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The variable
condenser miniature microphone system consists of several active
microphone capsules with different directional characteristics, an
output stage, and numerous accessories.
Currently there are seven active capsules available: omni
diffuse-field equalized, omni free-field equalized, cardioid,
wide-angle cardioid, cardioid with bass roll-off, hypercardioid,
and figure-8.
Through the modular construction of mic capsules and the output
stage it is very easy to adapt the system to a wide range of
applications. The mic becomes nearly invisible during work with
cameras (film, video), on stage, or suspended from the ceiling in a
concert hall.
An active capsule can also be screwed directly onto the output
stage. The result is a compact miniature microphone.
Construction
The microphones are only 92 or 110 mm resp. long and 22 mm in
diameter. They consist of the condenser capsule and the output
stage. Both parts can be unscrewed from each other. The system
offers several condenser capsules with different directional
characteristics.
Numerous accessories can be mounted between the capsules and the
output stage. The capsules attach to cables, capsule extensions,
swivel mounts, table stands, goose-necks, stereo mounts, and
hangers. Therefore, it is very easy to adapt the system to a wide
range of applications.
The active capsule itself is only 35 or 47 mm resp. long. The KM
100 output stage and the active microphone capsule may be separated
by up to 50 m of interconnecting cable. These cables are 3 mm in
diameter, and therefore very inconspicuous.
Acoustic features
AK 20 is a pressure gradient transducer with the figure-8
characteristic, realized with a single diaphragm. The diaphragm
diameter is just 16 mm. All sound field components reach the
diaphragm directly. This results in identical frequency response
curves and output levels at 0° and 180° sound incidence.
Corresponding accessories allow combining the AK 20 with other
active capsules or microphones to obtain an MS-Stereo setup.
AK 30 is a diffuse-field equalized pressure transducer with a flat
frequency response up to 10 kHz (in the diffuse field). In the free
sound field this microphone has a boost of approximately 7 dB at 10
kHz.
AK 31 is a free-field equalized pressure transducer with a flat
frequency response up to 20 kHz (in the free field). In the diffuse
sound field this microphone has a high frequency roll-off above 5
kHz.
AK 40 is a pressure gradient transducer with cardioid
characteristic. The frequency curves are very smooth and match
0° sound incidence. Sound from sources within a pickup angle
of ± 135° is reproduced without any coloration.
AK 43 is a pressure gradient transducer with wide-angle cardioid
characteristic. Attenu- ation at 90° is 4 dB, at 135° it
is 8 dB and at 180° it is 11 dB. The frequency response curves
for sound sources within an angle of ± 90° are parallel
up to 12 kHz.
AK 45 is a pressure gradient transducer with cardioid
characteristic, similar to the AK 40. However, it has an acoustic
bass roll-off that is useful during applications when subsonic and
low frequencies may cause difficulties. The AK 45 is optimized for
a flat low frequency response at a recording distance of 15 cm
(“speech cardioid”).
AK 50 is a pressure gradient transducer with hypercardioid
characteristic. Attenuation of sound incidence from the side or
rear is about 10 dB, with minimum sensitivity at an angle of
120°.
Electrical features
The KM 100 is phantom powered (48 V) and uses transformerless
output circuitry. This has several advantages. It features high
output capability and extremely low self noise. It provides
exceptionally clean sound, free of any coloration. As with
traditional transformers, this circuit approach ensures good common
mode rejection. The balanced output signal is protected against
interference.
The construction is extremely compact. The entire microphone
circuitry is on a single hybrid module measuring only 2 cm² in
area. It is built into the microphone capsule, therefore the term
“active capsules”.
All sensitive components are protected within the capsule. As a
result, the quality of the audio signal is never compromised
through the use of accessories, for example, when the capsule is
detached from the output stage and mounted on a cable or a
gooseneck.
Even with a long cable between active capsule and output stage, the
signal is immune to external interference.
Preattenuation
The output stage has a 10 dB switch. Attenuation is achieved by
reducing the capsule voltage to one third.
When the switch is on, the microphone is capable of accepting sound
pressure levels up to 150 dB without being overloaded.
Connectors
To diminish the number of connectors within the KM 100 System some
accessories were modified. They can now be screwed directly onto
the KM 100 output stage without using the KA 100 cable adapter. The
new accessories which include the cable adapter, were renamed
adding the suffix KA. For example: LC 3 is now LC 3 KA.
The separate KA 100 cable, needed for older accessories, will be
available also in future.
The KM 100 output stage has a 3-pin XLR connector.
Sound diffraction sphere
The SBK 130 A sound diffraction sphere slips onto the front of the
KM 130/KM 131 pressure microphones. The diaphragm becomes an
integral part of the surface of the sphere. This affects the
frequency response of the microphones.
While sounds coming from the front-half space are emphasized by up
to 2.5 dB between 2 kHz and 10 kHz, sounds arriving from the
rear-half space are attenuated by a maximum of 2.5 dB in the range
above 5 kHz.
Since the sound diffraction sphere causes the pressure buildup of
the KM 130/KM 131 pressure microphones to begin earlier, the
frequency response rises smoothly in the middle and upper range.
This is similar to a typical pressure gradient microphone, where
the directivity increases with rising frequencies. However, since
the KM 130/KM 131 are pressure microphones, they maintain a linear
sensitivity down to the lowest frequencies.
This changing directivity allows to record at a greater distance
from the sound source, and makes the KM 130/KM 131 microphones
especially suited as stereo main microphones in A-B
configurations.
Stereo recordings
By means of the AC 30 adapter cable two active capsules, AK 20 and
e.g. AK 40 can be connected as MS stereo pair directly with the MTX
191 (A) matrix amplifier. The XY or MS signal is then available at
the 5-pin XLR output connector of the MTX 191 (A), and the
recording angle can be electrically remote controlled. The output
stages KM 100 are then not required.
Stereo set
The cardioid and hypercardioid microphones are also available as
complete stereo sets, SKM 140 and SKM 150, including all
accessories in a single jeweler's box.
A further SKM 100-MS Stereo Set containing the microphones KM 120
und KM 140 is available.
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