Manley Labs Reference Cardioid Tube Condenser Microphone Overview:
The Manley Reference Cardioid Tube Microphone has that “finished” sound right out of the box, making it the favorite vocal mic of top producers and voiceover artists alike. This is modern pop music’s go-to mic: flattering, present, and larger-than-life. Some refer to the Manley RefC as the “Just Add Talent” microphone.
The Reference Cardioid Microphone shares the same electronic attributes as the Gold Reference Series, but has a center-fixed cardioid-only capsule with a thicker gauge (6 micron) gold sputtered diaphragm. With the similar film thickness and construction, similar high frequency resonance (a little edge), similar proximity effect and pretty good immunity from pops and sibilance problems, our Reference Cardioid more closely recalls how many of the vintage European tube mics such as the beloved U47 sounded like when they were new. Its rich tonal balance and liquid character is consistently admired for instruments such as guitars, drum overheads, saxophone, and especially vocals. With your present mic, if you find yourself leaning on your compressors and boosting 5 or 10K to score a bit more testosterone, then the Reference Cardioid just might be the mic you’re looking for to cure what ails ya. If you seem to be constantly boosting 12-18K and trying to get a clean, intimate sound, then probably the Reference Gold would be the safest bet.
Specifications:
- All-Tube triode design 12AT7 (2011 build. Previous versions used 12AX7 and 6072.)
- Polar Pattern: Fixed Cardioid
- Diaphragm Size: 1 Inch; 1.25 Inch Overall
- Diaphragm Thickness: 6 Micron; Gold Sputtered
- Capsule Type: Center-fixed Lg. Diaphragm Capacitor
- Amplifier Type: 2 Triode Gain Block Lo Z Output
- Active Components: (1) 12AX7 Vacuum Tube
- Output Type: Transformer Coupled
- Output Polarity: Balanced XLR, Pin 2 Hot, Pin 3 Low
- Amplifier Distortion: Less Than 0.05 % THD+N BW 22-22 kHz (1Kohm Load, 1kHz -40dBV Output)
- Amplifier Noise: Typically -101 dBV “A Weighted”
- Body: Black Anodized Aluminum
- -10 dB switchable pad
- Frequency response: 10Hz-30KHz
- Sensitivity: 17mV/Pa
- Noise typically -120dB EIN
- Max SPL: 150dB
- Actual output impedance 200 Ohms
- Weight: 2.25 lbs (mic)
- Weight: 2.5 lbs (PSU)
- Size: 4.5″ x 9.7″ x 4.5″ (mic)
- Size: 5″ x 8.2″ x 3.4″ (PSU)
- Shipping weight: 15 lbs
- Selected matched pairs available
- Outboard Power Supply is factory set for 100V, 120V or 220-240VAC operation for original destination country’s mains voltage.
- Operating Mains Voltage changeable with power transformer re-wiring via internal jumpers and fuse value change.
- Mains Voltage Frequency: 50~ 60Hz
- Mains Fuse: 250mA @ 100~120V; 125mA @ 220~240V operation
- Power Consumption: 70mA @ 120V = 8.4 Watts
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