FLEXWAND FW730, FW730/HC, FW730-TPB, FW730/HC-TPB User Manual
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.
User’s Manual
FW730
FW730/HC
FW730-TPB
FW730/HC-TPB
High Definition
Microphone System
A Microphone,
Boom and Stand
in a Single Unit
inside front cover
When miking groups or ensembles the Earthworks near-perfect polar response allows
placing the microphones much closer to the instruments or voices resulting in greater
detail in the sound and more gain-before-feedback.
Earthworks cardioid microphones provide incredible rejection of sound from the rear
of the microphone. Notice in
Figure C that this dead area
of the microphone covers
180 degrees. Figure D shows
the way “not to” position the
microphone. Figure E shows
the “correct” way to position
the microphone and obtain
the greatest amount of rejection of sounds coming from
the rear of the microphone.
Following these guidelines
will provide incredible results.
You should be more than
pleased!
Figure A Usable area
with full frequency re-
sponse of conventional
cardioid microphones
BEFORE YOU START Guidelines for Positioning FW430 FlexWands
Earthworks near-perfect polar response may require some changes or adjustments in
your typical miking practices. Please read the manual to gain a full understanding of
the pick-up characteristics of Earthworks cardioid microphones.
Figure B Usable area with full
frequency response of Earth-
works cardioid microphones
Figure C Rear rejection area of
Earthworks cardioid microphones
There is a dramatic difference in
the pick-up area with full frequency
response (i.e. no signicant high
frequency loss) between a conventional cardioid microphone and an
Earthworks cardioid microphone with
near-perfect polar response. These
differences can be seen in comparing
Figures A and B. So, when using an
Earthworks cardioid microphone you
must think “wider” when you position
your microphones. The Earthworks
cardioid mics have a much greater
reach on the sides than conventional
cardioid microphones.
Figure E CORRECT
maximum isolation from
the band
Figure D INCORRECT poor
isolation from the band
Congratulations on your purchase of the innovative Earthworks High Deni-
tion Microphone™ FW430 FlexWand™ System. We know you will be thrilled
with the results you achieve using the FlexWand™ System for both live per-
formance and recording.
Enclosed with your Earthworks FW430 FlexWand™ System:
FlexWand™ Models FW430 & FW430/HC with cast iron base, or
FW430TPB & FW430/HC-TPB with tripod base
1 – FlexWand™ stand/wand section *
1 – Microphone windscreen *
1 – Base for stand/wand section (either cast iron metal or tri-
pod 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.)
THE FLEXWAND™ SYSTEM
You have just purchased an Earthworks High Denition Microphone™ that is incor-
porated 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 4.7 feet and as low as 10 inches from the oor or any-
where in between using the tripod base. Using the cast iron base (which is 4 inches
lower) changes the maximum height to 4.45 feet and minimum height to 6 inches.
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 acoustic in-
struments and ensembles, amplied instruments 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.
And, it sounds spectacular!
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FOR ASSEMBLY INFORMATION SEE PAGES 11-16
ABOUT HIGH DEFINITION MICROPHONES™
During the last decade it has become commonplace for sound recording
and broadcast equipment to accommodate extended frequency responses
up to and beyond 100kHz. With few exceptions, even the very best of
conventional professional microphones do not offer frequency responses
above 20kHz. However, making a High Definition Microphone™ involves far
more than extending the frequency response. Impulse response, diaphragm
settling time and pristine low distortion high current electronics are also
key elements. Earthworks’ founder David Blackmer foresaw the need for
higher quality microphones. Earthworks has been offering High Definition
Microphones™, with extended frequency response beyond 40kHz, since
1996. Earthworks High Definition Microphones™ have an extremely clean,
natural on-axis pickup, and smooth, uncolored off-axis response due
to their near-perfect polar patterns. Cardioid models of High Definition
Microphones provide high front-to-back rejection that makes them superb
for a wide range of applications including sound reinforcement, broadcast
in addition to recording of voice and musical instruments. You will hear
exceptional sound quality that is extremely accurate, detailed, open and
crystal clear even on 16 bit, 44.1kHz recording systems as well as analog
or digital sound systems that are limited to a 15kHz or 20kHz bandwidth.
You will hear a remarkable improvement in sound quality on nearly all
audio systems when using Earthworks High Definition Microphones™.
EXTENDED FREQUENCY RESPONSE
The FlexWand™ System incorporates a High Denition Microphone™ with a
30kHz high frequency response that enables it to pick up high frequency
overtones that conventional microphones miss. In addition, it’s extremely
fast impulse response that allows it to pick up transients far more accurately.
The exceptionally short diaphragm settling time will enable you to hear subtle
details that conventional microphones mask. The audible difference between
an Earthworks High Denition Microphone™ and conventional microphones
is as dramatic as the difference you see when comparing conventional video
and high-denition video. It is most impressive. We again urge you to carefully read the next 8 pages to gain a greater understanding of how fully utilize
the FlexWand™ System.
2
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 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.
Figure 1. Differences Between a Perfect, Conventional and an Earthworks Cardioid Microphone
(1b) Conventional Cardioid Microphone
(1c) Earthworks Cardioid Microphone
(1a) Textbook
Perfect Cardioid
Microphone
3
THE UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED IN THE FLEXWAND™ WILL PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS. HOWEVER, THESE MICROPHONES DO NOT WORK LIKE CONVENTIONAL MICROPHONES, SO TO ACHIEVE THE GREATEST RESULTS, PLEASE TAKE THE
TIME TO READ THE NEXT FEW PAGES:
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