1). What's are the
differences between the FAT HEAD and FAT HEAD II? The
FAT HEAD II body diameter is larger and longer in length. It comes
with a heavy-duty premium shockmount to accommodate for the larger
body. The FAT HEAD II and FAT HEAD are sonically the same.
2). Are Cascade Ribbon microphones Phantom Power safe?
Yes.
The signal path from the ribbon is wired so that it only flows one
way (out) via the transformer.
Connect your XLR microphone cable to a pre-amp with matching
PIN-OUTS. The PIN-OUT configuration listed below is the Industry
Standard for microphones, XLR cables and processing hardware.
Balanced Male/Female XLR PIN-OUT configuration:
PIN 2
-HOT/POSITIVE/HIGH
PIN 3
-COLD/NEGATIVE/LOW
PIN 1
Ground
Please Note: CAUTION
USE OF PATCH BAY: Disengage the Phantom Power prior the making an
insert/patch. If the Phantom Power is engaged while inserting a TRS
1/4" connector the ribbon will be damaged and will require
replacement. Be sure the Phantom Power has had sufficient time to ramp
down before making an insert.
3). What's the difference between the stock transformer verses the
Lundahl or Cinemag?
The stock tranny sounds very good. The
custom winding and core materials used in the Lundahl and Cinemag
transformers do offer improved definition along with extended low and
top end frequencies.
4). What are the differences between the short single ribbon, short
dual ribbon and long single ribbon?
The short single ribbon
offers the fastest response and is well suited for guitar cabinets,
drum overheads and room mic’s. The short dual ribbon adds more
sensitivity and is also useful for guitar cabinets, drum overheads and
room mic’s. The long ribbon offers extended low and top end
frequencies and works good with acoustic guitars and vocals. Overall
conclusion: ribbon microphones are very forgiving and will work well
with just about anything you put in front of it.
5). Why do ribbon microphones need to be EQ’d?
Cascade ribbon mic’s are dynamic passive microphones, with no
active electronics. A typical active microphone has a built in bottom
and top end, so EQ is normally not needed. The ability to use EQ in
conjunction with a microphone enables you to dial-in the microphone to
suit your room and subject.
6). Can the Cascade ribbon microphone handle high SPL's?
The SPL rating of a Cascade
ribbon is 165dB.
7). Can air-pressure harm your ribbon?
Yes, air-pressure is the
number one cause of ribbon failure (stretched ribbon). Be careful not
to subject the ribbon to any source that will cause the ribbon to
stretch. When in doubt, a pop-filter is suggested.
8). How can you tell if your ribbon is stretched?
The most striking signal is
that the microphone sounds dull with loss of low and high frequency
range. You can also check the microphone by slowly moving it back and
forth (similar to a pendulum on a clock). You will hear the ribbon
swishing past the magnets.
9). When I record the Cascade ribbon microphone
along with another microphone, they are out of Phase.
If you find that your Cascade
ribbon microphone is out of phase with another microphone, simply turn
the microphone around and operate from the other side. The Cascade
ribbon microphone houses a hand-tuned element that incorporates the
legendary symmetrical ribbon design. This design offers a true
figure-8 pattern. The corrugated aluminum membrane itself is
positioned in the center from front to back, thus producing a balanced
audio input signal to both sides of the ribbon assembly. This design
is very useful when executing a mid-side or Blumlein recording set-up
and also great for live stage use.
10). How should a ribbon microphone be stored?
It is suggested that it’s
always best that the ribbon itself be pointed in a vertical position.
11). My
Cascade ribbon microphone has a symmetrical ribbon but it sounds
different on the back side. The back side of the
microphone is out-of-phase, you will need to switch the phase on your
preamp to achieve the same voicing.
