, while suppressing sound feedback problems. Greatly simplifies plan­ and noise coming from the back. The most ning of sound installations. With the rear generally useful unidirectional pick-up of the microphone reiecting sound, the pattern is the CARDIOID (meaning "heart­ microphone can be placed so that sound shaped"). This pattern will suppress rear proiecting from the loudspeaker cannot sounds at least 70% while picking up front re-enter the microphone to generate feed­ UNIDIRECTIONAL sound over a broad area. Sounds 120 0 to back. Performers can work much further 180 0 off-axis are almost entirely suppressed. away from unidirectional microphones than with omnidirectional microphones. In addition to the Cardioids (the Unidyne IV, Unidyne III, Unidyne II, Unidyne A, Effectively suppresses audience noises, Unidyne B and the Unisphere Series of coughing, shuffling feet, etc. Ideal for fixed unidirectional microphones) other Shure installation before an individual performer unidirectional microphones are described or a small group. Pickup of large groups as Super-Cardioid (Model 330). can be effected with multiple microphone installation. These microphones pick up sound more-ar­ Good for general applications where feedback less evenly from all directions. In effect, or audience noise is no great problem. Ex­ (microphone) they are nondirectiona!. They can be hand­ tremely versatile. Practically all ultra-slim OMNIDIRECTIONAL held, stand-mounted, or worn around the "probe" type microphones are omnidirectional • neck. This type includes the greatest num­ units-they are ideal for' 'walk-around' and ber of microphones, together with the wid­ interview situations. (Note: Shure also makes est price range and response characteristics. unidirectional "probes" (See page 4) Pick up sound from front and back while Ideally suited for use when two perform­ suppressing sound from sides, top and ers, or groups, are on opposite sides of bottom. microphone. Allows the same freedom of BIDIRECTIONAL movement as unidirectional microphones, while solving difficult feedback problems such as rooms with "hard" ceilings or where loudspeakers are mounted over or to the side of the microphone. the microphone is, the more faithful equally well at any frequency, an es­ STEP II the reproduction will be. sential of high fidelity reproduction. 2. Smoothness. A high fidelity microphone While the microphone with the widest is made so that no conspicuous abrupt range, smoothest and flattest frequency FREQUENCY RESPONSE peaks or valleys of output occur at any response curve will give the highest fidel­ frequency. This results in an essentially ity, it is not necessarily the best micro­ smooth frequency response curve. phone for every application. [For example, The fidelity of reproduction afforded by a shaped (peaked) response is often de­ 3. Flatness. A flat frequency response the microphone depends on three factors vised to achieve added "presence" for curve is one showing output remain­ of the frequency response: microphones used in paging and communi­ ing at approximately the same level c;ations systems.} Frequency response re­ 1. Response Range. In general, the more throughout the frequency range. This quired for various applications is sum­ extended the frequency response of means that the microphone responds marized below: RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS Use Response Range Response Character Possible Microphones Recording, broadcasting, highest quality 50-15,000 Hz Flat Ribbon public address for music and voice Smooth Dynamic High quality public address for voice and 70-10,000 Hz Flat or slightly rising Ribbon music No prominent peaks Dynamic Some crystals or ceramics Indoor paging systems and public-address 200-5,000 Hz Slightly rising above plus systems for voice use No prominent peaks Some Controlled Magnetics Outdoor paging systems or systems in 300-3,500 Hz Rising Controlled Magnetic noisy locations. For Voice use when A peak in the 2000 to Dynamic maximum intelligibility required. 3500 Hz region is often Carbon desirable Some Ceramics 2 © 1968 Shure Brothers, t nco Public Address Applications MICROPHONES FOR TAPE RECORDING UPGRADE YOUR SYSTEM STEP III KINDS OF MICROPHONES In all probability, the weakest link between you and good, professional WHAT IT IS WHERE TO USE IT sounding live tapes is the microphone you're using. Virtually without excep­ tion, the microphones supplied with tape recorders-even relatively ex­ SHURE SERIES NO. 200 CERAMIC pensive models-are significantly be­ Similar to crystal microphone in design but uses Wherever price is an important factor. Shure low the performance and capabilities man-made ceramic element. Economical, superior to makes omnidirectional and unidirectional ceramic of the tape recorder itself. Further, crystal for outdoor use. Unaffected by severe tem­ microphones~all are economical, rugged, attrac­ with a good unidirectional micro­ ;)erature and humidity changes. High impedance. tively styled. phone (such as the Shure Unidynes and Unispheres) you can control ob­ SHURE SERIES NO. 300 RIBBON jectional background noise, room re­ verberations, and echoes. Voices and Virtually uniform frequency response. Definitely Wherever quality of response is the first consid· instruments will sound far more nat­ amang the very best available. Extremely rugged for eration in broadcasting, professional recording, or ural with less overloading of the tape, normal use indoors. Adjustable impedance. public address, look to Shure Ribbon microphones (unidirectional and bidirectional). Excellent for "fuzziness," and other distortions. music. Not recommended for outdoor use. WHICH MICROPHONE TO USE Without exception, every microphone in this brochure can be used with a SHURE SERIES NO. 400 CONTROLLED MAGNETIC tape recorder. (NOTE: Refer to your tape recorder instruction manual as Balanced armature ... rugged, stable, high out­ Indoors, outdoors-wherever rugged performance put. Originally developed for the military to com­ must be coupled with modest price and suitable to the microphone impedance [High bine the advantages of the carbon and dynamic response. Ideal for paging, language labs, port­ or Low] your tape recorder requires.) microp~one ... with none of the disadvantages able P.A. systems. Omnidirectional only. The finest microphones are the Dy­ -such as the need for external power supply in a carbon. Has the ability to directly supply any namic and Ribbon type microphones. impedance, without transformer. Modestly priced, Unidirectional (or CARDIOID) micro­ extremely dependable performance. phones pick up sound from the front only and are highly recommended because they tend to suppress back­ SHURE SERIES NO. 500 DYNAMIC ground noise. We recommend Flat, Smooth wide-range frequency re­ Moving·coil microphone, available in a wide range The dependable unit where exceptional perform· of prices and types. The better dynamic units are ance, ruggedness and reliability are required, such sponse microphones in the 50-15,000 among the very best microphones for frequency as broadcasting and better quality Public Address. Hz range. See text at left. response. Smooth response (up to 20,000 Hz). Superior in frequency response to ceramic, crystal, carbon, and Controlled Magnetic units. Unidirec­ FOR STEREO RECORDING tional, omnidirectional. Shure makes many specially matched pair stereo microphones at no extra cost. They are identical to standard microphones except they are matched SHURE SERIES NO. 700 CRYSTAL to plus or minus 1 db in level, and Good quality at a low price. Response is some­ Crystal units are primarily used where price is a 11/2 db in frequency response. what limited (normally about 10,000 Hz maxi­ limiting factor. Very high in output. mum). Special sealed crystals used in Shure units See page 16. mean you can use them where humidity is high or outdoors (except in direct sun over prolonged periods). High Impedance. STEP IV PRICE While Shure microphones are available in a wide price range, it is well to keep in mind that they are the lowest cost single item in the average system~and that their function is critical! In truth, your system can be no better than the microphone that originally converts the sound waves into electrical impulses. In general, unidirectional cardioid microphones are the most expensive (as a category): however, some fine quality omnidirectional and bidirectional microphones can cost as much as unidirectionals. Where economy is the maior factor, we suggest that you look to crystal, ceramic or "Controlled Magnetic" units. Where quality is first and foremost, we recommend ribbons or dynamics. 3 INDEX: Selecting the Correct Shure Microphone fo r Public Address Applications . Pages 2-3 FIRST IN PUBLIC-ADDRESS Microphones for Tape Recording ... Page 3 Unidyne and Unisphere Unidirectional AND TAPE RECORDING Dynamic Microphones . Pages 5-7 Omnidirectional Dynamic Microphones. Pages 8-10 MICROPHONES Ribbon Microphones · Page II Recognizing that the quolity of reproduction a publi c address or tope record ing system Unidirectional Crystal and Ceramic provides is absolute ly limited by the quality of sound put into it by the microphone, Sh ur e , Microphones · Page II for over a quarter