Owners Manual

PM5 Specifications
Type ..................... Condenser
Polar Pattern: ............. Cardioid
Frequency Response: ....... 20Hz - 20KHz
Impedance: ............... 200 Ohms
Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -35dBV/Pa
Low Cut Filter ............. 80 Hz
Length: .................. 7.1 inches
Width: ................... 2.0 inches
Depth: ................... 2.0 inches
Net Weight: ............... 0.65 pounds
Stand Mounting the PM5
The PM5 can be mounted to any standard microphone stand
using the included mic stand holder. If you are using a US
standard 5/8-inch mic stand, remove the Euro adapter by
unscrewing it from the mic holder. Slide the microphone
into the holder from the rear to the front with a downward
motion until it snaps into place.
Microphone Placement
To help maximize the quality of your performance, you
must pay careful attention to the placement of your PM5,
and specifically, how it is positioned for the instrument or
vocalist that you’re miking. As you become more experienced
in miking techniques, you’ll quickly realize the microphone
placement is critical to getting the sound you want while
maximizing gain before feedback. When placing the mic
around any instrument or sound source, take notice of the
postion of the front of house and monitor loudspeakers. In
general, it’s good practice to set the microphone behind the
main or front of house PA speakers to avoid feedback from
those speakers. Also, position the microphone in front of a
monitor loudspeaker within a 110 degree arch a shown nin
the diagram below. As you’re changing the microphone’s
position, be sure to check that the mic input is still set to
a good level without clipping, as described in the previous
section.
Powering the PM5
Since the PM5 is a condenser microphone it needs to be
operated by connecting it to a 48 volt Phantom power
source. Most quality mixers, outboard mic pres and DAW
mic channels have Phantom power available as a standard
feature. You can also use an external phantom supply, if
necessary. Since most mixers and outboard mic pres have
a dedicated switch to engage the phantom power, be sure
to check that the Phantom power is on. Once the Phantom
power source is turned on, the PM5 receives the Phantom
power directly from a mic cable. Note: Without Phantom
power the PM5 will not pass audio.
Setting Up the Signal Level
In order to get a good signal, first be sure that the PM5 is
connected to a mixer or recorder input that is microphone
level. Most quality mixers, mic pre’s and recorders provide
microphone inputs with a mic trim (“Trim” AKA 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 PM5 up in front of the desired sound
source and slowly turn up the mic trim until you see the Clip
LED light up. Then, turn the trim control down until the
LED does not light any more. On most microphone inputs,
the best setting is when the trim control is turned up as high
as possible without lighting the PEAK LED.
The Proximity Effect
All cardioid or uni-directional microphones exhibit a
phenomenon known as “proximity effect”. The proximity
effect is the increase in low frequency response a
microphone exhibits as it is moved closer to the sound
source. Vocalist tend to love this effect since when they
get really close to the mic they get the “FM radio”, big
bass sound. A good vocalist with good mic technique will
use the proximity effect to adjust their tonal response in
real time. The key to developing the best mic technique
is experimentation, along with awareness of the general
principle that, the closer your PM5 is to a signal source,
the greater the bass response. The proximity effect’s bass
lift is caused by the amount of pressure present at the
ports that are used to create the directional pattern. Since
omnidirectional microphones do not have ports, they do not
have proximity effect.
Front of House Speaker
Monitor Speaker
Front of House Speaker
1
1
0
º