JOSEPH GRADO SIGNATURE HOLOGRAPHIC SCALERA SCANNER SPECIFICATIONS
Trying to duplicate these specifications using conventional test methods will result in totally inaccurate results.
The reviews keep alluding to the Holographic Scalera Scanner as a single mic unit. To prevent confusion let me state that the Holographic Scalera Scanner consists of two microphones.
Hereafter I will refer to the two units as the HSS system and the individual units as the HSS mic.
There are two super matched units to an HSS system. The following information will apply to a single unit and will not describe the system operation.
**A pure point source diaphram, effective diameter ( 2mm ) for a true omni directional pickup pattern
**Advanced, very high output, very quiet, elecret principle cartridge.
**Construction; all parts are swiss clock quality machined from solid blocks of high purity aluminum and thick wall tubing. The parts are then anti-resonated and treated with an extremely hard coating of black anodizing.
**All electronic parts are design selected for maximum quality. Every single HSS MIC goes through extremely critical electrical tests, shock tests, listening tests, and extra stringent tests to assure a long life under any and all operating conditions. No money has been spared to make the SIGNATURE HSS MIC the best sounding, most reliable microphone it is humanly possible to make.
**A variable, acoustical low frequency attenuator, easily adjustable during mike use by sliding the main block up and down the main micrphone tube. The lowest position = flat frequency response, half up the post = -3db @ 50 hz, all the way to the top = -3db @100hz.
IT ACOUSTICALLY ATTENUATES ONLY THE LOW FREQUENCY POWER THAT IS PRESET WITH THE LOW FREQUENCY ATTENUATING BLOCK.
48V PHANTOM PURIFIER FEATURES
No insertion loss of any kind
Wide band buffer for long cable application, 300 ft plus
48v phantom purifier for super transparancy, very low phase shift,elimination of sonic colorations and extremely low distortion.
Double filtered regulated power supply
100 ohm balanced output for extra long cable operation ( 300’ ) plus without additional amplification.
Low noise, class A, non feedback buffer to isolate the microphone from mic preamp anomalies.
Low noise, class A, non feedback buffer to optimize the sound quality by removing all extraneous degradation from the 48v ph power supply
Maximum effort applied to maintain the full integrity of the original microphone signal
Signal output Is very high and equal to very high output conventional microphones (Schoeps etc.)
Signal to noise ratio Is 75db to 80db below normal recorded level **
SPL = 125db (conservative) with 130db peaks not exhibiting any distress
Effective linear diameter of the recording diaphragm= 2mm
Polar pattern error in the vertical recording position, ( 90% off vertical axis ) from 20hz to 30khz = 0db
Frequency response is essentially flat for the full bandwidth
NOTE: ANY ATTEMPT TO MEASURE THE GRADO HOLOGRAPHIC SCALERA SCANNER INSTRUMENTS EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A PAIR WILL RESULT IN INACCURATE INFORMATION
**NOTE: When recording with the Grado Signature HSS you will be recording the full low frequency-holographic power information. when listening to the same recording made with conventional microphones it will seem that the signal to noise ratio is better with the conventional microphones, but that is not what is really happening. What is actually happening is something entirely different.
The HSS records the full frequency and power density of the natural sound, 360x360 in all directions to well below 5hz, exactly as it occurs in the live hall.
A conventional microphone records to a frequency of 20khz,with full sensitivity, for a relatively narrow on axis pickup angle only. At 180 degrees off axis the frequency response falls off disastrously to as low as 5khz – 6khz. The sensitivity
doesn't fare much better. It could drop 10db or more. To add to the problem is the well known fact that conventional microphones have a very low power factor recording capability at low frequencies.
The net result is that what is erroneously considered a better s/n ratio is your not ever having heard the information that was actually never recorded by the conventional microphone because of its limitations.
"WHAT NATURE PROVIDES THE GRADO SIGNATURE HSS WILL RECORD"
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