Question 1

How are Sandhills different from other ribbon microphones?

Accepted Answer

Sandhill microphones are a modern take on the classic ribbon microphone design. They are optimized to operate flawlessly both in frequency and in time domains. Too often people only pay attention to the frequency response and expect it to give a full picture of what a microphone will sound like; As with speakers, there is much more to it. The Sandhill ribbon technology enables us to build microphones with minimal screening (you can actually see the ribbon through the mesh) and no special handling precautions are required.

Question 2

What if I leave the phantom power on?

Accepted Answer

The Sandhill microphones are phantom powered, hence, they actually require the 48 Volt phantom power to operate. It is, however, good practice to turn off the phantom power whenever plugging microphones.

Question 3

Live use?

Accepted Answer

Sandhill microphones can be used for both studio and live sessions, both indoors and outdoors. We have seen a 6011A microphone that survived a thundestorm (https://www.facebook.com/timolassy/videos/1378438358942836/)without damage; Only drying was needed to bring the mic back to service. Users have found the Sandhills exceptionally useful for challenging live situations, such as a double bass. Despite their figure-8 polar pattern, the microphones have very little unwanted leakage.

Question 4

How often should I re-ribbon the mic?

Accepted Answer

Sandhill mics have been manufactured since 2011 and we have yet to come across a defective ribbon; Therefore, it is safe to predict that the ribbons are going to last a long time. The ribbon can withstand the sound pressure from virtually any sound source on planet Earth.

Question 5

My Sandhill microphone has a huge proximity effect and sounds quite dark, why?"

Accepted Answer

Yes, the Sandhill microphone with its long (60mm) ribbon does have a significant proximity effect that, when placed too close to the source, will dominate the soundscape. The Sandhill needs to be placed a little further away from the source than most microphones. A good rule of thumb is a distance of the sound source diameter, for example 12 inches for a 12 inch speaker. Don’t worry, the sound will not collapse or become overly ambient.

Question 6

A matched pair?

Accepted Answer

All Sandhill microphones are manufactured to such high tolerances that any two microphones can be considered a matched pair. However, we do offer a matching service that consists of both numerical and audio testing.

Question 7

What’s different between 6011A and 6019A?

Accepted Answer

The 6011A and 6019A share the same ribbon transducer design, resulting in similar performance specs.

The most obvious differences between the two models are in the mechanical design, with the 6019A has an aesthetically slightly simplified split body construction. Other differences include a different step-up transformer and an updated mesh material.
They are both fantastic ribbon microphones based on the same design principles and the 6011A remains in the cataloque for those who need a pair for their single 6011A or just appreciate the sophisticated details of the older design.

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