Topic: Neumann KM100 -10db pad question

[airbladder]

On the Neumann km100 body there is a -10db pad.  It looks like you need put put a pen or something in a small slot to slide the switch on and off.  Is the pad on when the slot is to the right or left?  My daughter is down for a nap and I am heading out for a show soon; therefore, i won't have a change to test it out my self.  My guess is that the pad is off when the slot is too the left and on when the slot is too the right.  If that is the case I have been running these mics with the pad on all along.  I just assumed it was turned off when I got the microphones and never looked into it.  This would be good because I could use the extra gain with the 248 I am running them behind tonight.  Any info would be great.   

[danlynch]

When the little pin hole is all the way up (towards the cap), then the pad is disengaged.  The entire window area will be the same color as the body when the pad is not "on". 

When the pad is engaged, you'll see red in that window.

[drewski1986]

I just got a skm 140 set on Thursday and had the same exact question.  Thanks for posting it.  I put one side of a tweezer in the slot and moved it.  After this I saw all red, so mine came new with the pad in the off position.  I did ask someone at neumann usa this same question in an email and haven't received a response yet.  Maiden voyage tomorrow night for Umphrey's McGee.

[taperj]

So that there is no confusion:

this is -10dB in the "On" position:




and this is in the "Off" position:



Cheers,
J

[airbladder]

Thanks!

[danlynch]

Those photos don't show anything I didn't already describe --  except that in the bottom one the pad isn't fully disengaged, hence the tiny bit of red showing at the top.

[taperj]

Those photos don't show anything I didn't already describe --  except that in the bottom one the pad isn't fully disengaged, hence the tiny bit of red showing at the top.

Thanks for catching that errant photo, I replaced it. I took it as I was running out the door to get Drive-By Truckers tickets so didn't really look at it closely before I posted. As for the photos not showing anything more than you described, you are correct, but in my mind the most complete descriptions are those that contain a description and an illustration.

[DSatz]

Just to review some basics: The capsules of most condenser microphones can handle sound levels far beyond what their electronics can handle. That's why these pads exist; in effect they operate between the capsule and the internal electronics of the microphone. (In this particular case, the pad reduces the polarizing voltage applied to the capsule, which reduces its sensitivity.)

This type of pad does NOT reduce the microphone's inherent noise level, which mainly (as far as the potentially audible, higher frequency part is concerned) comes from the electronics. Thus this type of pad raises the microphone's inherent noise level 10 dB relative to the signal, and it should only be used when it is needed to prevent the microphone itself from overloading. But that rarely if ever occurs in music recording; any sound pressure levels (ca. 130 dB and above) that could overload this class of microphone would also tend to damage human hearing in short order.

If the signals levels coming from a condenser microphone are so high that they threaten to overload your preamp or recorder, but the microphone itself isn't overloading, a pad should be used at the input of that preamp or recorder--not at (or in) the microphone. That way, both the signal AND the noise will be reduced the same amount, instead of just the signal.

--best regards