Romilly,
Yes, you're right, I meant that I had tested the 3032 omnis. Alphanumeric
model numbers do that to me...
The Audio Technica specifications ARE puzzling. I'm a glass-half-empty kin=
d
of guy so I'm always pleasantly surprised when something turns out to work
the way the manufacturer says it does. But there are a couple of puzzling
things about the AT3032. The first was that the self noise performance was
8 dB better than spec. And the Audio Technica spec IS for A-weighting, jus=
t
the way that I measured it.
The second puzzlement has to do with the low-frequency response. They spec
it as extending down to 30 Hz. Without a tolerance spec you would assume
that they mean that it goes down to 30 Hz, probably rolled off a little at
that frequency, and then rolls off more steeply below that frequency. But
their own graph of frequency response shows the response as being UP about =
1
dB at 30 Hz, but stops there. The graph is right. The microphone is up 1
dB at 30 Hz, up about 2 dB at 20 Hz, and it's still up at 10 Hz. All of
this assuming that you have the internal filter set to the flat response
position. If you don't want extended response, just engage the filter.
So the graph is accurate, but the response spec understates the truth.
Likewise, the self noise spec understates the truth. Frankly, I just don't
get it. But my AT3032 is significantly, as in audibly, quieter than a
Schoeps Mk2. What can I say? It's a great deal.
After the new year I may have budget to acquire a pair of the cardioids.
Oh. A question for anyone who already has them. Are the capsules
removable? The capsules on the AT3032 are not removable, even though there
appears to be a separation line. At least they are not removable by me...
Eric Benjamin
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