User manual BLUE MICROPHONES BLUEBIRD

[. . . ] Our microphones unite the heritage of the world's most respected classics with leading-edge technology, innovative engineering and inimitable styling. The Bluebird is the culmination of our years of microphone and capsule manufacturing experience. TM C To create the Bluebird, we've borrowed the best characteristics from each of our previous microphone designs. With the Bluebird, you benefit from the immediacy of the Baby Bottle, the robust character of the Dragonfly, the shimmering high end of the Blueberry, the deep bottom of the Mouse, and the superlative, larger than life presence of the Kiwi all rolled into one, to bring you a microphone of exceptional sound quality, cutting-edge design and superior craftsmanship. [. . . ] It is important to note that some units, though rated at +48V, may supply insufficient or unstable phantom power, which can result in distortion and/or degraded performance when used with a condenser microphone. Because of this, we have designed the Bluebird to deliver outstanding performance with a power supply as low as +35V!To avoid damage to audio components when connecting the Bluebird to your microphone input, we recommend the following procedure: · Set mic preamp gain to its nominal position ("off"). Bluebird Capsule Polar Response Compared to similar microphones, the Bluebird has a very low self noise specification (>7. 5dB) and an very high output level (+12dBV), making it the perfect choice for today's high sample rate/deep word length digital platforms. Instead of integrated circuits (chips), the Bluebird employs a transformerless Class A discrete amplifier circuit to insure the most accurate and noise-free signal possible, with minimal distortion and coloration. The Bluebird's tonal character makes it an ideal microphone for recording vocals, drums, electric guitar, piano, and most acoustic instruments including difficult sources like saxophones, flutes, and strings. The Bluebird Accessory Pak includes the BirdCage (shock- · Mute console master, stage monitor and mains feeds, headphones or foldback sends, and studio monitors. · Connect the female end of your balanced XLR microphone cable to the Bluebird's output jack. Connect the male end to your balanced console input or balanced mic preamp input. · Un-mute all previously muted signal paths and adjust mic preamp gain as necessary. Once the Bluebird is on the stand and powered up, make sure that the active, on-axis side of the capsule (the side aligned with and directly above the Blue logo) is facing the desired source. The Bluebird is a cardioid mic, and is designed to reject off-axis sound arriving at the back of the capsule. Following are some application tips that will help you to get the most out of the Bluebird. The Bluebird's slim profile and fast transient response offer numerous advantages when recording drums. For kit and hand drums, begin by placing Drums the microphone two to four inches above the rim or hoop (where the head is secured to the shell). Angle the capsule toward the player's stick or hand to pick up more attack and definition. Positioning the capsule toward the shell will soften the sharp attack of a hand drum, or pick up more of the bright, crackling buzz from a snare. Moving the microphone closer to a drum generally increases the low end, shell resonance, and separation from other sound sources, while more distant placement emphasizes the interaction of the drum and the environment, producing a blended, airier sound. Here's a little-known secret -- vocalists love singing into unique and impressive mics like the Bluebird. For a "big" vocal sound, position the vocalist within one Vocals to four inches of the capsule. There is no need to worry about overloading the microphone, but be sure to use the optional BirdNest metal mesh pop filter to protect the diaphragm. [. . . ] For other members of the saxophone family, start by placing the Bluebird two to six inches in front of the lip of the bell. Angle the capsule up toward the mouthpiece to capture more air, brightness, and high notes. For a mellower sound, orienting the capsule toward the floor emphasizes the low range of the sax, and tames the biting upper mids that project straight out of the bell. [. . . ]