Shure KSM353/ED User's Guide

KSM353

User Guide
Le Guide de l’Utilisateur
Bedienungsanleitung
Guia del Usuario

Guida dell’Utente

Руководство пользователя

取扱説明書
사용자 안내서

用户指南

©2011 Shure Incorporated
27A16164 (Rev. 1)

Printed in U.S.A.

SHURE INCORPORATED

KSM353

KSM353 Premier Bidirectional Microphone with

Over 85 years of audio experience has contributed to making this

Roswellite® Ribbon Technology

Thank you for selecting the KSM series from Shure.

one of the finest microphones available.

If you have any questions not answered in this guide, please contact Shure Applications Engineering at

847-600-8440, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, CST. In Europe, call 49-7131-72140.

Our web address is www.shure.com.

General Description

The KSM353 is a premium bidirectional ribbon microphone crafted for pristine audio in studio
and concert hall applications. It is hand-assembled in the U.S.A. from state-of-the art transduc­ers, transformers and metals as the pinnacle of Shure quality for prestigious vocal and acoustic
performances.

Proprietary Roswellite

®

ribbon technology provides revolutionary ribbon resilience and durability
under extreme conditions. The Roswellite ribbon material replaces traditional foil ribbons with high
tensile strength, toughness, and shape memory that provides superior resilience at extreme sound
pressure levels (SPLs).

Features

• Legendary Shure quality and superior construction from hand-assembly of machined steel, silver,

gold and aluminum components

• Revolutionary Roswellite ribbon material replaces traditional foil ribbons with high tensile

strength, toughness and shape-memory that provides superior resilience at extreme SPLs

• Patented, custom ribbon motor assembly provides full low and mid ranges with superior upper

presence from a rising response

• 30 – 15,000 Hz frequency response ideal for capturing fast transients in vocals, acoustic

instruments and concert halls

• Uniform bidirectional polar pattern throughout the frequency range

• Custom-wound, double-shielded, full-size transformer minimizes signal loss and maximizes

output while reducing RF interference, positioned perpendicular to ribbon for best magnetic flux
rejection

• Military-grade, wire rope suspension mount surpasses traditional rubber and elastic cord mounts

in resilience and shock absorption

Performance Characteristics

Ribbon microphones perform optimally with the least amount of loading on the ribbon element as
practical. The higher the impedance input on the microphone, the better the low-end and mid-range
frequencies are represented in the output signal. Shure recommends using preamps with imped­ance settings of 1000 Ohms or more, although different load impedances may be used for a desired
sound quality.

This is a low-noise microphone. The combination of its efficient transducer, robust shielding, and
custom transformer produces a low noise floor and output level equal to moving coil microphones.

Shure ribbon microphones have an exceptionally smooth, natural response and perform best with
preamps that provide simple, transparent gain. However, Shure encourages experimentation to find
the desired combination of color and transparency.

2

Applications

The KSM353 is a premium microphone, capturing superior audio quality in a wide range of environ­ments. The following are some suggested applications:

• Studio vocals

• Orchestra ensembles

• Acoustic instruments

• Ambient or room pickup

• Voice-over for film or broadcast

Stereo Techniques

• Blumlein: Use a pair of KSM353 microphones for natural stereo representation. Excellent for
grand piano, orchestras, or large ensembles.

• Mid-side (M-S): Use a KSM353 with a cardioid microphone, such as the KSM137 or KSM32, to
produce a variable-controlled stereo image without moving the microphone.

Positioning

Position the front of the microphone towards the desired sound
source. Position the sides, the null points of a bidirectional mi­crophone, towards any unwanted sound sources.

Note: When addressing the back side of a bidirectional micro­phone, please remember to invert the signal polarity. Shure’s
A15PRS accessory is an in-line, balanced, polarity-reversing
switch capable of this operation and is available online at:
store.shure.com

Front Back

Mounting the Microphone

The supplied suspension mount is designed with military-grade, wire rope technology, providing
superior resilience and shock absorption. Thread the mount onto a floor or boom stand and insert
the microphone.

For discreet placement or when space is limited, use a hard stand mount. Visit www.shure.com for
more information.

Suspension Mount

(furnished)

Stand Mount

(optional accessory)

3

Proximity Effect

Directional microphones progressively boost bass frequencies as the microphone is placed in closer
proximity to the source. This phenomenon, known as proximity effect, can be used to create a
warmer, more powerful sound.

Care and Handling

To protect your microphone, keep a few simple precautions in mind to ensure long-term
performance:

1. Store your microphone in its protective case when it is not in use.

2. Maintain a reasonable distance from fluorescent lights, power transformers, and other strong
electromagnetic sources to avoid hum.

3. Use a secure mount and stand and a quality balanced, shielded XLR connecting cable. For ad­ditional mounting accessories, visit our website: www.shure.com

4. Phantom power is not necessary and should not be supplied when connecting or disconnecting
the microphone. However, properly supplied phantom power will not harm the microphone.

Certifications

Eligible to bear CE Marking. Conforms to European EMC Directive 2004/108/EC. Meets Harmonized
Standards EN55103-1:1996 and EN55103-2:1996, for residential (E1) and light industrial (E2)
environments.

The CE Declaration of Conformity can be obtained from: www.shure.com/europe/compliance

Authorized European representative:
Shure Europe GmbH
Headquarters Europe, Middle East & Africa
Department: EMEA Approval
Wannenacker Str. 28
D-74078 Heilbronn, Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Note: Information in this guide is subject to change without notice. For additional information about
this product, please visit www.shure.com.

4

Specifications

Transducer Type Roswellite

Polar Pattern Bidirectional

Frequency Response 30 to 15,000 Hz

Output Impedance 330 Ω

Sensitivity

open circuit voltage, @ 1 kHz, typical

Maximum SPL 146 dB SPL

Polarity Positive pressure on front side of ribbon produces positive voltage on

Housing Machined stainless steel

Weight Microphone: 633 g (1.4 lbs)

[1]

1 Pa=94 dB SPL

®

Ribbon

-53.5 dBV/Pa

pin 2 with respect to pin 3

[1]

(2.11 mV)

with shockmount: 950 g (2.1 lbs)

KSM353/ED Accessories and Parts

Furnished Accessories

Aluminum Carrying Case A353SC

®

Shurelock

Wire Rope Suspension Mount A300SM

Protective Velveteen Pouch A353VB

Polishing Cloth A300PC

Optional Accessories

ShureLock® Stand Mount A300M

Switchable Phase Reverser A15PRS

Popper Stopper™ Windscreen PS-6

7.6 m (25 ft.) Cable C25E

5

dB

Hz

Polar Pattern

2 kHz

500 Hz
1000 Hz

4 kHz
8 kHz

Frequency Response

20

15

10

5

0

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30
20 100 1k 10k 20k

1.9 in

(48 mm)

6.2 in

(158 mm)

6

Trademark Notices:

“Roswellite”, “Shurelock”, the circular S logo, the stylized Shure logo, and the word “Shure” are registered trademarks of
Shure Incorporated in the United States. These marks may be registered in other jurisdictions. “Popper
Stopper” is a trademark of Shure Incorporated in the United States.

Patent Notice:

U.S. Patent 7,894,619. Patent applied for in other jurisdictions.

www.shure.com

Asia, Pacific:

Shure Asia Limited

22/F, 625 King’s Road
North Point, Island East

Hong Kong

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

United States, Canada, Latin

Europe, Middle East, Africa:

Shure Europe GmbH
Jakob-Dieffenbacher-Str. 12,
75031 Eppingen, Germany

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Asia, Pacific:

Shure Asia Limited

22/F, 625 King’s Road
North Point, Island East

Hong Kong

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

America, Caribbean:

Shure Incorporated
5800 West Touhy Avenue
Niles, IL 60714-4608 USA

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone] (USA)
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

©2011 Shure Incorporated

Europe, Middle East, Africa:

Shure Europe GmbH
Jakob-Dieffenbacher-Str. 12,
75031 Eppingen, Germany

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Asia, Pacific:

Shure Asia Limited

22/F, 625 King’s Road
North Point, Island East

Hong Kong

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]