MXL Genesis FET User Manual

Marshall Electronics

Professional Audio Division

Phone: [phone]

www.mxlmics.com



800-800-6608  Fax: [phone]



[e-mail]

Studio Condenser Microphone

Thank you for choosing the Genesis FET

Microphone from MXL®.

Thank you for choosing the state of the art

Genesis FET microphone from MXL®.

Your new Genesis FET microphone was designed and
engineered in the USA by our world class team of electrical
and audio engineers, and is built for the most critical sound
applications. The Genesis FET is a phantom powered, solid

state microphone that replicates the finest characteristics

of the Genesis Tube Microphone.

GENESIS FET Specs

Specifications

Type Pressure gradient 32mm capsule

Diaphragm Gold-sputtered, 6 micron diaphragm

Frequency Range 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Polar Pattern Cardioid

Sensitivity -30 dB re 1 V/Pa

Impedance 150 ohms

Max SPL for .5% THD 140 dB

S/N Ratio 81 dB (Ref. 1 Pa A weighted)

Equivalent Noise Level 13 dB (A weighted IEC 651)

Dynamic Range 127 dB

Power Requirements Phantom Power 48V +/- 4V

Weight 0.95lbs/431g

Size 47mm x 225mm / 1.85 inches x 8.86 inches

Metal Finish Red body and Gold Grill

The MXL® Genesis FET features individually selected
components, chosen for their superior sonic capabilities.
Your Genesis FET will provide many years of outstanding

service and will always ensure you get the finest quality

recordings attainable.

To assist you in obtaining the best possible results from
your MXL® Genesis FET microphone, we have provided

some tips, tricks and answers to commonly asked

questions.

We encourage you to review these materials.

Enjoy your new microphone!

The MXL Team

1

Frequency Chart Polar Pattern

Warranty

MXL microphones are guaranteed against defects in material and
workmanship for three years from date of purchase. Should you encounter
any problem with this unit, promptly contact the company from which
you purchased it for assistance. The original dated sales receipt will be
necessary for any warranty claim. Do not send any unit directly to us
without prior authorization from our service department! Warranty coverage
is limited to repair or replacement (at our option) of the microphone. It does
not cover incidental damages due to use of this unit, nor damage caused
by accidental misuse of this product.

10

Recording a Drum Set

Features

Like the piano, capturing the drums can be quite a challenge, if for no other
reason than the fact that you must be very careful to avoid positioning the
microphone(s) where they could be hit! Ideally you’ll want a minimum of two
microphones for this job, though a single microphone can be employed.

Stereo Overhead Pair: Position the two microphones approximately 16 - 20
inches above the performer’s head - separated laterally by roughly 2 - 3 feet and
placed 5 – 6 feet out in front of the drum kit. Adjust the two microphone’s Pan
position so that you achieve a good stereo spread, though generally not hard left
and right. (see Fig. 5A)

Single Overhead Microphone: Position the microphone approximately 16 - 20
inches above the performer’s head - centered in front of the drum set, and
placed 5 - 6 feet out in front. The microphone’s Pan position should be centered
for mono drums. (see Fig. 5B)

For best results, record the drums in as acoustically “dead” a room as you can.
If the room is live, the sharp attack transients of the drum kit will only become
that much more difficult to capture if the room has hard, reflective surfaces - re­sulting in a muddy sound without any real definition. Further, you should always
record the drums dry and add signal processing after the fact.

Fig. 5A

Front View

1

2-3 Ft. apart

16-20” above performers head

2

Contents

Unpack your MXL Genesis FET microphone carefully and verify that all of
the following items are included:

• MXL Genesis FET

• Shockmount

• Pop Filter

• Wooden case

If any of these items are missing or damaged, contact the company from
which you purchased the microphone.

Power Requirement

This microphone requires phantom power at 48 volts, +/- 4 volts. Each
unit has been thoroughly checked before shipping. If you do not hear
sound, check that the phantom power on your preamp, mixer or separate
power supply is switched on!

Care

Dust and foreign material can degrade the performance of a microphone
over time so always store the unit in its case. It is highly recommended to
use the included pop filter when recording vocals.

Front View

Accessories

Pop Filter

The Genesis FET comes with a custom

Fig. 5B

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16-20” above performers head

24k gold-plated pop filter which should
be used any time the microphone
is being used to record vocals. The
pop filter not only eliminates plosives
(those “popping Ps”), it helps collect
condensation from one’s breath and
protects and protects the microphone’s
capsule from moisture in the process.
Condensation on the microphone’s

Continued on page 3

2

Accessories

Continued from page 2

capsule will cause the microphone to short circuit - resulting in the
microphone cutting in and out of operation. Should this occur, you can
leave the microphone uncovered, out in the open for approximately two
weeks to thoroughly dry. This will likely rectify the problem. Afterward,
you should always use a pop filter.

Shockmount

The Genesis FET comes
with a custom shockmount
specifically designed to handle
its large size. Shockmounts
de-couple the microphone
from the mic stand and the
environment. The shockmount
will minimize floor noise as well
as any noise induced by people
handling the microphone
stand. Shockmounts should be considered “standard equipment” for all
recording applications. The shockmount can shift in shipment. Simply
shift the nylon bands to center the microphone in the assembly. Be sure
that the wire clamp does not rest on the chassis of the mount, as this
impairs mechanical isolation. Slide the mount all the way to the rim of the
microphone for the most secure hold.

Fig. 4B

Front View

2 1

Front Panel Removed

Front Panel Placement: For the upper strings, position the microphone
approximately 8 - 11 inches away from the strings, with the Pan position set to
left of center. For the lower strings, position the microphone 8 - 11 inches away
from the strings, with the Pan position set to right of center. (see Fig. 4B)

Fig. 4C

Front View

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Side View

Side View

Mics positioned

8-11” away from strings

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Microphone Cables

The microphone cable can have
a profound effect on the sound of
any microphone. Even the finest
microphones will sound poor if the
interconnect cable allows noise to
enter, or causes distortion and loss
of information. We highly recommend
exclusively using Mogami® cable.

The front of the microphone is always indicated by the position of the
cardioid pattern symbol.

3

Single Microphone / Open Top: If you are using a single microphone, it is
generally recommended that you record from above, as placement of the mi­crophone in the lower center may interfere with the performer’s ability to access
the pedals and the microphone will likely pick up excessive pedal and other
mechanical noise. Position the microphone just over the open top, centered over
the instrument. (see Fig. 4C)

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Recording the Piano

The piano is one of the most challenging instruments to record, and many
problems stem from the quality and maintenance of the instrument itself. You’ll
obtain the best results by using an instrument that has just been tuned and is in
good mechanical condition.

The piano is generally recorded using close miking technique. Ideally, you’ll want
a minimum of two microphones. Usually, the microphone capturing the higher
strings is assigned to the left channel and the microphone capturing the lower
strings is assigned to the right channel in the final stereo mix, though the stereo
spread generally is not hard left and right. While a single microphone can be used,
the lower and upper extremities of the instrument will likely be compromised.

Grand Piano: For the upper strings, position the microphone approximately 8
inches from the piano hammers (to reduce mechanical noise) and 8 - 11 inches
above the strings, with the Pan position set to left of center. For the lower
strings, position the microphone toward the far end (away from the keyboard)
roughly 6 - 12 inches from the end and 8 - 11 inches above the strings, with the
Pan position set to right of center. Position the piano’s lid at full stick. (see Fig.
4A)

If you are using a single microphone, position the microphone approximately 8
inches from the piano hammers (to reduce mechanical noise) and 8 - 11 inches
above the strings - centered over the piano’s mid point. Pan position should be
centered and the piano’s lid should be at full stick.

Fig. 4A

Top View

2

or a single mic here

*

Upright Piano: With an upright piano, the two microphones are generally
placed either just over the top of the piano with the top open, or you can remove
the piano’s front panel beneath the keyboard and place the microphones below.

1

Front View

2

or a single mic here

*

1

Recording Vocals and Dialog

Fig. 1

Ideally, you want to record vocals in a relatively “dead” room. If you clap your
hands and get an echo effect, you should consider adding some carpet, blan­kets, drapes, or other sound-absorbing materials. On that note, make every ef­fort to avoid getting too close to the room’s walls. These hard, reflective surfaces
can easily complicate the recording process. Move your mic setup toward the
room’s center.

Generally, you should position the vocalist roughly 6 - 8 inches away from the
microphone. Getting too close to the microphone tends to increase bass re­sponse and can create problems with plosive sounds - those popping Ps, Bs, Ds,
and Ts (more on this in a moment). Getting too far away makes the microphone
more subject to picking up room ambience - a sound that creates the effect of
the vocalist being in a bowl. While vocalists may need to move about in order to
hit those high notes, make every effort to maintain a constant distance from the
microphone, as this will provide the greatest tonal balance. (see Fig. 1) For the
most part, the microphone’s axis (or center line) should aim toward the nose and
mouth to obtain the fullest sound. It’s not a bad idea, however, to experiment
angling the microphone slightly away from dead center so as to help minimize
plosives. Further, you should always place a “pop” filter between the vocalist and
the microphone, with the pop filter positioned 3 - 4 inches in front of the micro­phone. This will greatly increase your ability to achieve the most natural sounding
recordings with minimal interference from plosive sounds. Fixing plosives with
audio editing software often creates more of a problem than the plosive itself.
Use of a pop filter will also protect your microphone’s sensitive capsule - keeping
it free from moisture caused by saliva projecting from the performer’s mouth, and
breath condensation. Remember… Good microphone technique, proper posi­tioning, and use of a pop filter can make all the difference between a so-so vocal
recording and a great one.

7

4

Recording Acoustic Guitar

Recording an Amplified (Electric) Guitar

While it may seem obvious, your best results for capturing the acoustic guitar
(or any similar stringed instrument for that matter) begin with a properly tuned
instrument and strings that, while not old, aren’t so new so as to create tuning
issues due to stretching.

There are two optimum points for microphone positioning - either near the bridge
or by the twelfth fret. While it may seem natural to place the microphone in front of
the instrument’s sound hole, doing so usually increases low frequency response to
the point of making the instrument sound “boomy.”

Twelfth Fret Placement: Placing the microphone roughly 2 - 4 inches from the
twelfth fret and aimed directly at the strings will generally produce a warm, full
bodied sound with good tonal balance. Using this technique, the sound hole’s
contribution will be moderated since the microphone is not pointed directly at it.

Bridge Placement: Similarly, you can position the microphone so it is 3 - 6
inches from the guitar’s bridge. This will generally produce a somewhat brighter
tonal quality. You should also be prepared to experiment positioning the micro­phone slightly off-axis should you find yourself capturing too much low frequen­cy response from the guitar’s sound hole.

The acoustical characteristics of your room will also have a pronounced effect
on your results. A “live” room will produce an overall “brighter” guitar sound,
while a “damped” room will produce more of a mellow tone. If you have two
microphones, you may wish to experiment using one in close proximity to the
guitar as previously described, with the second microphone on a stand a few
feet away to capture the room’s ambience. Blending the two sources can pro­duce excellent results.

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Top View

Mic is aimed
directly at center
of loudspeaker

Side View

Mic is positioned

4” from grill

4”

While the electric guitar can certainly be recorded directly, there are times when
there is simply no substitute for the sound of a real amplifier. Guitar amps have
particular gain stages that facilitate the popular “crunch” guitar sound. While
digital modeling and processing systems certainly have their place, they may
not have the same level of realism as the sound from an amplifier. A small guitar
amp can be just as effective for this application as a stack, because you don’t
necessarily need to “crank” the volume. Instead, you want to increase the amp’s
initial gain to achieve the desired amount of overdrive.

Typically, a guitar amp is close miked to achieve the highest direct sound.
Placing the microphone roughly 4 inches from the grill, aimed directly at the
center of the loudspeaker will produce the most “edge” to your sound. By an­gling the microphone slightly off axis and towards the wall, you can add more
“room sound.” Experimentation is a key factor in achieving the sound you are
looking for. (see Fig. 3)

Placement of the amp is another important factor. If the amplifier sits on a
carpeted floor, you are more likely to reduce the amount of brightness in the
sound. Similarly, elevating the amplifier off the floor may result in a loss of
low end. If you’re looking for a big reverberant tone, placing the amp and
microphone in the bathroom is another popular technique. The hard tiles and
other reflective surfaces can do wonders for a dull sound. In this case, move
the microphone back a few feet from the loudspeaker and crank it up!

Bridge Placement 12th Fret Placement

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