Samson C01U - Operating the C01 U Microphone; C01 U Powering and LED Indicator; Microphone Polar Patterns Explained; Optimal Microphone Placement Techniques

CO1U - USB Studio Condenser Microphone ae
Operating the CO1U
Powering the CO1U
The C01U is a condenser microphone, and like all condenser microphones, it has
internal electronics that require an active power supply. Traditional studio con-
densers are almost always powered by a Phantom Power supply which is usually
derived from the mixing console. The C01U receives its power from the USB bus.
Simply connect the microphone to the computers USB port and the microphone
is ready to operate. The CO1U features a power on LED, which will illuminate when
USB power is present.
Polar Pattern
The most important characteristic of any microphone is its directionality or “pick-
up pattern’. There are three basic categories of pick up patterns; omni, bi and unidi-
rectional. Omni mics pick up sound from all directions, bidirectional (figure 8) mics
pick up the sound directly in front and back of the microphone while rejecting the
sound on the left and right sides, and unidirectional (cardioid) mics pick up the
sound in front of the microphone.
While omni and bidirectional microphones are very useful for a variety of applica-
tions, the majority of “miking” situations in recording and live sound require unidi-
rectional or cardioid microphones. The unidirectional nature allows for better sepa-
ration of instruments in the studio and more control over feedback in live sound
reinforcement. The CO1U condenser’s pick-up pattern is hyper-cardioid, which
offers even more side-to-side rejection. When positioned correctly the hyper-cardi-
oid pick-up pattern allows you to pick up more of the sound you want and less of
the sound you don’t want.
Microphone Placement
In order to maximize the sound quality, you must pay careful attention to the
placement of your C01U and how it is positioned for the instrument or vocalist that
you are miking. All microphones, especially unidirectional or cardioid microphones,
exhibit a phenomenon known as “proximity effect.’ Very simply put, proximity
effect is a resulting change in the frequency response of a microphone based on
the position of the mic capsule relative to the sound source. Specifically, when you
point a cardioid mic directly at the sound source (on axis) you will get the best fre-
quency response, however when you start pointing the microphone slightly away
(off axis) you will notice the low frequency response dropping off and the micro-
phone will start to sound thinner.
For most vocal applications you'll want to position the microphone directly in front
of the artist. The same may be true for miking instruments, however, you can make
some pretty amazing equalization adjustments by slightly changing the angle of
the capsule to the sound source. This can be a very useful technique in capturing
the optimum sound of drum set, acoustic guitar, piano or other instruments in a
live room or sound stage. Experimentation and experience are the best teachers in
getting good sounds, so plug in!
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