[genericaudioperson]

Hello,

I was looking at a mic spec for a hypercardioid mic (the Sterling
Audio ST-31). It only has 5 mv/pa output. That seems too low. Do
hypercardioids have less mv/pa? Because the company has similar
products with much higher outputs (higher than 20mv/pa) when they are
cardioids.

I'm wondering what the disadvantage is to such a low output. If you
are trying to capture sound from 10 feet away, it seems like you would
want a mic with more output.

[hank alrich]

genericaudioperson wrote:

Hello,

I was looking at a mic spec for a hypercardioid mic (the Sterling
Audio ST-31). It only has 5 mv/pa output. That seems too low. Do
hypercardioids have less mv/pa? Because the company has similar
products with much higher outputs (higher than 20mv/pa) when they are
cardioids.

I'm wondering what the disadvantage is to such a low output. If you
are trying to capture sound from 10 feet away, it seems like you would
want a mic with more output.

That is why there are great preamps and not so great preamps. Great
preamps offer gobs of clean and quiet gain, which is necessary with
insensitive mics.

--
ha
shut up and play your guitar

[Scott Dorsey]

genericaudioperson wrote:
I was looking at a mic spec for a hypercardioid mic (the Sterling
Audio ST-31). It only has 5 mv/pa output. That seems too low. Do
hypercardioids have less mv/pa? Because the company has similar
products with much higher outputs (higher than 20mv/pa) when they are
cardioids.

Sensitivity and pattern have nothing to do with one another, really.

I'm wondering what the disadvantage is to such a low output. If you
are trying to capture sound from 10 feet away, it seems like you would
want a mic with more output.

No, you just turn the trim control up a little bit more. Gain is cheap.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Ron Capik]

genericaudioperson wrote:

Hello,

I was looking at a mic spec for a hypercardioid mic (the Sterling
Audio ST-31). It only has 5 mv/pa output. That seems too low. Do
hypercardioids have less mv/pa? Because the company has similar
products with much higher outputs (higher than 20mv/pa) when they are
cardioids.

I'm wondering what the disadvantage is to such a low output. If you
are trying to capture sound from 10 feet away, it seems like you would
want a mic with more output.

Based on many of your questions I believe
you need to learn a bit about critical distance.

Your issue(s) may be more about clarity than volume,
sensitivity or gain.


Later...

Ron Capik
--

[Chris Whealy]

genericaudioperson wrote:
I was looking at a mic spec for a hypercardioid mic (the Sterling Audio ST-31). It only has 5 mv/pa output. That seems too low.
Compared to what?
Do hypercardioids have less mv/pa?
This is like saying that blue cars are slower than red cars. In the
same way that a car's colour has nothing to do with its top speed, so a
microphone's pattern has nothing to do with its sensitivity.

Some very highly acclaimed microphones have much lower output levels
E.G. Electro Voice's RE20 (cardioid) mic has a stated sensitivity of
1.5mV/Pa. See
http://www.electro-voice.com/documen...ta%20Sheet.pdf
Because the company has similar products with much higher outputs (higher than 20mv/pa) when they are cardioids.

Do all blue cars have the same top speed?
I'm wondering what the disadvantage is to such a low output.
None whatsoever. Just make sure you have a good quality pre-amp.
If you are trying to capture sound from 10 feet away, it seems like you would want a mic with more output.

Not at all.

This is why a microphone is first connected to a pre-amp, so that no
matter what the actual output level from the mic is, the pre-amp boosts
it to level appropriate for your mixer.

Chris W

--
The voice of ignorance speaks loud and long,
But the words of the wise are quiet and few.
---

[Mike Rivers]

Scott Dorsey wrote:

No, you just turn the trim control up a little bit more. Gain is cheap.

Until you run out of knob. Then you need a new knob, with a new preamp
under it.

--
If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach
me he
double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers
)