OT Mic Impedance Question

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emwhy
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2014/03/27 16:14:53 (permalink)

OT Mic Impedance Question

I have a friend doing some tracking and he's bringing his own mic a Rode NT2 with an impedance of 200 ohms. I recently got a new mic preamp that let's me adjust the impedance load. Question what do you gurus recommend for this mic. Should i go with the 1:10 ratio method for the preamp settings which would set the preamp at about 2000? Or leave it at the factory setting of 600?
 
Thanks in advance.
 
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    wst3
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    Re: OT Mic Impedance Question 2014/03/27 20:13:41 (permalink)
    It depends!
     
    The 1:10 ratio is a starting point to minimize current draw, but with a 200 Ohm source impedance I'm not sure how much of an audible difference you'll hear - all other things being equal of course<G>!

    Try 200 ohms (half power), 600 ohms (which will load the microphone) and 2K Ohms - see which you like better for a given source.

    One word of caution - some microphone preamplifiers that claim to change their input impedance don't really do so. This has become one of those points of argument that can generate very long threads at other forums<G>! Anyway, sometimes they simply change the series R, sometimes they change transformer taps, etc. Each of these approaches has benefits and disadvantages (such as changing the gain)...

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    Silicon Audio
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    Re: OT Mic Impedance Question 2014/03/27 20:46:34 (permalink)
    Bill is right, I have found many that are just a pot in series, so are not really changing impedance, but DC resistance.
     
    But, in answer to your question - let your ears decide what sounds best.  As you drop the "impedance", you should find the sound of the mic becomes a little darker.  Don't worry about the numbers, just listen.  If you can't decide, leave the impedance high - you can always shelve the highs with EQ later.

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    konradh
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    Re: OT Mic Impedance Question 2014/03/27 22:36:26 (permalink)
    For what it is or isn't worth, when I use the NT2A with my Presonus Eureka, I set the impedance to 150.  The Eureka choices are 2500, 1500, 600, 150, and 50.  The 150 is closest and sounds best to me.

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    dappa1
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    Re: OT Mic Impedance Question 2014/03/28 12:53:02 (permalink)
    how loud will he/she be singing what is the tonality in the voice or do you want a good tone how far away from the mic will he/she be standing. What does the room sound like...do you want distortion how does his voice sit in the mix?
     
    Erm what was the question again?

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    emwhy
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    Re: OT Mic Impedance Question 2014/03/28 13:29:12 (permalink)
    Thanks for responses guys. The client used it on an acoustic guitar. I ran the pre amp at about 600 ohms to start. After a few takes we started experimenting. Ran it way high at first (over 2000) and it started to get a little too much of the room for my taste, plus you could hear the guitarist breathing to the beat...I had the mic about 6-8 inches off the guitar near the 12h fret. If we went below 600 ohms it started to get a darker sound, but also gave it more of a ribbon mic character and forced me to move things in closer. The client wanted the brightness so we ended up staying close to around 1000. Anything more started to show the short comings of my acoustic space.
     
    At least I have a better handle on what this all means...thanks again guys.
     
     

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