Blue Cactus User Manual
Cactus
spine-tingling
Congratulations o n your purch ase of the Blue Cactus,
a premium large-diaphragm, multi-pattern tube microphone made
the old-fashioned way, without compromise. In the tradition of the
world’s best (and most expensive) vintage vocal microphones,
the Cactus has been designed to provide commanding, intimate
presence and larger-than-life detail in a wide variety of professional recording applications.
At a distance, and in omnidirectional and figure of eight patterns ,
this micropho ne delivers every nuance in the room, with finely focused resolution and clear, musical frequency response out to the
extremes of the au dible spe ctrum. B ut this is also a C actus you’ll
definitely want to get close to! With its detailed highs, smooth
midrange, and minimized proximity effec t (a bass boost inherent
in all unidirectional mics), the cardioid Cactus excels at delivering
a vocal or solo track right to the front of the mix where it b elongs .
When processed with limitin g and/or compression, as is standard
practice for most pop vocals, tracks recorded with the Cactus will
be free of pumping and low end thumps.
The Cactus System an d Elec tronics
The basic Cactus microp hone system includes th e Blue S2 Shock,
a Champagn e tube microp hone cable, and the mo del Power
Stream power supply with adjustable pickup pattern control,
shipped in a ATA flight case approved for the utmost protection .
In order to familiarize yourself with the specialized and unique
features of the Cac tus microphone, please take the time to rea d
this manual, and be sure to try the suggested recording tips.
The Cactus amplifier utilizes a single hand-selected ECC 88
vacuum tube. This tube circuit is Class A and fully discrete,
meaning that the sound which arrives at the diaphragm of the
Blue capsule is transduced (converted to elec trical energy) as
accurately as possible, with no integrated circuits (a.k. a “IC’s”)
in the signal path. To this end, the Cactus utilizes electronic
components of the highest quality (such as expensive metal-film
resistors and a custom-built transformer), and there are no pad or
low-cut filter switches in the microphone circuit. In short, this is a
signal path of the highest possible quality, allowing the user
to get the maximum b enefit out of th e multi-pat tern capsule
created by Blue.
Getting Started
In order to get the most out of this, or any qualit y microphone, it
is essential to pair it with a good microphone pre-amplifier. Most
professional recordists prefer to have outboard preamps on hand,
and will choose solid-state or vacuum tube models based on their
unique characteristics. And, unlike many tube microphon es, the
Cactus can be run through a variety of tube preamps without
excess coloration , noise, loss of detail or tube compression.
To maintain the integrity of your signal, use the Blu e Quad mic
cable between the Power Stream power supply and the mic
preamp. It is not necessary or advis able to connect the Power
Stream power supply to a 48V phantom power source. And, whenever possible, connect the mic preamp output direc tly to your
recorder or A/D converter, bypassing the mixing board and any
unnecessary compo nents.
For mounting the microphone on a stand, a recessed, threaded
socket is built into the bottom of the Cactus, next to the multi-pin
output jack . The S2 cradle and adjus table yoke mount assembly
provides an alternate mounting system to enhance positioning,
and to isolate the microphone body from low frequency vibrations
conducted through the stand.
To fit the Cactus into this assembly, first s tretch the elastic bands
on the S2 shockmount over the two mounting nuts on each side
of the Cactus. The angle of the S2 Shock can be swivele d and
adjusted with the large thumbscrew.
Whether you are using the microp hone on its own, or with the
S2 Shock you may fin d it easiest to 1) loosen the bo om stand arm
or threaded end of the mic stand, 2) grasp the mic or mount assembly in one hand, and 3) screw the mic stand threads into the
mount, without over-tightening . This procedure will assure that
the elastic shockmount bands stay in place, and eliminates any
possibility of damage to the mic.
Safety Notes : Do not attach the multi-pin Champa gne cable to
the Cactus until it had first been attached to a stand. Once the
microphone body is secure, connec t the Champagne cable to the
Cactus an d the Power Stream power supply, and then turn on the
Power Stream to begin the warm-up p rocess. At the end of a session, be sure to turn off the Power Stream power supply before
disconnec ting the Champagne cable.
To secure the delicate capsule during transpor t and shipping,
three brass set screws are provided. These screws should be
mounted in the solid metal ring around the circumference of the
grille when you first take the microphone out of its case. Remove
these screws before using the microphone, and replace them
(once the Power Stream power supply has been turned off) if you
will be transporting or shipping the microphone. Your Cactus m ic
will not work prop erly i f the securi ty screws are not removed .
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