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1 Product introduction

1.1 General introductions

The Saramonic SR-M500 is a pair of studio 
quality condenser microphones with ultra-low 
noise and full frequency response, designed 
for studio recording and live on stage. They are 
ideal for stereo recordings like drum overheads, 
stereo room recordings, acoustic instruments, 
choirs, or anywhere you would employ a small 
diaphragm condenser microphone, either 
individually or as a stereo array. Except for 
recording music, the SR-M500 is also excellent 
for environmental recordings and indoor 
dialogue on film sets.
It features a cardioid polar pattern which 
allows to record the desired sound source 
while reducing the level of other surrounding 
instruments, noises or sound sources. 

1.2 Highlights

   

• 14mm capsule with gold-plated membrane
• Cardioid polar pattern
• Lightweight all-metal construction
• Ultra-low noise 
• Gold plated XLR output connectors
• Powered by 48V or 24V phantom power
• Includes microphone clips and windshields

2 Set up guide

2.1 Powering the SR-M500

Connect all cables ready before supplying phantom 
power to the microphones, and never remove the 
microphone cable while the power is connected.
The SR-M500 requires 48V DC or 24V DC phantom 
power. If the mixer or preamp does not contain this 
phantom power, then an external phantom power 
supply is needed.
Some phantom power supplies do not supply the 
voltage at which they are rated. If the required voltage 
is not supplied, the dynamic range and general 
performance of the microphone will be reduced. We 
strongly recommend to use a reputable high quality 
power supply. Damage caused by a faulty power 
supply is not covered under warranty.  

2.2 Mounting the SR-M500

The SR-M500 is supplied with a pair of stand 
mounts. They feature a standard 5/8" thread in 
the base and a 3/8" thread adapter is supplied 
to provide great versatility in mounting.   
To mount the SR-M500, please place the base 
of the microphone at the back of the mount 
and firmly push down towards the front until the 
microphone clicks into the mount. 

2.3 General operation

The SR-M500 microphone head should always 
facing towards the sound source that you wish to 
record. 
When recording any sound source, whether 
it’s vocals, instruments or anything else, please 
always spend time experimenting with the mic 
placement, adjust the microphone position 
as many times as you need to ensure you are 
picking up the best possible sound. Then you 
are ready to start the recording work. 

2.4 Microphone placement

Whether using the SR-M500 as a single 
microphone or stereo pair, there are no set rules 
in the microphones placement, but the tips 
below may help achieve great results in most 
scenarios.

2.4.1 Stereo Spaced Pair

To mount SR-M500 in a spaced pair 
configuration, you’ll need to place the 
microphones on two separate microphone 
stands. It is best to experiment with the exact 
positioning and direction of the microphones 
while listening to the signal, to ensure phase 
compatibility.   
The Spaced pair is ideal for recording sound 
sources or instruments that cover a wider 
area such as choirs and ensembles, or require 
more than one point-source to pick up a true 

representation of the sound. It can also produce 
incredible results on individual instruments when 
used correctly.

2.4.2 Stereo X-Y

To mount SR-M500 in X/Y configuration, you’ll 
need to place the microphones either on a 
stereo bar, or on two separate microphone 
stands. The microphones should be placed 
at 90º to one another (right angle) with the 
capsules stacked above each other vertically.

X/Y configuration makes the sound you record 
not only sounds great in stereo, they will also 
sound great when playback in mono. While X/
Y configuration is great for mono compatibility 
and ease of use, the stereo image will not be 
as wide as other techniques such as ORTF or a 
spaced pair configuration.

2.4.3 Stereo ORTF

To mount SR-M500 in ORTF configuration, 
you’ll need to place the microphones either on 
a stereo bar, or on two separate microphone 
stands. The microphones should be placed at 
110º to one another with the capsules 17cm 
apart and facing outward. 

The ORTF technique was originally designed to 
mimic the response of human hearing. In ORTF 
configuration, the increased distance between 
the capsules will produce a wider stereo image 
than X/Y configuration. 

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