SV33 Use and Fundamentals
The SV33 is capable of delivering excellent results with only modest attention given to
room acoustics and conventional microphone etiquette; However, the following guide
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lines and suggestions are presented to help achieve consistently exceptional results.
Microphone Placement
At its core, the SV33 has been designed to pick up a wider array of sound emanating
from the human body and voice. When a performer speaks or sings, there are multiple
sources generating sound all at once. The contributions of the chest, neck, mouth,
nose and head all sound very different from one another, and their balance continually
changes. As with other complex musical instruments, like drums, piano and guitar, the
position of the microphone greatly affects the sound that is captured. Developing an
understanding of the unique SV33 capabilities will transform microphone placement
into a powerful tool for shaping the desired vocal sound.
The following provides a few examples of what is possible through placement of
this microphone:
• To capture a natural vocal sound that is similar to what a listener would hear
in the room with the performer, consider placing the microphone at the same
height as the performer’s mouth, 6 to 12 inches away, aimed at their mouth.
• Reducing the distance to 3 inches or so while still positioning the mic in front
of the mouth allows you to get a drier and more intimate vocal sound. As with
all microphone placement techniques you still need to move the mic around
from that starting point to find the desired tonal balance.
• A distance greater than 12 inches can be used to increase the ratio of room
sound to direct vocal sound.
On-axis Frequency Response
The SV33 is flat from 30Hz to 33kHz (Figure 6).
Proximity Effect
Conventional studio vocal microphones typically exhibit a strong proximity effect. Con
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sequently their low frequency response varies widely with distance, dropping off as the
performer moves away from the microphone and increasing as they get closer. There
is often only a narrow sweet spot in the range of distances that provides the appropriate
balance of low frequency content for a performer’s voice.
Figure 6 SV33 Frequency Response
+10dB
0dB
-10dB
-20dB
30Hz 50Hz 100Hz 1kHz 10k 20k 30k 40k 50k
12 inches
5 inches
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