Samson CL8 Microphone User Manual
Contents
1. Multi Pattern Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone i 5 C n O O U SAMSON A 10 12 04 8 26 13 PM CL8_ownman indd 1 Table Of Contents Introduction CL8 Features UJ Operating the CL8 4 Powering the CL8 Setting up the Signal Level Using the PAD Using the HI PASS Polar Patterns Cardioid Omni Figure 8 Microphone Placement P Popping soaooauuuRrRn KR PR KR LR A Stand Mounting Using the Optional SP01 Spider Shock Mount 7 Specifications 8 Copyright 2004 Samson Technologies Corp Printed October 2004 Samson Technologies Corp 575 Underhill Blvd P O Box 9031 Syosset NY 11791 9031 Phone 1 800 3 SAMSON 1 800 372 6766 Fax 516 364 3888 www samsontech com A K TEAM PRODUCTION CL8_ownman indd 2 D 10 12 04 8 26 14 PM Introduction and Features Congratulations on your purchase of the Samson CL8 multi pattern studio condenser The CL8 features a 1 1 inch dual gold sputtered capsule with an ultra thin 4 micron dia phragm which faithfully reproduce a variety of sound sources including vocals acoustic instruments and overhead cymbals to name a few And to expand your miking options and recording techniques the CL8 features three pickup patterns The Cardioid pattern is great for miking applications where tight pickup is desired and with the Omni and Figure 8 patterns you can mic multiple instruments capture room sounds and expand your s2. As an added benefit the omni pat tern is the least susceptible to the proximity effect This can be extremely useful when recording artists who have a tendency to move their instrument including their voice around the micro phone while performing In these situations using a cardioid pattern can result in the frequency response changing tremendously with just a few inches of movement resulting in a recorded track with the lows moving up and down in volume Using the omni pick up pattern can help control these tricky miking situations allowing you to capture the best performance without inhibiting the talent by forcing them to try to stay in a fixed position amp Figure 8 Figure 8 or bi directional mics pick up the sound directly in front and back of the microphone while rejecting the CLS STUDIO CONDENSER sound on the left and right sides To select the Figure 8 O pickup pattern set the CL8 s pattern selection switch to the left 8 position In this mode it s almost like having two identical microphones facing back to back to each other This can be an ideal setting for capturing two artists singing a duet or laying down a back ground vocal track Having the two artists face each other while performing can help capture the emotions that may other wise be missed if two microphones are used You can also create some interesting slap back echo effects by positioning the CL8 in Figure 8 pattern between a recorded instrument an
3. to the flat indicated by the straight line position there is no effect on the signal When the Hi pass switch is set to the roll off position indicated with the angled line a 12dB per octave low cut at 100Hz is applied to the signal This can be extremely useful for removing low frequency stage rumble wind noise during outdoor use and filtering out lows from drums when used as overhead cymbal microphone on a drum kit Polar Patterns The most important characteristic of any microphone is its directionality or pickup pattern The CL8 s versatile dual capsule design is capable of producing three useful pick up patterns Cardioid Omni and Figure 8 It is easy for you to select the pickup pattern using the CL8 s pattern selection switch located on the rear of the microphone When choosing a pattern you should be aware of the phenomenon known as the proximity effect A CL8_ownman indd 4 D 10 12 04 8 26 15 PM Operating the CL8 Simply put proximity effect is the change in frequency response as the microphone position is changed relative to the sound source Any microphone exhibits its best frequency response when pointed directly at the sound source on axis Depending on the pickup pattern the low frequency response will increase sometimes greatly when positioned less than 12 inches away from the sound source off axis Understanding and knowing how to use the proximity effect can be a tremend
4. d a particular wall in the studio The rear capsule will pick up the reflec tion of the sound off the wall and by changing the distance of the microphone from the wall you can actually change the delay time of the echo CL8_ownman indd 5 D 10 12 04 8 26 16 PM Operating the CL8 Microphone Placement In order to maximize the sound quality you must pay careful attention to the placement of your CL8 and how it is positioned for the instrument or vocalist that you are miking All microphones especially uni directional or cardioid microphones exhibit a phenomenon known as the prox imity effect Very simply put proximity effect is a resulting change in the frequency response of a microphone based on the position of the mic capsule relative to the sound source Specifically when you point a cardioid mic directly at the sound source on axis you will get the best fre quency response however when you start pointing the microphone slightly away off axis you will notice the low frequency response dropping off and the microphone will start to sound thinner For most vocal applications you ll want to position the microphone directly in front of the artist The same may be true for miking instruments however you can make some pretty amazing equalization adjustments by slightly changing the angle of the capsule to the sound source This can be a very useful technique in capturing the optimum sound of drum set acoustic guitar piano or o
5. e microphone carefully into 3 Tighten the SP01 threaded collar the SP01 and position the microphone nearly all the way then position the straight into the threaded collar Figure 2 microphone and tighten the collar all the way NOTE Be careful not to cross thread the microphone into the SP01 CL8_ownman indd 7 10 12 04 8 26 17 PM CL8 Specifications 7 Cardioid 0 nn Hi Pass Filter mehren u en A vo TERES i RS ES ES DURS LE i m PE 90 T LE 180 20 50 100 200 soo 1000 2o00 DD 10000 20000 Hz 1000 Hz Cardioid Frequency Response Graph Cardioid Polar Pattern k 20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000 20000 Hz 1000 Hz Figure 8 Frequency Response Graph Figure 8 Polar Pattern a 20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 5000 10000 20000 Hz 1000 Hz Omni Frequency Response Graph Omni Polar Pattern Specifications Max SPL Type Condenser Cardioid 144 dB Polar Pattern Cardioid Figure 8 Figure 8 147 dB Omni Omni 147 dB Frequency Response 20 20 kHz Signal to Noise Ratio Sensitivity Cardioid 78 dB Cardioid 37 dBV Pa Figure 8 75 dB Figure 8 40 dBV Pa Omni 75 dB Omni 40 dBV Pa Dynamic Range 128 dB Rated Impedance 200 Ohms Power Supply 48V 3 dB Minimum Load Impedance 1000 Ohms Current Consumption 4mA Equivalent Noise Level Specifications subject to change without notice Cardioid 16 dB Figure 8 19 dB Omni 19 dB Samson Technologies Corp 575 Underhill Blvd P O Box 9031 Syosse
6. oundfield The extended frequency and fast transient response insures an accurate repro duction with linear characteristics from bottom to top In these pages you ll find a detailed description of the features of the CL8 Studio Condenser Microphone as well as step by step instructions for its setup and use an expla nation of the variable pick up patterns and full specifications You ll also find a warranty card enclosed please don t forget to fill it out and mail it in so that you can receive online technical support and so we can send you updated information about these and other Samson products in the future With proper care and adequate air circulation your CL8 will operate trouble free for many years We recommend you record your serial number in the space provided below for future reference Serial number Date of purchase __ Should your unit ever require servicing a Return Authorization number RA must be obtained before shipping your unit to Samson Without this number the unit will not be accepted Please call Samson at 1 800 3SAMSON 1 800 372 6766 for a Return Authorization number prior to shipping your unit Please retain the original packing mate rials and if possible return the unit in the original carton and packing materials CL8 Features Large diaphragm multi pattern studio condenser microphone Dual 1 1 inch capsules with 4 micron gold sputtered diaphragm Smooth and transparent sound reproduction f
7. ous help in getting just sound you looking for The following sections details the three available pickup patterns Cardioid While Omni and Bi directional microphones are very use ful for a variety of specialty applications the majority of CLB STUDIO CONDENSER miking situations in recording and live sound require uni O directional or Cardioid microphones The CL8 condens er s pickup pattern is Super cardioid which offers even more side to side rejection The uni directional nature allows for better separation of instruments in the studio and more control over feedback in live sound reinforcement To select the Cardioid pickup pattern set the pattern selection switch to the center Cardioid position indicated by the heart shaped icon When positioned correctly the cardioid pickup pattern allows you to pick up more of the sound you want and less of the sound you don t want 4 Omni Omni or omni directional microphones pick up sound from all directions To select the Omni pickup pattern set CLB STUDIO CONDENSER the CL8 s pattern selection switch to the right O posi tion You can use the omni pickup pattern if you want to capture the ambient sound and natural reverb in a room where an instrument or voice is being recorded The Omni mode is also great for recording ensemble performances from groups of vocals brass woodwind and other instruments with the artists facing each other in a circle around the microphone
8. rom bottom to top e Cardioid Omni and Figure 8 pickup patterns provide versatility in covering a variety of miking applications e Switchable 10 dB PAD for handling signals with high SPL s Sound Pressure Levels e Switchable Hi pass Filter 12dB per octave at 100 Hz e 36 52 Volt Phantom Power operation Internal Shock mounted capsules Extended frequency response e Solid Die Cast construction e Swivel Stand Mount and Carry Case included 3 CL8_ownman indd 3 D 10 12 04 8 26 14 PM Operating the CL8 Powering the CL8 The CL8 is a condenser microphone and therefore needs to be operated by connecting a phan tom power supply Phantom power is standard on most quality mixers outboard mic pres and hard disk recorders If necessary an external phantom supply like the S phantom by Samson Audio can also be used The CL8 receives the phantom power directly from a mic cable when connected to a mixer or other microphone input that includes a phantom supply The power is actually sent OUT of the microphone INPUT riding silently along with the audio signal Fairly mysterious eh Most mixers have a switch to engage the phantom power so be sure to check that the phantom power is on Setting Up the Signal Level When connecting the CL8 to a mixer or recorder input be sure that the input is of microphone level Also be sure that the phantom power is engaged as explained the previous section Powering the CL8 Mo
9. st mixers and recorders of reasonable quality will offer a microphone input with mic trim usually called Trim or Gain control The purpose of the mic trim control is to optimize the amount of good signal to any noise associated with the mixers electronics A good mic pre with trim also will have a PEAK or CLIP LED To set a good level on the mic set the CL8 up in front of the desired sound source and slowly raise the mic trim control until you see the PEAK LED light up Then turn the mix trim control down until the LED does not light any more On most mixers the ideal setting is that the trim control is turned up as much as possible without lighting the PEAK LED If you try turning the Gain control all the way down and the PEAK light is still lighting try using the CL8 s PAD as explained in the following section 1 Using the PAD Switch The CL8 includes a PAD switch which you can use to lower the input sensitivity of the microphone When the PAD switch is set at the OdB position the PAD is bypassed and there is no effect on the signal When the PAD switch is set to the 10dB position the micro phone s input sensitivity will be lowered by 10dB You can use the PAD when you are miking loud sound sources with a high SPL Sound Pressure Level Using the Hi Pass Filter The CL8 offers a user selectable hi pass or low cut filter which you can use to eliminate any unwanted low fre quency reproduction When the Hi pass Filter is is set
10. t NY 11791 9031 Phone 1 800 3 SAMSON 1 800 372 6766 Fax 516 364 3888 www samsontech com CL8_ownman indd 8 D 10 12 04 8 26 28 PM
11. ther instruments in a live room or sound stage Experimentation and experience are the best teachers in getting good sounds so plug in P Popping P Popping is that annoying pop that you can get when the microphone diaphragm gets a blast of air from a vocalist pronouncing words with the letter P included There are a few ways to deal with the problem including using an external pop filter Some famous engineers have relied on an old nylon stocking over a bent clothes hanger which actually works very well For a cleaner solution try a PSO1 pop filter from Samson Audio You can also try placing the micro phone slightly off axis on a slight angle from the vocalist This can often solve the problem without using an external pop filter Stand Mounting the CL8 The CL8 can be mounted to a standard microphone stand using the included swivel mount adapter If you are using a U S 5 8 mic stand you will need to remove by unscrewing the Euro stand adapter Simply screw on the swivel adapter to your mic stand or boom arm Now loosen the thumbscrew and adjust the microphone to the desired angle Once set tighten the thumb screw to secure the microphone in place CL8_ownman indd 6 D 10 12 04 8 26 16 PM Using the Optional SP01 Shock Mount 1 Insert the internal shock mount washer into the SP01 with the curved side up Figure 1 M internal Shock it mount Washer CL7 or CL8 Figure 1 Figure 2 2 Place th
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