Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone (Standard) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The PZM type microphones are specialized, and only work well when placed on a flat surface (preferably 4+ feet in radius) such as a floor or table. It is low, unobtrusive, and omni-directional -- which means it is good for picking up sounds in all directions.
* The Sound Grabber II has a somewhat restricted frequency response, making it more suitable for voices than for instrumental recording.
* It has good clarity, and the PZM design helps it reject some types of unwanted ambient sounds.
* It is priced very cheaply compared to other PZM microphones, and it comes with it's own power (unlike the more professional models which require "phantom-sound").
I use it in stage applications, where it does a nice job of picking up the _too_ quiet voices of our elementary school actors.
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I to wanted comment on the review by "A. W. Teacher", because it sounds like they had the microphone incorrectly placed (mounted on or near a video camera from what I can infer). If the kids were sitting around a table and the microphone had been placed in the middle of the table - than it would have worked great (guessing that was why it was recommended by the National Board Certification).
It is about the worst type of microphone to mount on (or near) a video camera for two reasons: (1) the need to be on a flat surface, and (2) the omni-directional pickup gets noises from behind the camera (something you rarely want). If you are looking for a video camera microphone, you will find the "cardioid" family of microphones works much better!
Crown actually has a nice reference site, with many suggestions on choosing the appropriate microphone for any particular situation: [...]

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The Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone is a Pressure Zone Microphone (also called a boundary mic) that makes the most of a unique behavior of sound waves when they meet a flat surface. Picks up sound from entire room with great accuracy and prevents phase cancellation. Back to back, 2 of them make a fantastic stereo rig.The Crown Sound Grabber II is ideal for applications such as conferences, group discussions, interviews, home video production, lectures, and recordings. The mic can be placed on a large surface such as a table, floor, wall, or lectern. Powered by AAA battery. Comes with mini phone plug and plug adapters.

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ART Tube MP Microphone Preamp Review

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(More customer reviews)While I couldn't recommend this product for someone wanting to do professional recoding, I am, overall, very pleased with it. I have a cheap mic, and this preamp dramatically improved the sound, and reduced backgroud hum. I really like the seperate imput and output controls, and the ability to run either 1/4 or XLR inputs is nice. It does lack some of the features that I have seen on more expensive models, and most of the tech is solid state. But again, for the price it is a nice little addition to your home studio.
If you are a beginner that just wants to play around with music recording/production, this is a simple to use product that will work great.

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For microphones, acoustic guitar, warming up a direct input to a mixer from a bass guitar, keyboard, etc., there is no sweeter sound than a tube preamp. In response to increasing demand for affordable tube mic preamplification, ART offers the Tube MP with the features that make it as powerful as units that cost 5 to 10 times more. Features include a 12AX7 tube, +48v phantom power, a phase reversal switch, 1/4' & XLR input/output, input control with two ranges of gain (+26dB to +60dB and +6dB to +40dB), and a +20dB gain boost for mics (or use it as a pad for line level signals). A peak LED allows you to precisely monitor clipping and an output control is included for trimming back to unity gain. The ART Tube MP is the world's most popular external tube microphone preamp. Whether you're working with a four-track, hard-disk, or digital multitrack recorder, the Tube MP's TEC award nominated design will allow you to obtain professional recording studio results at a fraction of the cost of comparable equipment. The hybrid design of the Tube MP allows it to add warmth and fatness to a signal while maintaining exceptionally low-noise and high quality. While its primary application is to be used with a microphone, the Tube MP is an exceptional direct box - impedance matching, amplifying and improving the sound of any instrument plugged into it. The usage of external mic/ line preamps has become increasingly popular over the past several years. The Tube MP offers superior performance and sound quality to the on-board preamps found in today's low-cost mixers and multi-trackers. It's sound has been consistently favored over other products costing upwards to ten-times its price. Professional quality sound combined with professional features like: a 12AX7a Tube, phantom power and Phase Reverse, are what have made the Tube MP a staple in thousands of studios worldwide. For a minimal investment, a Tube MP can provide the single largest improvement to the sound of your stu

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Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)I have used the ECMMS907 to fill about 150 mini discs since I bought it three years ago. It runs lovingly on one AA battery (unlike it's watch-battery-dependent predecessor) and allows for two polor patterns 180 and 90 degrees. The casing of the unit is rugged. It includes wind screen, travel pouch, stand clip, and four foot cloth encased cable. I have been able to record everything from street musicians to Dave Bruebeck concerts.
In pro audio it isn't considerd cool to like Sony gear as it often uses digital tricks to achieve a bogus sense of higher fidelity, but Sony electronics are bulletproof and work exactly as designed until you lose them or back them over with your car. That said...
Lots of people I have spoken with purchased this microphone thinking they could jack into the 1/8" input on thier laptop computer and get desirable results. This might work if your microphone is inches away from a blaring guitar amp, but won't do well with amient recordings or speaking as the output gain is far too low. Most people are not happy in this situation.
Overall, worth every penny. Perhaps there is a modification out there to improve the output gain.

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The ECM-MS907 one-point stereo microphone was created for the advanced amateur to make instrumental recordings. Ideal for usage with MiniDisc Walkman and DAT portables, or any number of recorders on the market, the ECM-MS907 features a one-point stereo design, mid/side (MS) capsules with a switchable pickup angle, an Oxygen-free Copper (OFC) mic cable and a gold-plated stereo miniplug.

One-Point Stereo Design Enjoy full stereo recording with one small electret condenser mic. Perfect for live shows, single instruments, field recording, and anything else you want to point a mic at.
Mid/Side (MS) Switch This allows you to select the pickup angle between left and right channel--choose 90 degrees for a single voice or instrument, or 120 degrees to pick up many voices and instruments, arranged across the stage
OFC Cable and Gold-Plated Plug Both the Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) cable and the gold-plated plug provide maximum performance and minimum noise.
Ideal for Portable Digital Recorders With a wide dynamic range to complement digital recording systems, the ECM-MS907 is ideal for modern flash, DAT, MD, and other recording devices. It's L-shaped stereo mini-plug is standard on most.
Low-Profile Design The ECM-MS907 features an inconspicuous, compact design for easy portability, with a triangular shape that fits comfortably in the hand.
Mid/Side (MS) capsules The ECM-MS907 features mid/side capsules for natural stereo panorama. The Mid capsule picks up monophonic sound while the Side capsule picks up left/right difference sound--subtracting and adding the two capsule signals yields separate left and right channels (this permits electronic adjustment of pickup angle).
What's in the Box ECM-MS907 Microphone, Stand/Holder, Windscreen, Carrying Case

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Low-profile Condenser Instrument Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my third sax mic. This one is rugged enough to withstand the rigors of active movement on gigs. The bell clamps on the other two would fall off if lightly bumped while moving around on stage. They eventually died after being knocked around so many times. The Audio-Techica has a good ,solid bell clamp. The tonal quality is great! The only down side, if any, is it requires phantom power. That is not a problem for me , as all my mixers have phantom power, plus I have a pre-amp with phantom power that can be used with a mixer without a phantom power feature.
All in all a great mic for gigs.

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Supplied with Audio-Technica's versatile UniMount clip and new violin mount, the low-profile ATM350 is an exceptional cardioid condenser microphone designed to clip to brass, reeds, piano, snare, toms, and violin. The microphone offers a crisp, clear, well-balanced response, even at high SPLs. It features an integral 80 Hz hi-pass filter and is also equipped with a new in-line power module. Its cardioid polar pattern reduces pickup of sounds from the side and rear for effective protection against feedback.

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AKG C411/L Ultra-Light Condenser Microphone for Guitar, Violin, and Other Stringed Instruments Review

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(More customer reviews)PROS:
1-the flexibility to experiment with placement and tones on the soundboard and bridge.
2-sounds better than most pickups.
3-no need to drill holes in the guitar
4-low cost (also see CONS)
5-sound got even better when I combined the C411 signal with an Audio Technica AT831b clip-on mic pointed at the soundhole. This sound was almost as good as using my AKG C414 in the studio.
6-adhesive sticks really well and doesn't mark up or damage the wood
7-solid/loud output
8-can be used on multiple guitars
9-using two C411s at the same time (placed on different parts of the guitar)would probably sound even better
CONS:
1-doesn't sound better than a high-end condensor mic
2-cost of the mic is low but the AKG cable you need to use the mic cost more than mic.
3-attack is good for fingerstyle/classical/flamenco players but not ideal for really fast pickers (maybe a compressor would remedy this issue)
OVERALL:
worth the money and worth trying out as an alternative to other pickups/transducers for live sound.

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The C 411 condenser acoustic pickup with its tailored frequency response is ideal for acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin and most other stringed instruments. Placing the small ultra-light C 411 on or near the bridge will reproduce a clear and uncolored sound without changing the balance of the instrument. Attaching the C 411 is easy with the included non-marring reusable adhesive compound. The C 411 is the stethoscope for your acoustic instruments. Polar pattern: figure 8 (vibration pickup, Frequency range: 10-18,000 Hz, Sensitivity: 1 mV/ms2 (vibration pickup), Max. SPL for 1 % THD: approx. 100 dB SPL,impedance: 200 Ohms unbalanced. 9 to 52 volts phantom power or battery powering from B 29 L or AKG bodypack transmitters, Connector: C 411: 3-pin male XLR; Cable length: 3 m (10 ft.), Finish: matte black. Size: 27 x 14 x 9.5 mm (1 x 0.5 x 0.3 in.), Net/shipping weight: 18 /225 g (0.3/7.9 oz.). Standard accessories: adhesive compound. Optional accessories: for C 411 L: B 29 L battery power supply, MPA III L MicroMic phantom power adapter.

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Fishman V-200-M Professional Violin Pickup w/mini Mic Review

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(More customer reviews)I received this product new with the mini Mic not soldered onto the 1/4" jack. The customer support from Fishman was so difficult to deal with regarding this problem I had to pay a Fishman 3rd party repair person to fix the problem.
That said, the contact mic is decent but the mini Mic is practically useless and picks up almost no sound. A good contact mic and good preamp work just as well. I've used this pickup for classical, jazz, and rock styles- the contact mic helps when playing with drums or other loud instruments, but a functioning mini Mic would have made this product good for solo work as well.

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Audio-Technica PRO-35 Pro Series Microphone Pro 35 Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent. All frequences defined, sound pure and clean. this is the best microfone that I used!
Rodolpho Dutra

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Designed for sax, toms, brass, upright bass and percsussion, the PRO35 excels in high-SPL applications and is ideal for active stage performances. It's extended frequency response captures subtle nuances of the performance.

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Korg CM-100L Clip On Contact Microphone For Tuners Review

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(More customer reviews)I have recently decided to attempt to tune my own piano, so I did some research and found out that the Korg CM-100 Tuner Clip was a necessity. No matter where I attach the tuner clip on my piano it picks up a clear signal and sends it to my Korg Chromatic Tuner. This product has made it very easy to tune my piano now and I never have to hire out to a professional again. The Korg CM-100 Tuner Clip along with the Korg Chromatic Tuner is a perfect combination to tune any instrument. As a music teacher, I highly recommend it.

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The CM-100L Contact Microphone is a perfect compliment to any tuner that offers an audio input jack. The mic can be positioned to get a more sensitive measurement, while allowing the tuner to be positioned for easier reading.

The clip style mic is ideally suited for clipping on to the body of an instrument to pick up the tuning note directly with minimal interference from ambient sound. It can be easily clipped on to the bell of a trumpet or the headstock of a guitar, for example.
Tuning via microphone can be convenient for accurate tuning in noisy environments, and the CM-100L also lets you access Korg's Sound Back mode (available on some models), which produces a reference tone closest to the input pitch you play on your instrument.
The CM-100L jack is a 1/4-inch male phone connector.
What's in the Box CM-100L Contact Microphone

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