Meteor Mic USB Studio Microphone for Computer Recording
Table of Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Meteor Mic Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Installing the Meteor Mic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Quick Start . . . . . . . . .
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Samson Meteor Mic USB studio condenser microphone. The Meteor Mic represents the culmination of Samson’s history of building world-class microphones, and is a product of Samson’s position on the leading edge of digital microphone technology. The Meteor Mic is a professional studio microphone with a large 25mm diaphragm, housed in a die-cast fold-up body.
Introduction In this manual, you’ll find a detailed description of the features of your Meteor Mic USB studio condenser microphone, as well as step-by-step instructions for its setup and use, and full specifications. If your Meteor Mic was purchased in the United States, you’ll also find a warranty card enclosed. Don’t forget to fill it out and mail it! This will enable you to receive online technical support and allow us to send you updated information about this and other Samson products.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Meteor Mic Features • Professional, large diaphragm, studio condenser USB microphone • 1-inch (25mm) microphone capsule • Onboard 1/8-inch headphone output with volume control for zero latency direct monitoring • High-quality A/D and D/A converters • Compatible with Mac and PC computers; no special drivers or external power supplies are required • Microphone mute switch for privacy, and to silence noise during playback • Computer-controlled analog
Meteor Mic Layout 1. Capsule - Large, 1-inch (25mm) diaphragm with Cardioid polar pattern. 2. Windscreen - Dual stage grille protects the capsule and helps reduce wind noise and p-popping. 3. LED - Three-color LED illuminates blue to indicate power, amber to indicate that the microphone is muted, and flashes red when the input signal is clipping. 1 2 3 4 4. Headphone Volume - Controls the overall level of the Meteor Mic’s headphone output. 5.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Meteor Mic Layout 7. Headphone Jack - 1/8-inch (3.5mm) stereo jack for connecting headphones or studio monitors. 8. USB - Mini-B size USB connector for interfacingwith your PC or Mac.
Installing the Meteor Mic Installing the Meteor Mic is a simple procedure that takes just a few minutes. Simply connect the included USB cable and begin recording. The following sections of this manual provide detailed instructions on setting up your Meteor Mic in MAC OS or Windows. Windows 7 & Windows Vista 1. The first time you plug the Meteor Mic into a USB port, Windows 7 or Vista will install the universal drivers for that port. A balloon will pop up, telling you the computer has found the Meteor Mic.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Installing the Meteor Mic clicking on the number box. If you find that the microphone red clip LED is lighting frequently, turn this control down until the LED no longer flashes red. 5. Select the Playback tab, then select the Level tab and set the computer’s Master Volume to 100%. Use the Meteor Mic’s front panel Volume knob to control the overall output from the headphones or speaker. 6.
Installing the Meteor Mic 3. 4. 5. 6. 8 To set the Meteor Mic as your default device for sound playback and recording, or to change its settings, click the Start button, click Control Panel and then click Sounds and Audio Devices. In the Audio tab, select the Samson Meteor Mic from the drop-down menu. To set the gain of the microphone, click the Volume button in the Sound recording section to make the Microphone slider appear. It will say “Samson Meteor Mic” in the status bar at the bottom.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Installing the Meteor Mic Apple MAC OSX 1. To start using the Samson Meteor Mic, simply plug it in. The LED will illuminate to indicate it is receiving USB power. The MAC will recognize the USB audio device and automatically install a universal driver. 2. To select the Meteor Mic as the computer’s audio input, open System Preferences from the dock or the main Apple Menu. 3. Next, open the Sound preferences, choose the Input tab and select Meteor Mic.
Quick Start There are many ways to use the microphone, and our quick start example is a typical setup for recording vocals. Just follow the simple steps below to begin recording. 1. 2. 3. 4. 10 Unfold the legs of the Meteor Mic, and position the microphone on your desktop. The legs can be adjusted to set the angle of the microphone. Next, connect your headphones to the Headphone output located on the rear of the Meteor Mic.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone 8. Quick Start 5. Launch your DAW, turn the microphone’s Volume knob down, and select the Meteor Mic for the input and output. 6. Set up a mono record track in your DAW for the vocal track. 7. Next, set the level of the Meteor Mic. There are few ways to do this depending on your preference and computer setup.
Recording Techniques The Meteor Mic is a great microphone choice for many instrument miking situations. Below is a brief guide on using the Meteor Mic in some typical applications: Vocals Position the microphone directly in front of the artist so that the microphone grille is between 6 to 24 inches away. The closer the artist moves to the microphone, the more the bass or low response increases; this is called proximity effect.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Recording Techniques Acoustic Guitar There are a variety of ways that the Meteor Mic can be used to mike an acoustic guitar. Optimal microphone placement will depend on the type of instrument, and what kind of sound you’re looking to capture. It may be necessary to experiment with various positions to achieve full and balanced tone.
Recording Techniques Meteor Mics, try one positioned at the fingerboard and the second over the bridge of the guitar, or have one microphone positioned close to the guitar and the second a few feet away to pick up the sound of the room, blending the two sources together. Piano The grand piano is a very challenging instrument to capture, and can be miked in a variety of ways. For close miking the piano, position the Meteor Mic just inside the piano, centered between the soundboard and the open lid.
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Recording Techniques Guitar Amp Placement of the microphone when recording an electric guitar can impact the tone as much as the choice of instrument and amplifier. Guitar amps are usually close-miked but consideration must be made for the type of signal the amp will produce. While condenser microphones like the Meteor Mic have fast transient response, they cannot handle extreme high SPL’s.
Specifications Polar Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capsule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frequency Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Max SPL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sample Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bit Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Meteor Mic · USB Studio Condenser Microphone Polar Pattern & Frequency Response +20 +10 0 -10 -20 -30 20 50 100 200 500 1000 2000 Meteor Mic Frequency Response 5000 10000 20000 Meteor Mic Polar Pattern 17
WARNING: Listening to music at high volume levels and for extended durations can damage one’s hearing. In order to reduce the risk of damage to hearing, one should lower the volume to a safe, comfortable level, and reduce the amount of time listening at high levels. Please use the following guidelines established by the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) on maximum time exposure to sound pressure levels before hearing damage occurs.
Samson Technologies Corp. 45 Gilpin Avenue Hauppauge, New York 11788-8816 Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) Fax: 631-784-2201 www.samsontech.
