ccm - schoepsccm microphones are the smallest true classic condenser microphones (no electret used)...

User guideCompact Series

Contents

pageSystem overview 2Compact Microphones 3Phantom powering 4EMC, Technical specifications 6Block diagram 7Microphone selection 8Basic microphone characteristics 9Suggested microphones for specific applications 10Pressure transducers 11Pressure-gradient transducers 12Switchable microphone 16Microphones for close pickup 17Acoustic specifications of the microphones 19Care and maintenance / Troublshooting 20Warranty / declaration of conformity 22

CCMCompact Microphones

table standTR 200Lg

SCHOEPS GmbH · Spitalstr. 20 · D-76227 Karlsruhe (Durlach) · Tel: +49 (0)721 943 20-0 · Fax: +49 (0)721 943 2050www.schoeps.de · [email protected]

System Overview – A Selection

2

Syst

em O

verv

iew

microphone pre-amplifier or mixer

COMPACT MICROPHONEwith permanentlyattached cable; special version

adjustable-height stand STV 900/1400 L3Ug

Ster

eoCOMPACT MICROPHONE

microphone tubes e.g. RL 700g

gooseneck fortable mountingSRS 420 L5Ug

Y-cable KLY I

Y-cable KLY SUKS 5IUadapter cable to XLR-5M

AK SU/2Uadapter cablefrom XLR-5F to 2× XLR-3M

K 5 LUadapter cable(Lemo / XLR-3M)

MDZ attenuator

table tubeRLG 350 Ug

elastic sus-pension fortables

CCM_U

CCM_L

low-cutfilterLC 60 U

low-pass -filterLP 40 U

Mechanical accessories for CCM_L and CCM_U – a selection

. . .SGCM

STC 4gOSIX CCM LU

BLCg

Accessories– a selection


CCM Compact Microphones

3

Tech

nolo

gy Dear customer:

Thank you for choosing a SCHOEPS CCMCompact Series microphone.

CCM microphones are the smallest trueclassic condenser microphones (no electretused) offering the highest possible soundquality without compromise.

The following pages contain technical infor-mation, application suggestions and adviceconcerning the care and maintenance of thesemicrophones.

CCM Compact Microphones ...

– are classic condenser microphones that donot require electronic frequency responsecorrection

– have a balanced, low-impedance output– are for universal use– are small and light– have an extremely flat frequency response– their sound is extensively independent of

direction– have low noise and distortion– run on both 12 V and 48 V phan tom feed

power supplies– can be used with very long cables (over

100 meters)

Included accessories: SGC miniature swivel stand coupler,

polished wood carrying case, CCM_L: K 5 LU adapter cable (Lemo /

XLR-3M), 5 m long

As with SCHOEPS’ Colette modular micro-phones, a compact microphone essentiallyconsists of two main components: an acoustictransducer (a capsule) and a microphoneamplifier. These only come together in thesame body with Compact Microphones.

The capsule is the component which con-verts sound waves into a varying electricalvoltage. It determines the directionality and,for the most part, the sound quality of the

microphone. The amplifier is the other maincomponent, with the circuitry required toaccept external powering, polarize (charge)the capacitive capsule, obtain the audio signalfrom it, and convert that signal into one whichis balanced and low-impedance.

The circuitry of the Compact Microphonesfeatures a balanced, class-A output stage whichdoes not use either coupling condensers oran output transformer. This leads to low out-put impedance, insensitivity to electrical inter-ference, low distortion and light weight.

The Compact Microphones have a bass roll-off filter with a low cut-off frequency of 20Hzand a slope of 12 dB/oct.

This frequency has been chosen to protectagainst perturbing, inaudible (infra-) soundthat can be caused by ventilation systems,track vehicles and wind. What is tricky aboutthis is that although it is hardly noticeable,infrasound can cause strong audible distor-tions in the connected equipment when itleads to an overload. This would make itimpossible to produce a recording that couldbe used. The audio range also only starts ataround 20Hz. Lower frequencies are onlyactually discernible at high levels which areonly reproducible on few audio systems, andthen quickly become unpleasant.

Start upThe U-version of the CCM Compact Micro -phone has a permanently attached cable thatterminates to a standard XLR-3M connector.These microphones can be connected directlyto the corresponding microphone inputs.To connect the L version (L= Lemo), the sup-plied K 5 LU cable plugs into the CCM Lemosocket. The K 5 LU cable is terminated with a standard XLR-3M connector. Put thecable’s Lemo plug into the microphone port.Secure it so that the plug is not inadvertentlypulled out or does not rattle while in use bysimply screwing the plug’s lock nut onto themicrophone until it can go no further.Please note that in order to protect the con-tacts you should avoid holding the lock nutand turning the microphone.

SGC


Phantom Powering

4

Tech

nolo

gy Phantom poweringCCM microphones are electrically active com-ponents which require operating current. Thiswill most often be supplied by the inputs of amixer, preamplifier or recorder with suitablemicrophone powering built in. Otherwise, anappropriate type of stand-alone microphonepower supply can be used.

Like most modern, solid-state professionalmicrophones, the CCM also uses a standard-ized powering scheme known as “phantompowering.” Most recording equipment offersa 48-Volt supply for such microphones. Someequipment, however, provides a 12-Volt sup-ply for phantom powering, or can readily bemodified for such a supply. The SCHOEPS CCMcompact microphones series can work witheither voltage, switching its circuitry automati-cally to the corresponding mode of operation.It maintains the same level of performance ineither mode while drawing only the necessaryamount of current from the phantom supply.

Please note that the CCM compact micro-

phones are designed to work with standard12-Volt or standard 48-Volt phantom power-ing. They are therefore not ”12 - to - 48 Volt”microphones. Any input to which it is con-nected must implement one of those twostandard phantom powering methods, whichmeans that not only must the supply voltagemeet the standard, but the resistors must becorrect as well.

Our microphones are developed and testedwith power supplies that conform to therequire ments of this standard. Proper opera-tion with non-standard power supplies cannotbe guaranteed. Circuit arrangements thatdeviate from the standard can cause opera-tional problems (i.e. distortion or even gaps inthe signal), particularly at high sound pressurelevels or in the presence of strong wind noise.Such problems may often seem to defy analysisuntil their real cause is discovered.

You can find out more about phantompower supplies below.

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* see note in the text concerning tolerances

Fig. 2balanced, ungrounded,

transformerless input.

Condensers must be

inserted into the circuit

and provision made for

polarization resistors.

*

*

*

Fig. 1input with transformer

(or balanced, ungrounded

transformerless input)

XLR-3connector

XLR-3connector

* recommended values:C: 100μF, 63V; R: 22kΩ, 1%

shield

shield

Phan tom po we ring to stan dard DIN EN 61938

Correct powering is essential. There havebeen various myths and misunderstandingsabout it. Authoritative information is con-tained in the standards documents, but fewpeople have access to them which is why weare offering this detailed explanation.

Phantom powering is designed to be ”invis-ible” and harmless to balanced microphoneswhich were not specifically designed to use it;this includes most balanced, professionaldynamic and ribbon microphones, as well ascondenser microphones that use vacuum-tubecircuitry. Exceptions are quite rare. The onlylikely cases in which standard phantom power-ing will endanger a balanced microphone (e.g.a ribbon) are if a microphone cable, con nectoror adapter is defective or wired in a non-stan-dard way, such that one modulation lead of themicrophone is shorted to ground at DC whilethe powering is on. If a microphone is con-nected to such a cable with the poweringturned on, impulse current will flow throughits coil or ribbon, possibly causing damage.

Fig. 1 shows the only valid 48 V and 12 Vphan tom powering circuit (abbreviations: P48and P12) that can be realized with resistors asopposed to a center-tapped input transformer.This illustration is based on the internationalstandard document EN 61938 of 1997.

The permissible tolerance of the feed resistorvalues as such is ±20%. However, the differencebetween the resistors of any one pair shouldbe less than 0.4% (i.e. 27 Ohms for 48-Voltphantom powering with 6.8 kOhm). Thisclose matching is necessary to maintain ade-quate impedance balance for the sake of com-mon mode rejection. It also avoids the flow ofDC in an input transformer should one bepresent, which could lead to distortion or areduced dynamic range.

A microphone designed for 48 V phantompowering could draw as much as 10 mAaccording to the standard; a SCHOEPS CCMwill draw about 4 mA. This falls well withinthe limit set by the prevailing standard. Thereare certain commercially available power sup-

plies, preamplifiers, and mixing desks – mostlyolder, but some more recent – which fail tomeet this standard and hence may not be ableto power SCHOEPS microphones adequately. If in doubt, equipment should be checked toverify its suitability for professional work withSCHOEPS microphones. On page 7 a method isdescribed for checking a phantom supplyquickly and easily.

For P12 the standard allows a current of 15 mA. A SCHOEPS CCM will draw 8 mA.

Fig. 2 shows a bal an ced but groun ded am -pli fier in put. In this case eit her a trans for mer(see fig. 1) or ad di tio nal ca pa ci tors ha ve to bein ser ted into the au dio li ne.

Unbalanced OperationOur microphones are intended for balancedoperation, which is why they should be oper-ated with balanced inputs. Otherwise the vul-nerability to interference would be increased.However some equipment only has unbalancedinputs in which case an unbalanced inputshould be balanced with a high-quality micro-phone input transformer. This will allow thesignal leads from the microphone to be keptbalanced, for best rejection of interference.

If such an arrangement is not possible, how-ever, a CCM microphone may be operated inunbalanced mode by taking the signal frompin 2 via a coupling condenser with a value asshown in Figure 2 above. The signal from pin 3should be left unconnected; do not short it toground. This ”unbalancing act” must occurbetween the power supply and the preampli-fier input, however, since naturally all threepins of the microphone must still connect toits phantom or parallel power supply.

Simultaneous Connection to Multiple InputsIf a microphone has to be connected to multi-ple inputs simultaneously, an active micro phonesplitter should be used in order to preservethe loading and powering conditions for themicrophone, and to prevent interference.

Maximum Cable Length Cable lengths of up to 300 meters are possible,but the practical limit depends on the electrical


Phantom Powering (continued)

5

Tech

nolo

gy


EMC, Technical Specifications

6

Tech

nolo

gy 1) Keep both the microphone and the cableaway from sources of interference such asmonitors, digital equipment (computers), RFemitters (mobile phones and other personalcommunication devices that emit radio fre-quency energy), power transformers, powerlines, SCR dimmers, switching power sup-plies etc.

2) Use only high-quality cables with a highdegree of shield coverage.

3) Keep all cables as short as possible.4) Dress audio cables away from power cables.

If they must cross, it should be at right angles.5) At the preamp or mixer input, the shield of

the microphone cable should connect tochassis ground in the shortest way possible.If necessary, this coupling can be capacitive.

capacitance of the cable, which is sometimesan unknown quantity. The lower this capaci-tance is per unit length, the longer the cablecan be. All SCHOEPS cables have very lowcapacitance (100 pF/m between the conduc-tors).

The main risks with excessively long micro-phone cables are gradual losses at high fre-quencies due to the cable capacitance, somereduction in ability to handle very high soundpressure levels, and increased pickup of inter-ference.

Hints on Avoiding Interference SCHOEPS CCM microphone are virtually immuneto magnetic, electric and electromagneticfields.

Due to the wide dynamic range of studiomicrophones, the smallest signal amplitudesare in the microvolt range (1/1,000,000 Volt).Cable shielding and the grounding scheme ofthe preamp or mixer input are also crucial. A microphone can therefore never be expectedto be immune to all possible disturbances inall circumstances, but the following suggestionscan help to reduce possible noise induction:

Current consumption: P12: 8 mA, P48: 4 mA; (automatically switched)Source impedance: 90 OhmsMinimum recommended load impedance: 600 OhmsLow-cut frequency (-3 dB): 20 HzPolarity: increasing sound pressure on the microphone’s

0° axis produces a positive-going voltage at pin 2.voltage at pin 2.

Maximum output voltage: ca. 1 VAcoustical specifications can be found on page 19.

Length U-version: 46 mm – 58 mm, type-dependent Length L-version: 46mm – 58mm without connectorDiameter: 20 mmWeight without cable: U-version: 33 g, L-version: 43 gSurface finish: matt gray (g) or nickel (ni)Standard length of the cable: 5 m

Technical Specifications:


Block Diagram of the CCM Compact Microphones

7

Tech

nolo

gym

icro

ph

on

e am

plif

ier

aco

ust

ictr

ansd

uce

r

Pin assignment of the XLR-3M output con-nector of CCM microphone amplifiers:

Pin 1: screen (GND)Pin 2: +phasePin 3: –phase

Bottom view(as the pins are seen)

1 23

Impe

danc

eco

nver

ter

Out

put

stag

e

DC

/DC

conv

erte

rRe

gula

tor

EMI f

ilter

3 1 Scre

en

-Pha

se

+Ph

ase

XLR

-3C

onne

ctor

2

3 12

3 12

Mic

rop

ho

ne

cab

le(a

dap

ter

cab

le L

emo

/X

LR-3

M

Phan

tom

po

wer

ing

Us=

+48

V

R s=

6.8

kΩ

R s=

6.8

kΩ

Prea

mp

li -fi

er,

reco

rder

or

mix

ing

des

k

* *

**

**

∼ ∼

scre

en

-pha

se

+ph

ase

XLR

-3co

nnec

tor

XLR

-3co

nnec

tor

tole

ranc

es,

this

cur

rent

sho

uld

be b

etw

een

5.9

and

8.5

mA

DC

for

P48

,an

d be

twee

n 15

and

21

mA

DC

for

P12

. N

ote:

Wel

l-des

igne

d ph

anto

m p

ower

sup

plie

s m

ust

tole

rate

at

leas

t a

tem

pora

ry s

hort

circ

uit

with

out

dam

age;

an

unba

lanc

ed c

onne

ctio

n(w

hich

is o

ccas

iona

lly n

eces

sary

) wou

ld c

ause

the

sam

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be

draw

n. T

o be

saf

e, h

owev

er,

do n

ot le

ave

the

shor

t ci

rcui

t in

pla

celo

nger

tha

n ne

cess

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2) M

easu

re t

he D

C v

olta

ges

on t

he m

odul

atio

n le

ads

with

a m

icro

phon

eco

nnec

ted,

e.g

. by

ope

ning

the

con

nect

or s

hell

of t

he c

able

. Th

e tw

ovo

ltage

s (f

rom

pin

2 a

nd p

in 3

to

pin

1) m

ust

be id

entic

al. T

hey

shou

ldbe

abo

ut 3

4 Vo

lts (

min

imum

= 3

0 Vo

lts).

For

P12

this

is 8

.3 V

olts

(m

ini-

mum

7.3

Vol

ts).

+Ph

ase:

an

excu

rsio

n of

the

dia

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owar

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ack

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trod

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osi-

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pres

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lead

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a p

ositi

ve s

igna

l at

this

pin

*Mat

ched

(i.e

. m

atch

ing

tole

ranc

e of

onl

y 0.

7%),

see

page

5**

Her

e ar

e tw

o si

mpl

e m

etho

ds f

or v

erify

ing

corr

ect

phan

tom

pow

erin

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ese

mea

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men

ts s

houl

d be

mad

e at

an

unus

ed in

put.

Red

uce

the

chan

nel g

ain

to t

he m

inim

um t

o pr

otec

t th

e lo

udsp

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rs,

etc.

If m

icro

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are

con

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ed t

o ot

her

inpu

ts a

t th

e sa

me

time,

no

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houl

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cur

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ts.

1. M

easu

re t

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pen-

circ

uit

volta

ge b

etw

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grou

nd (

pin

1) a

nd e

ither

pin

2 or

pin

3 o

f th

e X

LR in

put.

Giv

en t

he p

erm

itted

tol

eran

ces,

thi

s vo

ltage

shou

ld b

e be

twee

n 44

and

52

VD

C f

or P

48,

and

betw

een

11 a

nd 1

3V

DC

for

P12

. Th

en,

mea

sure

the

sho

rt-c

ircui

t cu

rren

t be

twee

n gr

ound

(pin

1)

and

eith

er p

in 2

or

pin

3 of

the

XLR

inpu

t. G

iven

the

per

mitt

ed

Which is the best microphone for ... ?

In our opinion a good microphone ought tosound natural, just as you would expect agood audio amplifier to sound; it shouldtherefore be suitable for any instrument. Thisrequires flat frequency response and a direc-tional characteristic independent of frequency.There will be no difference in sound qualitywhether the pickup is on- or off-axis.

Obviously this ideal can only be achieved toa finite degree. With directional microphones,proximity effect causes the low-frequencyresponse to vary significantly while with nearlyall microphones (especially omnidirectionalmicrophones), the polar pattern is rarely idealat the highest frequencies.

Only in rare cases can ”the” correct micro-phone be chosen unequivocally, since – basedon experience – aspects of taste, recordinglocation, position of sound sources and themicrophone, and the atmosphere of the musicor other program material must also be con-sidered. Any absolute recommendations wouldtherefore be of limited value at best. How ever,we would like to offer some ideas that offer agood place to start.

Our Recommendations

The microphone type that comes closest tothe theoretical ideal is the classic pressuretransducer. It has an omnidirectional pickuppattern, reproduces even the lowest audiofrequencies with full sensitivity, and has noproximity effect.

The most commonly used pattern for medium-distance pickup is the cardioid (CCM 4or CCM 4V). However, there may be goodreasons to make a different choice. Someexamples:

– increased directivity may be required, eitherfor the sake of a ”drier” recording or forsuppressing sound from adjacent instruments.In this case we recommend the super cardioidCCM 41 or shotgun microphone CMIT 5 U,as long as no nearby sound source or P.A.loudspeaker is directly behind the micro-

phone, since it has a rear lobe.– for a broader pickup pattern, with very nat-

ural sound quality for sound arriving at thesides of the microphone and more extendedlow-frequency response, we recommendthe CCM 21 wide cardioid.

– for a very natural sound character and apickup pattern close to a cardioid: CCM 22Open Cardioid

– for essentially perfect pickup of low-fre-quency information and room sound, werecommend the omnidirectional CCM 2Hor CCM 2S.

– when using directional microphones withvery close placement, proximity effect mustbe compensated for with a bass rolloff. Thisis especially true when miking instruments.For voice, try the CCM 4P or CCM 4VXP.For instruments the omnidirectional CCM 2may be of interest (no proximity effect, lowsensitivity to ”popping” or solid-bornenoise).

– for very distant miking with essentially per-fect bass response and/or as an ”ambience”microphone: omni CCM 2XS.

– for outdoor recording if directivity is notrequired (e.g. close miking), the omni CCM 2S + windscreen W 5 or W 5 D willoffer low sensitivity to wind, “popping”and handling noise. If high directivity is required outdoors, theCCM 41 can be used with the W 5 D, WSR 100 or WSR MS LI “basket”-typewindscreens with built-in elastic suspensionfor mono or stereo.


Microphone Selection

8

Reco

rdin

g


Basic Microphone Characteristics

9

Mic

roph

one

Type

s

Frequencyresponse:

Directional pattern:

Proximity effect:

Sensitivity tovibration, windand popping:

Pressure Transducers (omnis)

Essentially flat, with accurate repro-duction of the lowest frequencies.The on-axis response of the free-fieldmicrophone does not have a high-fre-quency emphasis, but that meant forthe reverberant sound field does.

Omnidirectional pattern in its idealform only at low and middle frequen-cies. At very high frequencies there isincreasing directivity. For this reasoneven omnidirectional microphones aredirected towards the sound source.

None

Very little; simple foam-type wind-screens often offer good protection.

Pressure-Gradient Transducers

Reduced sensitivity (rolloff) at lowerfrequencies, which can be compen-sated by close placement to thesound source (proximity effect)

Types: wide cardioid, Open Cardioid,cardioid, supercardioid (hypercardioid),bidirectional (figure-8). The frequencyresponse of our figure-8 is nearly thesame in all directions; the wide cardioidmicrophone also offers this advantage.

Elevation of low frequencies asworking distance decreases in near-field use (quite noticeable at under50 cm)

Considerable; shock mounting andlarger, more elaborately constructedwindscreens may be needed.

Characteristics of the Two Basic Transducer Types

All SCHOEPS microphones, even switchableones, are single-diaphragm electrostatic trans-ducers. They fall into two general categories:pressure transducers and pressure-gradienttransducers. Many of our microphones combinethe two principles of operation in various pro-portions, yielding patterns from wide cardioidto supercardioid. While not strictly correct, thesemicrophones are classed as pressure-gradienttransducers by convention.

Unlike dual-membrane microphones, ourswitchable microphones offer flat low-frequencyresponse, low sensitivity to wind and solid-borne noise, and no proximity effect in theiromnidirectional settings. In their cardioid set-tings they maintain their directional pattern tothe lowest frequencies, which dual-diaphragmmicrophones do not.

The following table lists the basic character-istics of these two general types.


Suggested Microphones for Specific Applications

10

Mic

roph

one

Type

s

Appliations: Recommendations:

On a lectern CCM 4 (cardioid) with close-speech guard B 5 DConference recording CCM 4 (cardioid) with close-speech guard B 5 D;

for close pickup < 20 cm: cardioid with bass rolloff CCM 4P;for close pickup < 10 cm: cardioid with bass rolloff CCM 4XP

TV speaker’s table CCM 4 (cardioid) without pop filter at a distance exceeding 40 cmBroadcast studio CCM 4 with PR 120 SV pop filter; SCHOEPS V4 UTV “round table” discussion CCM 4 (cardioid) or SCHOEPS boundary-layer microphone BL CCM 3Church CCM 4 (cardioid), possibly using boundary-layer technique with

BLCgStage CCM 4 (cardioid) or CCM 41 (supercardioid) with BLCgStage (movable) CCM 4 (cardioid) or CCM 41 (supercardioid)Stage (fixed) CCM 4 (cardioid) on an RL tube with B 5 D windscreenNews reporting CCM 5 (omni/ cardioid, switchable); use the omni setting if there

is strong wind and/ or when there is no disturbing ambient noise; windscreens: B 5 D, W 5 D or W 20 R1

Film and video dialog/effects CCM 41 with B 5 D close-speech guardStudio CCM 4, CCM 4V (cardioids), CCM 22 (Open Cardioid) with pop

filter

All instr. incl. percussion CCM 4 (cardioid); to pick up room sound as well – especialy withan organ: CCM 2S (omni) or – when the room’s character is lessthan optimal or if the bass is too strong: CCM 21 (wide cardioid)

Tympani, bass drum, etc. pressure transducer, e.g. CCM 2 (omni) Instruments with adapters violin: CCM 4/ CCM 4V (cardioid), saxophone: CCM 4 (cardioid)Spot mike in an orchestra CCM 4 (cardioid), CCM 41 (supercardioid), but also CCM 21

(wide cardioid) or CCM 22 (Open Cardioid), all with an RL tube

Orchestra, chorus ORTF with 2× CCM 4 and bracket STC 4; A/B recording, e.g. withCCM 2S , M/S with CCM 4/ CCM 21 (cardioid/ wide cardioid)and CCM 8 (figure-8); Decca-Tree with 3× CCM 2H, perhapsusing KA 40 accessory spheres

Small orchestra / ensemble boundary-layer technique, ORTF or X/Y with M 100 C stereo bracketFilm and video dialog/effects M/S with CCM 41 (supercardioid) in the M-channel and CCM 8

(figure-8) or with a CMIT and a CCM 8

Orchestra OCT surround; Decca Tree with 5× CCM 2H, perhaps using KA 40accessory spheres; near-coincident placement with 5× CCM 21(wide cardioid) or CCM 4 (cardioid)/ CCM 22 (Open Cardioid),Hamasaki Square with 4× CCM 8 (figure-8)

Film and video dialog/effects Double M/SSurr

ound

Ster

eoIn

stru

men

tsSp

eech

/ S

peak

ers

/ Vo

cals


Pressure Transducers (Omnis)

11

Mic

roph

one

Type

s

Frequency response curve CCM 2

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

Frequency response curve CCM 2H

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

The actual miking distances whichcorrespond to these categories willdepend greatly on characteristics of therecording environment, especially on itssize and reverberance. Each of thesemicrophones, when used at appropri-ate distance, will have a well-balancedoverall response given the mixture ofdirect and reflected sound energytypical of that distance. Note: Since the microphones havesome directionality at high frequencies,it is still necessary to aim them at thesound source.”Uses:CCM 2: relatively close miking of

instruments, vocalists, etc.CCM 2H, 2S, XS: “spaced micro-

phone” stereo pickup and “DeccaTree” arrangements

CCM 2XS: as CCM 2H; room microphone

+10

0dB

-10

-20

+10

0dB

-10

-20

*reverberation radius: the distance from the sound source at whichthe levels of direct and diffuse sound are equal.

Frequency response curve CCM 2S

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

Frequency response curve CCM 2XS

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

+10

0dB

-10

-20

+10

0dB

-10

-20

CCM 2 for free-field placement(close to the sound source)

CCM 2H for use at moderate dis-tance (at or near thereverberation radius*)

CCM 2S all-purpose microphonefor music and speech,also for use at moderatedistance

CCM 2XSfor diffuse-field placement(well beyond the reverber-ation radius*)

Polar diagram CCM 2, -2H, -2S, -XS

from outerto inner:

up to 1 kHz 4 kHz2 kHz 8 kHz

16 kHz

CCM 2XSCCM 2S

CCM 2 CCM 2H


Pressure-Gradient Transducers - Wide Cardioids

12

Mic

roph

one

Type

s


Polar diagram CCM 21, -21H

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

+10

0dB

-10

-2020 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

Frequency response curve CCM 21H

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– wide cardioids– polar pattern very well maintained

throughout the frequency range– a favorable compromise between

omni (good low-frequency response)and cardioid (consistent directionalpattern at all frequencies)

Uses:CCM 21: often preferred for use as a

spot microphone, or as the mainpair for overall stereo pickup

CCM 21H: often preferred for usewhen recording vocals, acousticguitar or percussion


+10

0dB

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CCM 21HCCM 21

CCM 22

– “Open Cardioid”– optimal combination of classic car-

dioid directionality (CCM 4) withthe sonic character of the wide car-dioid (CCM 21)

– directional pattern largely constantthroughout the frequency range

Uses: for spot miking and as a soloist’smicrophone

from outerto inner:

up to 2 kHz 8 kHz4 kHz

16 kHz

Polar diagram CCM 22


Cardioids

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Polar diagram CCM 4

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

20 50 100 200 500 1k 2k 5k 10k 20kHz

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-10

-20

Frequency response curve CCM 4V

Polar diagram CCM 4V

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

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CCM 4V

– cardioid with mild high-frequencyboost

– all-purpose microphone for musicand speech

– highly consistent polar response:cardioid pattern is maintained atlow and high frequencies

– 0° axis is at the side of the micro-phone marked by a red dot

Uses: often preferred for singing orspeaking voices and most instruments;as a spot microphone for X/Y, ORTFand M/S stereo recording

CCM 4

– standard cardioid with clear soundquality, free of coloration

– all-purpose microphone for musicand speech

– highly consistent frequency response– our best-selling compact microphone

type– cardioid pattern is maintained even

at low frequencies– 0° axis is at the tip of the micro-

phoneUses: often preferred for singing orspeaking voices and most instruments;as a spot microphone for X/Y, ORTFand M/S stereo recording


Supercardioids

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Polar diagram CCM 41

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

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Frequency response curve CCM 41V

Polar diagram CCM 41V

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

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0dB

-10

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CCM 41

– all-purpose microphone for speechand music recording of all kinds

– well suited for use as the mainmicrophones for stereo pickupand/or as ”spot” microphones

– extended, smooth, well-balancedfrequency response

– often used for film and video sound – where it can be used, it has distinct

sonic and practical advantages overmost shotgun microphones

– highly consistent polar response – 0° axis is at the microphone’s tip

Uses: often preferred for use in filmsound recording and as a spot micro-phone in orchestras

CCM 41V

– all-purpose microphone for musicand speech; same uses and advan-tages as the CCM 41

– lateral pickup

Uses: often preferred for use in musicand speech recording, as a spot micro-phone and also as a main microphone,especially when using the OCT record-ing method


Figure-8

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Polar diagram CCM 8

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

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CCM 8

– figure-8 (”bidirectional”) pattern – clear sound quality, free of coloration– microphone for M/S and Blumlein

stereo– highly consistent frequency and

polar response – response essentially free of off-axis

peaks like a good ribbon microphone(but not as delicate physically)

– lateral pickup

Uses: optimal for M/S and Blumleinstereo recording

SCHOEPS GmbH · Spitalstr. 20 · D-76227 Karlsruhe (Durlach) · Tel: +49 721 943 20-0 · Fax: +49 721 943 2050www.schoeps.de · [email protected]

Switchable Microphone

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Frequency response curve CCM 5 ”omni” position

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0dB

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CCM 5

– mechanically switchable single-diaphragm microphone (omni/ car-dioid)

– smoother, more extended high-fre-quency response than most othermulti-pattern microphones (e.g. dual-diaphragm microphonesof other manufacturers)

– slightly brighter than the CCM 2H(omni) or CCM 4 (cardioid)

– a pure pressure transducer when inthe ”omni” setting (flat, extendedlow-frequency response withoutproximity effect or undue sensitivityto wind or solid-borne sound)

Uses:preferred uses similar to those of theCCM 2 or CCM 2S and the CCM 4:In the cardioid setting: for use with

singing or speak ing voices or mostinstruments, as a spot micro phone,and for stereo recording with coinci-dent, ORTF or M/S microphonearrangements.

In the omnidirectional setting: forrecording instruments, singers, etc.at relatively close range

Frequency response curve CCM 5 ”cardioid” position

Polar diagram CCM 5

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

+10

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”cardioid” position

Polar diagram CCM 5

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

”omni” position


Microphones for Close Pickup

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These microphones are tailored forpeople speaking in loud environments,an application primarily all about speechintelligibility. They are therefore usedin close proximity and lower frequen-cies are attenuated. This enables envi-ronmental noises to be faded out andcompensates for the “proximity effect”,avoiding the voice having a booming,artificial quality which would be tiringand reduce speech intelligibility.

CCM 4VP

CCM 4XP CCM 4VXP

CCM 4P

CCM 4

CCM 4(V)XP

CCM 4(V)P

Low-frequency response curves of the two microphone types (P and XP) compared to the standard CCM 4 (measured at a 60 cmequivalent distance).

Polar diagram CCM 4P, CCM 4XP

from outerto inner:


16 kHz

Polar diagram CCM 4VP, CCM 4VXP

from outerto inner:


16 kHz


Microphones for Close Pickup

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Frequency response curve CCM 4P

Frequency response curve CCM 4VP

Frequency response curve CCM 4XP

Frequency response curve CCM 4VXP

CCM 4VXP

– cardioid for lateralpickup

– for pick up of speechor music at closerange (under 10 cm)

– considerable attenua-tion of low frequencies

CCM 4P

– cardioid pattern– for pickup of speech or

music at close range(under 20 cm)

– moderate attenuationof low frequencies

CCM 4VP

– cardioid pattern, side-adressed

– for pickup of speech ormusic at close range(under 20 cm), other-wise the sound maybecome “thin“

– moderate low frequencyattenuation

CCM 4XP

– cardioid pattern– for pickup of speech

or music at closerange (under 10cm)

– considerable attenua-tion of low frequencies


Acoustical Specifications of Compact Microphones

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microphone type polar frequency sensitivity equivalent noise level signal-to-noise max. SPLpattern range CCIR A-weighted ratio (0,5%THD)

A-weighted

CCM 2 omni 20 Hz – 20 kHz 16 mV/Pa 23 dB 11 dB 83 dB 130 dB

CCM 2H omni 20 Hz – 20 kHz 15 mV/Pa 23 dB 11 dB 83 dB 130 dB

CCM 2S omni 20 Hz – 20 kHz 12 mV/Pa 24 dB 12 dB 82 dB 132 dB

CCM 2XS omni 20 Hz – 20 kHz 10 mV/Pa 26 dB 14 dB 80 dB 134 dB

CCM 21 wide cardioid 30 Hz – 20 kHz 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 14 dB 80 dB 132 dB

CCM 21H wide cardioid 30 Hz – 20 kHz 10 mV/Pa 26 dB 16 dB 78 dB 134 dB

CCM 22 Open Cardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 14 mV/Pa 23 dB 14 dB 80 dB 131 dB

CCM 4 cardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 4V cardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 14 dB 80 dB 132 dB

CCM 41 supercardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 14 mV/Pa 24 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 41V supercardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 14mV/Pa 23 dB 14 dB 80 dB 132 dB

CCM 8 figure-8 40 Hz – 16 kHz 10 mV/Pa 26 dB 18 dB 76 dB 134 dB

CCM 5 omni 20 Hz – 20 kHz 10 mV/Pa 26 dB 14 dB 80 dB 133 dBcardioid 40 Hz – 20 kHz 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 4P cardioid close pickup 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 4VP cardioid close pickup 13 mV/Pa 24 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 4XP cardioid close pickup 12 mV/Pa 25 dB 15 dB 79 dB 132 dB

CCM 4VXP cardioid close pickup 10 mV/Pa 25 dB 14 dB 80 dB 134 dB

A note about signal-to-noise specifications forstudio microphones. The standard method,which SCHOEPS follows, is really just an alter-nate way of stating a microphone's equivalentnoise level. It is designed to allow comparisonof noise floor levels for different microphones.Unlike the signal-to-noise specifications forother types of audio equipment, which givethe ratio of a component's clipping point to itsnoise floor, these values do not indicate amicrophone's entire available dynamic range.Instead, the values are measured with referenceto a standard sound pressure level of 1 Pascal(1 Pa = 94 dB SPL). But the actual maximumSPL capability of any usable microphone exceeds

that reference level substantially. The signal-to-noise specifications of our microphones wouldbe 35 to 40 dB greater if the “hi-fi” approachwere used.

The use of “A” weighting when specifyingthe equivalent noise level of microphones isanother frequently misunderstood aspect of thestandards. “A” weighting yields a distinctlylower noise specification – mostly by 10 dB ormore – and this figure, of course, becomes theone most often cited in advertising. In practice,however, the CCIR weighted noise level maywell be a more accurate indicator of a micro-phone's perceived noise level.


Care and Maintenance / Troubleshooting

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Care of Compact Condenser Micro phones

Please take care to avoid placing microphonesin a dusty environment. Keep them in their cases(e.g. the wood carrying case they come with)when not in use, since any dust that getsinside the capsules can adversely affect theirfunctioning. Dust can affect the microphonesin the following way: In combination withhumid ity it can lead to condensation and thuspopping and crackling noises (often describedas ”frying sounds”).

What to do if …the microphone is noisy (clicks and pops) in highhumidity?

If the microphone is brought in from the coldoutdoors to a warm (and humid) environment,snapping or clicking noises can result from thecondensation of moisture. In this event the microphone should be givenbetween 30 and 60 minutes to warm up, andwill then generally perform flawlessly.

If this treatment does not eliminate the noise,it is possible that dirt has gotten inside thetransducer (capsule) itself – in which case themicrophone must be sent back to the factoryfor cleaning. We strongly advise customers notto open a microphone or attempt to clean itthemselves. Doing so would also invalidate allwarranties.

Windscreens are recommended when micro-phones have to be used in dirty or dusty envi-ronments in order to avoid problems of thekind described above.

Troubleshooting

Wind noise and polar patternNoise problems can be taken into account whenchoosing a microphone pattern (directionalcharacteristic) for a given set of recording con-ditions. Pressure transducers are considerablyless prone to picking up noise from air currentsor mechanical vibration than pressure-gradienttransducers (such as cardioids or supercardioids).

SCHOEPS omnidirectional microphones are pres-sure transducers, as is our switchable-patterncompact microphone CCM 5 in its omnidirec-tional setting. If strong wind or physical vibra-tion of the microphone is anticipated, a pres-sure transducer such as the CCM 2 S shouldbe used instead of a cardioid or supercardioid.The distance between the microphone and thesound source should then be halved if possible.

Wind noise and windscreensAir motion (wind, vocal “popping” on sung orspoken consonants, motion of the microphoneon a boom arm, or air currents due to heatingor air conditioning systems) can cause noisethat should always be dealt with. Even if itdoesn't cause overload, it will detract from theclarity of sound. A wind or pop screen shouldbe used, but should be chosen carefully toavoid changing the microphone's characteris-tics too much. Many screen types which areeffective at reducing wind noise also have atendency to reduce a microphone's directional-ity and/or its high-frequency response. Basket-type windscreens mainly cause some uneven-ness in the frequency response (see our generalcatalog for details).

VibrationIf noise from mechanical vibration enters astand- or boom-mounted microphone, a shockmount (elastic suspension) should be used, anda loop of slack cable isolated and tied off sothat it does not become another way for vibra -tions to reach the microphone. Unlike a windscreen, a shock mount will not affect the char-acteristics of a microphone. In many kinds ofwork it is well justified to use a shock mount”by default.”

OverloadIf transient or continual overload occurs, orseems likely to occur, it is useful to think of thecomplete set of equipment used for a record-ing or broadcast as a succession of ”stages.”The signal should then be attenuated (its leveldecreased) at the input to the first stage ofequipment which might be overloaded.

A condenser microphone itself represents at

least two stages – the capsule and the ampli fier.The only sound pressure that could overload aSCHOEPS microphone capsule (150+ dB SPL)would also damage human hearing almostinstantly; in practice our capsules are rarelyover loaded except by explosions or directexposure to strong wind. As a rule such over-load will not damage the microphone; evenstrong wind blowing directly against the cap-sule membrane will not harm it unless theforces involved are rather enormous.

The input of the amplifier stage of a SCHOEPSCCM microphone can be overloaded, but onlyby sound pressure levels in excess of 130 dB.

With a properly powered SCHOEPS micro-phone that is not being exposed to wind, anyoverloads will occur far more often in a mixeror preamp's input circuit than in the micro-phone itself. This is particularly true with equip-ment that was designed primarily for use withdynamic or consumer-type microphones. Thusif distortion is heard when wind, etc. is not theobvious cause, one of the first tests might beto plug in a balanced ”pad” (resistive attenu-ator such as the SCHOEPS MDZ 10 or MDZ 20)at the console or preamp input to see whetherthat solves the problem. This type of pad issuperior to built-in pad switches.

Unfortunately, even with fully professionalequipment, ”overload” indicators cannotalways be relied upon to indicate input over-load – many such indicators are wired only tolater stages in the circuitry.

If a preamp or mixer has an input sensitivitycontrol, it should be set for a good compromisebetween avoiding input overload on the onehand (sensitivity too high) and avoiding noiseon the other (sensitivity too low). Ideally amixer or preamp should not add any noise ofits own to a microphone's signals, but a dB ortwo of hiss is better than gross distortioncaused by clipping.

Low-frequency disturbances such as windor vibration may not be perceived directly(subsonic noise), but can still cause overloadin some stage of the signal chain. Low-fre-quency noise can be effectively suppressedwith the Active in-line low-cut Filters LC 60and LC 120. They can be placed between the

output of the microphone cable and thephantom-powered input of a mixer, preamp orrecorder, thus protecting that input from over-load.

Overload which does not otherwise seemto make sense may actually be a symptom ofincorrect or inadequate microphone powering.Powering systems and their requirements arediscussed near the beginning of this UserGuide on page 5.

The most appropriate and most helpful trouble-shooting tools are:– a well-known good microphone cable– a simple pop screen such as the SCHOEPS

B 5 (or for outdoor recording, a windscreen such as the SCHOEPS W 5)

– a balanced, in-line resistive attenuator (”pad”)such as the SCHOEPS MDZ 10 or MDZ 20

– an ordinary multimeter


Troubleshooting

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Warranty

We guarantee our products for a period oftwenty-four months, excluding bat teries. Theguarantee period begins on the date of pur-chase.

Please provide your bill of sale in all casesas proof of guarantee; without it, repairs willbe undertaken only at the owner’s expense.We reserve the right to satisfy all warrantyrequirements regarding defects of workman-ship or materials by means of repair or partialor complete replacement of the product, atour sole discretion.

Excluded from this guarantee are defectsdue to misuse (e.g. incorrect operation;mechanical damage), abuse or “acts of God.”This guarantee is nullified in the event of tam-pering by unauthorized persons or agencies.

To secure your rights under this guarantee,send the product with proof of purchase anda precise description of the malfunction, at yourexpense, either to SCHOEPS (if you are a cus-tomer in Germany), or to our representative (ifyou are a customer outside Germany).

Prior to sending your defective product forrepair, please contact your local dealer or dis-tributor for instructions. In exceptional casesyou can, by prior arrangement with SCHOEPS,send the product directly to us from a foreigncountry. However any return shipment mustthen be prepaid; this tends to cause delays,especially for non-warranty service. Full pay-ment must be made before a repaired itemcan be returned to the customer.

This guarantee does not affect any contrac-tual agreements which may exist between thebuyer and seller of the equipment.

This guarantee is world-wide.

Declaration of Conformity – CE-Mark

The CE-mark guarantees that all productsconform to relevant standards approved bythe European Community. The productsdescribed in this User Guide comply with cur-rent, relevant standards when used withcables from SCHOEPS.

Relevant directives:EMC Directive 2014/30/EU

Relevant standards: EN 55 103-1, -2 and those referred to bythem.


Warranty / Declaration of Conformity – CE-Mark

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For your notes

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Errors and omissions excepted.

160203

Tech

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SCHOEPS GmbHSpitalstraße 20D-76227 Karlsruhe (Durlach)

Tel.: +49 (0)721 943 20-0Fax: +49 (0)721 943 2050

[email protected]

ccm - schoepsccm microphones are the smallest true classic condenser microphones (no electret used)...

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