Earthworks FW730-HC, FW730 User Manual
A Microphone,
Boom and Stand
in a Single Unit
User’s Manual
FW730
FW730/HC
High Definition
Microphone System
Made in U.S.A.
Earthworks, Inc. • 37 Wilton Rd. • Milford, NH 03055
603-654-2433, ext. 114 • www.earthworksaudio.com
email: sales@earthworksaudio.com • Printed in U.S.A.
Guidelines for Positioning FW730 FlexWands on Choir
Earthworks near-perfect polar response may require some elements of your mike
placement to be done differently. Please read the manual to gain a full understanding
of the pick-up characteristics of Earthworks cardioid microphones.
Guidelines for Positioning FW730 FlexWands on Choir
Earthworks near-perfect polar response may require some elements of your mike
placement to be done differently. Please read the manual to gain a full understanding of the pick-up characteristics of Earthworks cardioid microphones.
Microphone Placement
Distance and Height
Place microphones as
close as 3 feet in front
of choir and no lower
than the heads of the
highest singers.
Figure 1 Microphone head
positioned perpendicular to
the oor
Figure 2 Microphone head
positioned at an angle to the
oor
Near-perfect polar response will allow placing the microphones closer to the choir (as
close as 3 feet or even closer). The height of the microphone should be in line with
the head of the highest singer in the choir.
When miking choirs with an
Figure 3
Incorrect - poor
isolation from
the orchestra
orchestra or band in front of
the choir, the microphone
head should be perpendicu-
lar to the oor to provide the
greatest amount of isolation
from the orchestra or band.
Figure 3 shows the way “not
to” position the microphones.
Microphone Placement
Distance and Height
Place microphones as
close as 3 feet in front of
choir and no lower than
the heads of the highest
singers.
Figure 1 Microphone head
positioned perpendicular to
the oor
Figure 2 Microphone head
positioned at an angle to the
oor
Near-perfect polar response will allow placing the microphones closer to the choir (as
close as 3 feet or even closer). The height of the microphone should be in line with
the head of the highest singer in the choir.
When miking choirs with an
Figure 3
Incorrect - poor
isolation from
the orchestra
orchestra or band in front of
the choir, the microphone
head should be perpendicu-
lar to the oor to provide the
greatest amount of isolation
from the orchestra or band.
Figure 3 shows the way “not
to” position the microphones.
Figure 4
Correct - maximum
isolation from the
orchestra
Figure 4 shows the correct
way to position the microphones.
If you do not have an orchestra or band, positioning
the microphones as shown
in Figure 4 will also provide greater isolation from
loudspeakers located behind
the microphone as well as
reduce pick-up of unwanted
sounds from the audience.
Figure 4
Correct - maximum
isolation from the
orchestra
Figure 4 shows the correct
way to position the microphones.
If you do not have an orchestra or band, positioning
the microphones as shown
in Figure 4 will also provide greater isolation from
loudspeakers located behind
the microphone as well as
reduce pick-up of unwanted
sounds from the audience.
Congratulations on your purchase of the innovative Earthworks Flex-
Wand High Denition Microphone System™. We know you will be
thrilled with the results you achieve using the FlexWand™ System for
both live performance and recording.
Enclosed with your Earthworks FW730 FlexWand™ System:
FlexWand™ Models FW730 & FW730/HC with cast iron base, or
FW730TPB & FW730/HC-TPB with tripod base
1 – FlexWand™ stand/wand section *
1 – Microphone windscreen *
1 – Base for stand/wand section (either cast iron metal or tripod
base depending on model) *
1 – User’s Manual for FlexWand™ System
* (If you purchased a matched pair of FlexWands, you will receive two each of the
items indicated above with an asterisk.)
FOR ASSEMBLY INFORMATION SEE PAGES 11-14
Utilizing Earthworks Near-perfect Polar Response
Near-perfect Polar Response
Conventional cardioid microphones typically have poor polar response. They
will have a relatively uniform (i.e. at) frequency response at the front of the
microphone (on-axis or 0 degrees), meaning they will uniformly reproduce
high frequencies, mid frequencies and low frequencies with a uniform level.
However, if you move to either side of the microphone (90 or 270 degrees)
there will be a dramatic loss in high frequency response. Perhaps the most
telling demonstration of this is attempting to place three singers on a single
conventional cardioid microphone (one at the front and the other two singers on the sides). The singers on the sides of the microphone will sound
muddled and undened due to the loss of high frequencies at the sides of
the microphone (off-axis). In gure 1a you will see a perfect cardioid polar
pattern which will pick up all frequencies uniformly at the front and the sides
of the microphone. Figure 1b shows the polar response of a typical conventional cardioid microphone. Notice the severe loss of high frequencies at
the sides of the microphone. Figure 1c is the near-perfect polar response
of an Earthworks microphone. The Earthworks microphone has a uniform
frequency response at the sides of the microphone that is within 3db of the
on-axis response at any frequency.
THE FLEXWAND™ SYSTEM
You have just purchased an Earthworks High Denition Microphone™ that is
incorporated in the FlexWand™System. The FlexWand™ System is a totally
new concept in microphones. It is a combination of a High Denition Microphone™ and a low prole microphone stand and boom as a single unit. It
allows the microphone head to be positioned as high as 7 feet and as low as
1.5 feet from the oor or anywhere in between. Best of all there are no visible
wires or cables above oor level. Visually it is low prole, smooth, sleek and
clean. The FlexWand™ is the ideal solution for applications where the utmost
in sound quality and a low prole is required.
The FlexWand™ is ideal for miking a variety of applications such as large
choir, small vocal ensembles and vocal solos. Now you don’t have to nd
a microphone, attach the mic clip to the stand and then dress the cable
around the stand. Just pick up the FlexWand™, position it and plug the mic
cable into the base. You are done! Best of all it is neat and clean visually
with no unsightly microphone cable wrapped around the stand and boom.
1
(1a) Textbook
Perfect Cardioid
Microphone
(1b) Conventional Cardioid Microphone
Figure 1. Differences Between a Perfect, Conventional and an Earthworks Cardioid Microphone
(1c) Earthworks Cardioid Microphone
The Earthworks cardioid microphones will pick up sounds with nearly the same
delity at the front and the sides of the microphone. This is a remarkable
technical achievement and one that will provide incredible results for you.
2
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