Shure SM15 User Guide

MODEL SM15

UNIDIRECTIONAL HEAD-WORN CONDENSER MICROPHONE

MODEL SM15

UNIDIRECTIONAL HEAD-WORN
CONDENSER MICROPHONE

The Shure Model SM15 is a unidirectional headworn
electret condenser microphone primarily designed
for high-quality sound reinforcement applications. Its
high output and excellent acoustic properties also
make it a good choice for use in broadcasting, talk­back, paging, communications, and data entry. The
SM15 is one of the few headworn microphones availa­ble today that closely approximates the best in hand­held/stand-mount vocal microphones.

The SM15’s smooth, natural voice frequency
response makes it ideal for drummers, keyboard art­ists and other musicians requiring a vocal microphone
with all the qualities of a hand-held unit-the SM15
can be used under noisy conditions without loss or
masking of voice signals.

A small, lightweight, rugged and reliable unit, the
SM15 has provisions for mounting to a supplied head­band with cushioned arms. The dual steel headband
holds securely without causing discomfort for active
microphone users. A pivot housing permits the micro­phone boom to be moved 20° in any direction, and the
distance between the microphone and pivot can be
changed by up to 89 mm (3-1/2 in.).

The SM15’s amplifier is constructed of high-impact
ARMO-DUR®, making it compact, lightweight, and
extremely rugged. It can easily be clipped to a belt or
waistband, or slipped into a pocket. It is powered by a
readily available 9-volt battery or by phantom power
from an external source providing 5-52 Vdc (such as a
Shure PS1A power supply or M267 or M268 micro­phone mixer). The amplifier incorporates extensive
RF and hum shielding to reduce the effects of electro­magnetic and electrostatic interference. Connections
between the microphone and amplifier are made
through a miniature 3-pin connector.

The SM15 is supplied with a windscreen to protect
against wind noise and explosive breath sounds, and a
foam-lined carrying/storage case.

Features

• Close-talk operation and unidirectional polar pat­tern for effective noise reduction

• High sound pressure level capacity

• Smooth, natural frequency response, tailored for

voice

• Low distortion and wide dynamic range characteris­tics under various load impedances

• Wide-range phantom powering accepts all commonly
used voltages; can also be battery-powered

• Acoustically isolated for maximum feedback freedom

• Locking adjustment knob permits 20° boom pivot

in any direction. Boom mounts on either side of
headband

• Boom length adjustment through 89 mm (3-1/2 in.)

• Dual headband design plus serrated arms minimize

accidental movement

• Lightweight design prevents user fatigue

• No interference with eyeglasses

• Ruggedly constructed of stainless steel, aluminum

and high-impact thermoplastic

• Usable over wide range of temperature and humid­ity conditions

• Amplifier assembly can be pocketed, strapped to
body, or clipped to belt or waistband

ASSEMBLY

Assemble the SM15 for use as follows:

1. Twist the lower headband arms 90° so they are

perpendicular to the headband. As supplied, the
retaining clip is positioned for left side operation as
shown in Figure 1. For right side usage (see photo),
remove the retaining clip and attach it to the other
(unused) hole in the headband arm so the screw is
at the top.

2. Snap the microphone pivot housing into the retaining

clip with the pivot adjustment knob upward and the
microphone toward the front. Loosen the pivot adjust­ment knob, position the boom so that the micro­phone is near where the side of the mouth will be,
and tighten the pivot adjustment knob.

3. Place the assembled microphone on the user’s head

and pull the headband arms downward until they
rest against the head just over the ears.

4. Loosen the pivot adjustment knob and position the

microphone as close as possible to the corner of
the mouth. IMPORTANT: For optimum close-talking
operation, the microphone should be less than 25mm
(1 in.) from the corner of the mouth. Be sure to
position the microphone at the corner (not the cen­ter) of the mouth to eliminate explosive breath
sounds (“pop”). Tighten the adjustment knob.

222 HARTREY AVE., EVANSTON, IL 60202-3696 U.S.A. • PHONE [phone] • TELEX: 4330191 • FAX [phone]

Copyright 1987. Shure Brothers Inc. Printed in U.S.A.
27A2371 (GB) U.S. Patent 4,039,765

5. Connect the SM15 microphone cable to the ampli­fier assembly.

6. Insert a fresh 9-volt battery in the amplifier battery
compartment (see Batteries section) and connect
the amplifier 3-pin XLR connector to the mixer input
connector, or phantom-power the SM15 by con­necting the amplifier (without battery) to a micro­phone powersupply providing 5 to 52 Vdc phantom
voltage. This can be a separate phantom power
supply, or a mixer or amplifier with provisions for
phantom powering (see Phantom Powering section).

7. Place the amplifier assembly in the desired position
(see Amplifier Mounting section).

Polar Pattern

Cardioid (unidirectional) response–uniform with
frequency, symmetrical about axis (see Figure 3)

TYPICAL POLAR PATTERNS

FIGURE 3

Output Impedance

Rated at 150 ohms (95 ohms actual)
Recommended minimum load impedance: 800 ohms
(may be used with loads as low as 150 ohms with
reduced clipping level)

SM15 POSITIONED FOR LEFT SIDE OPERATION

FIGURE 1

SPECIFICATIONS

Type

Condenser (electret bias)

Frequency Response (at 76 mm–3 in.)

50 to 15,000 Hz (see Figure 2)

Output Level (close-talked at 1,000 Hz)

Open Circuit Voltage

–40.5 dB (0.9 mV) at 610 mm (24 in.)
–39 dB (1.1 mV) at 10 mm (0.39 in.)

(0 dB = 1 volt per 100 microbars)

Clipping Level (at 1,000 Hz)

800-ohm Load................. –13 dB (0.22V)

150-ohm Load................ –27 dB (0.045V)

Total Harmonic Distortion

Less than 1% (138 dB SPL at 1,000 Hz into 800-ohm

load)

Maximum SPL

141 dB with 800-ohm load

130 dB with 150-ohm load

Hum Pickup

Less than or equal to 0 dB equivalent SPL in a 1

millioersted field (60 Hz)

Output Noise (equivalent sound pressure levels; meas­ured with true rms voltmeter)

32 dB typical, A-weighted

38 dB typical, weighted per DIN 45 405

Dynamic Range

109 dB (maximum SPL to A-weighted noise level)

TYPICAL FREQUENCY RESPONSE

FIGURE 2

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

62 dB (IEC 651) at 94 dB SPL

Phasing

Positive pressure on diaphragm produces positive

voltage on pin 2 relative to pin 3

Power

Battery: 9 Vdc (type 1604A, alkaline recommended);

0.33 mA current drain; approximately 1600 hours

continuous use with fresh battery

Phantom Voltage: 5 to 52 Vdc; 0.33 mA current
drain
Protected against reverse voltage application

Environmental Conditions

Operating Temperatures ... –18° to 60°C (0° to
140 °F)
Storage Temperatures .. –29° to 66°C (-20° to
150 °F)

Cables

Microphone: 1.2m (4 ft) attached, two-conductor,
shielded with miniature 3-pin connector designed to
mate with Switchcraft TA3 series or equivalent.
Amplifier: 3m (10 ft) attached, two-conductor,
shielded with 3-pin XLR audio connector designed
to mate with Cannon XL series, Switchcraft A3
(Q-G) series or equivalent connectors

Case

Microphone: Black thermoplastic microphone and
pivot housing, anodized aluminum end caps, stain­less steel grille and boom
Amplifier: Black molded high-impact ARMO-DUR
with detachable belt clip

Dimensions

See Figure 4

To insert the battery, depress the ridged area of the

case and swing the hinged door outward. Insert the
battery in the compartment, battery terminals toward
the hinge and positive terminal inward (the negative
contact is marked inside the compartment). Depress
the battery slightly and hook it under the “ledge” in the
compartment. The ledge and spring contacts will retain
the battery even if the door or hinges are damaged.
Close and lock the door. Note that the door will not
lock if the battery is incorrectly inserted; the positive
and negative contact areas accept only the corres­ponding battery terminals.

To prevent battery drain when the unit is not in use,

the battery should be removed or stored in the battery
compartment upside down (battery terminals facing in
the opposite direction from the amplifier contacts)
and positive battery terminal inward. If the unit is not
to be used for a prolonged period, the battery should
be removed to prevent possible damage from leakage.

Note that no current is drawn from the battery when

a phantom voltage higher than the battery voltage is
applied. Phantom power can be used whether or not a

®

battery is in the amplifier.

PHANTOM POWERING

The SM15 is designed for phantom powering by

virtually any microphone power supply providing 5 to
52 Vdc phantom voltage. The Shure PS1A power sup­ply will provide phantom power to one or two SM15
microphones. Phantom powering uses the balanced
audio cable pair to carry the supply current to the
microphone, and the cable shield as a ground return.

Use only high-quality extension cables, as intermit-

tent shorts between broken shield wires and balanced
conductors will cause objectionable noise transients
in the system. A reliable ground path is essential for
the same reason.

OVERALL DIMENSIONS

Figure 4

Net Weight

Microphone: 78 grams (2.8 ounces)
Amplifier: 270 grams (9.45 ounces)

BATTERIES

The SM15 is normally powered by a 9-volt battery
(alkaline types are recommended). Under normal
operating conditions, a fresh alkaline battery should
provide approximately 1600 hours of operation.
Recommended battery types are:

Duracell MN1604 NEDA 1604A

Eveready 522 IEC 6LR22

Bright Star 7590 Japanese 6AM6

Ray-O-Vac A1604 Varta 4022

Radio Shack 23-553 U.S. Military BA3090

Note that the SM15 is designed without an on-off
switch; the amplifier is on whenever a “good” battery
is inserted or phantom power is applied. The highly
efficient circuit can operate for two months contin­uously with a fresh alkaline battery.

MICROPHONE LOADING

A minimum load impedance of 800 ohms should be
used for maximum signal handling and minimum dis­tortion. The load can be as low as 150 ohms, but a
reduction in output clipping level will result. It should
be noted that the power supply itself may add loading
(3300 ohms in the Shure PS1A) to the microphone.

WIND NOISE

A head-worn microphone generally needs a wind­screen for proper operation. When used outdoors under
windy conditions, the SM15’s acoustic foam windscreen
helps eliminate the unpleasant “rushing” noise asso­ciated with outdoor miking.

AMPLIFIER MOUNTING

Most SM15 applications require that the amplifier
be worn on the body. The spring-loaded belt clip holds
the amplifier to a belt, skirt or trouser waistband, or
inside pocket.

The belt clip can be removed from the case and the
amplifier placed on a nearby horizontal surface or
worn in an inside pocketwithoutany retention method.
Clip removal requires disassembly of the case (two
Phillips head screws in the case and two slotted head
screws in the connector collar).

BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 5

Note that the “W-shaped” belt clip permits the power
supply to be worn with the cable end either upward or
downward, depending on the speaker’s comfort and
the particular application.

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

A block diagram of the SM15 is shown in Figure 5.
The capacitor cartridge is followed by a field-effect
transistor impedance conversion stage. The FET out­put is coupled through a two-conductor, shielded cable
and miniature three-pin connectors to the amplifier
assembly. The first stage in the amplifier is an RFI
filter, whose output enters a compound transistor, Class
A, emitter-follower amplifier and 12 dB/octave active
high-pass filter. The circuit output is transformer­coupled, providing a balanced output. The preamp
output is also RFI-filtered.

A constant-current power supply circuit regulates
the powering voltage, allowing maximum battery life
and operation over the widest range of phantom volt­ages. Reverse voltage protection diodes automati­cally select phantom powering when the applied phan­tom voltage exceeds the battery voltage, and guard
against miswired cables and equipment. The circuit
provides low noise, low distortion, wide frequency
response and dynamic range, low output impedance,
and reliable operation over a wide range of working
environments.

TROUBLESHOOTING

The following steps should should be taken if prob-

lems arise.

1. Check to see that battery voltage (or external volt­age on pins 2 and 3 of cable output connector)
is adequate.

2. If a second SM15 is available, interchange micro­phones and amplifiers to localize the problem.

3. Remove the amplifier case cover (four screws: two
Phillips head in the case and two slotted head in
the connector collar) and check the voltages against
those given in the circuit diagram.

4. Check the microphone and amplifier cables for
continuity.

FURNISHED ACCESSORIES

Windscreen.......................... 49A74A

Carrying Case....................... 65A1578

REBLACEMENT PARTS

Microphone Cartridge .................... R145

Headband Assembly .................. 90A3997

Headband Retaining Clip .............. 53A1801C

Battery Compartment Door.............. 65A1536

Belt Clip ............................ 44A279

AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

AMPLIFIER PRINTED

CIRCUIT BOARD

AMPLIFIER REPLACEMENT PARTS LIST

Reference

Designation

A1 90A4005 Printed Circuit Board Assembly None
C7 86B651

D1 86B429 Diode, Current Regulator,

D2, D3 86A415 Diode, Computer, 75V, 0.4A

J1 95A8077 Connector, Receptacle,

L1, L2 80A253 Ferrite Bead Ring Stackpole 57-0180

P1 90BT2600 Connector, Receptacle,

Q1 86A348 Transistor, PNP Motorola 2N5087

Q2 86A350 Transistor, NPN Motorola 2N5210

T1 51B286 Transformer, Audio None

Part

Number

Description Commercial

Capacitor, Tantalum, 33 µF, 6.3V

100V, 0.33 mA

75V, 0.4A

Miniature 3-pin

3-pin XLR

Alternate

Motorola 1N5287

Motorola 1N5287

TI/GE
1N4148

Switchcraft TB3M

None

W1 90A3792 Cable and Connector Assembly

(incl. P1)

None