Owners Manual

8
Setting Up the Signal Level
In order to get a good signal, first be sure that the MK300 is connected to a mixer or recorder input that is microphone
level. As explained in the previous section “Powering the MK300”, be sure that the Phantom power is turned on. Most
quality mixers, mic pres and DAW’s provide microphone inputs with a mic trim (“trim” is jargon. the control is usually
called Mic Gain or Level) control. The purpose of the mic trim control is to set a good signal level and minimize any noise
associated with the mic inputs electronics. A good mic pre will also have a Clip or Peak LED to show you when the input is
at overload, the level which distortion begins to occur. To set a good clean level, set the MK300 up in front of the desired
sound source and slowly turn up the mic trim until you see the Clip LED light up. On most microphone inputs, the best
setting is when the trim control is turned up as high as possible without lighting the PEAK LED.
Using the PAD
The MK300 has a 10 dB PAD for miking loud signals. If you turn your mic trim all the way down and the signal is still
clipping, switch on the MK300’s 10 dB PAD, then reset the trim level as described in the previous section.
Microphone Placement
To help maximize the quality of your recording, you must pay careful attention to the placement of your MK300, and
specifically, how it is positioned for the instrument or vocalist that you’re miking. Remember, the front side of the
microphone is the same side as the Miktek logo. As you become more experienced in miking techniques, you’ll quickly
realize the microphone placement is critical to getting the sound you want. For more information on typical miking, see
the Application Notes section of this manual. But remember, these examples are at best an approximation of where you
should place the microphone to get the best sound. While placing the mic around any instrument or sound source,
Operating the MK300