Magnetic Stray Fields
Ribbon microphones are fundamentally prone to picking up strong
external magnetic fields caused by light dimmers or nearby power
transformers. Guitar players will know this phenomenon from single-coil
pickups. Even though much attention was paid to suppressing such
sensitivity to external magnetic fields in the design of the N22, it is still
possible that you might encounter this problem. If you should pick up
a hum, try rotating or moving the microphone to find a spot where the
hum disappears, and try eliminating potential sources of stray magnetic
fields. You can use the microphone to find where hum is originating.
Rotate the mic for maximum interference and move it back and forth to
sense its direction.
The high-performance magnets used in the KU4 and R44 are incredibly
strong, and a significant amount of stray magnetic field lines surround
the microphone. Avoid placing the microphone in close proximity
to hard drives, credit cards, analog tape, or any other magnetically
sensitive items to prevent any data loss. These classic ribbon mics were
designed for maximum performance in professional environments with
well-trained technicians.
11
