SHURE-QUALITY IS OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION
Congratulations on the purchase of your new Shure microphone. It
will serve you faithfully even in the most difficult circumstances.
Because morethan 50 years of experiencewith microphones hastaught
us one thing: they are not always used under ideal conditions. Far
from it!So Shuredevelops, designs, builds, and tests them for the worst
conditions we can imagine.
We know they'll be flung into equipment boxes after performances.
We knowthey'll becalled upontofunction at humidity levels near 100%.
We know they'll be left in the direct rays of the midday sun for hours,
waiting for outdoor concerts to begin. Professional vocalists depend
upon their microphones much as musicians depend upon their in-
struments, but many don't hesitate to throw their Shure microphones
across the stage and down on the floor-violently-as part of their per-
formance. They never give it a second thought. They know that Shure
microphones shrug off abuse that would make others fail.
Shure reliability begins during the design stage. Shure has a staff of
specialists whose sole'function is to uncover any weaknesses before
Shure microphones are put into quantity production. During the testing
process, microphones are:
Heated at temperatures up to85OC (185OF)often for entire days
Frozen down to -46OC (-50°F) for half-hour periods during the heat
test
Shaken from side to side, back and forth, and up and down,
simultaneously and violently
Subjected to steamy humidities-up to 100% at room temperature
and 93% at 3E°C (lOO°F)
Subjected to ultraviolet rays, salt sprays, alcohol, sand, and water
And for good measure, dropped repeatedly 2 meters(6 ft) onto hard-
wood floors.
That isour standard test procedure.All during production, unitschosen
at random are put through these same tests. Failure of any one
microphone brings production to a halt until the original design re-
quirements are again met.
That's why at Shurewe say, quality isour first consideration. The pur-
chasers of the millions of microphones bearing the name Shure during
past years, and those now buying their first Shure microphonecan rely
on usto continue to follow the philosophy and policies that keep Shure
microphones working dependably-year after year after year.
Quality is our first consideration!
BASIC MICROPHONETECHNIQUE
Good microphone technique will add to your effectiveness as a per-
former. Keepthefollowing pointsinmind when usingyour Shure Profes-
sional Entertainer Microphone.
1. Maintain the proper distance from the microphone. When you want a
warm, full sound, get close to the microphoneand lower your voice.
For a wide open, driving sound, raise your voice and back away from
the microphone to avoid overdriving the amplifier into distortion.
2. Don't change your distance from the microphone needlessly as this
will affect the level of sound coming from the loudspeakers.
3.
Your Shure PE Microphoneisyour link tothe audience. Consider the
microphone an instrument and develop your technique through
practice.
FEEDBACK AND UNIDIRECTIONAL MICROPHONES
A
performer's worst enemy in usinga microphoneis"feedback". This
is a harsh hum, howl, or squeal that occurs when the microphone picks
up sound from the loudspeakers, reamplifies and rebroadcasts it over
and over again. This vicious circle results in feedback.
A unidirectional microphone aids in preventing feedback because it
rejects sound that originates from the sides and rear. Sound pickup
from the sides isreduced by about one half, and pickup fromthe rear is
reduced by about nine tenths. You can demonstrate this reduction in
pickup by repeating "Test one, two" or some other convenient phrase as
you rotate the microphone from front to back.
Using unidirectional microphones close to the performer or instru-
ment ensures that the direct sound will be much louder than the
feedback-producing amplified sound. Becausethe amplifier gain can be
turned up less to achieve the desired overall loudness, the amplified
sound will likely remain below the volume that triggers feedback.
Other helps in preventing feedback are: keep the loudspeaker as far
tothe sides as possible; be sure that the microphones point toward the
performers and away from the loudspeakers; and make certain that any
stage monitor speakers are positioned in front of the performers and
face the insensitive rear of the microphone.
UNIDIRECTIONAL MICROPHONES, OMNIDIRECTIONAL
MICROPHONES, AND PROXIMITY EFFECT
Because of their usefulness in reducing the likelihood of feedback,
unidirectional microphonesare best in sound reinforcement and public
address; while omnidirectional microphones are best in recording
where feedback problems do not arise, or for close-miking instruments
and amplifiers.
When unidirectional microphones are used close to a vocalist or
musical instrument, there is an increase in bass (low-frequency)output
called proximity effect. At a distance of about 6mm (l/4 in.) a typical in-
crease is shown on the curve below.
Proximity effect can be used to improve your sound.
1. With vocalists, it increases warmth, giving a fuller quality to the
voice.
2. With instruments, it provides a flat or boosted bass output without
tone controls, simply by changing the distance between source and
microphone; and close miking provides natural isolation by minimiz-
ing bass pickup of other instruments.
Most Shure unidirectional microphones are designed with a bass
response that provides control at low frequencies yet still allows prox-
imity effect to be used advantageously when desired. To employ prox-
imity effect, you need to hear the amplified result. Just as you practice
your instrument, you will want topracticeyour microphonetechniqueto
get the precise sound you want. (A good way to hear theactual result of
proximity effect is to use monitor speakers or headphones if they are
available.)
Omnidirectional microphones do not exhibit proximity effect when
used closeup. Because the response does not change with angle or
distance from the performer, an omnidirectional microphoneisvaluable
when the sound must stay the same for several performers positioned
around the microphone, or for a performer who moves from place to
placeduring a play or interview. But beaware of feedback problems that
may occur if omnidirectional microphones are used when sound
amplification is present.
CHOOSING A MICROPHONE EXTENSION CABLE
Low-impedance microphones can be used with practically unlimited
lengths of cable with noadded noise or high-frequency loss. Any Shure
2-conductor balanced cables (e.g., C25E or C25F TRIPLE-FLEXB, or
C25J, C50J, or ClOOJ HI-FLEX) can be used as extension cables for
Shure low-impedance microphones. These cables can also be used in
any required lengths or combinatior~s between a low-impedance
microphone and an A95UF Low-to-High-Impedance Matching Trans-
former.
High-impedance microphonecables are usually limited to
6.lm(20ft)
to avoid high-frequency loss or possible noise pickup. If longer cables
are needed with high-impedance microphones, use such Shure low-
impedance cables as the C25B, C25E, C25F or C20H to reach the re-
quired distance. Then add the C20B or C15A high-impedance cable to
plug into the equipment. Adjust the treble control on the equipment to
compensate for the high-frequency rolloff caused by the extra length of
cable.
