Microphone swtich settings.

[Muffin]

I've got 2 condenser mics that have switches on them. One is an Audio-Technica 3035 used for vocals and guitar cabs, the other is a set of CAD CM217's used as drum overheads.
There are 2 different switches, one shows 0dbs and -10dbs, and the other as horizontal line and another horizontal line with the left side of it angled downwards.
What is the purpose and function of these switches? In what applications would you set these?
Thanks.

 

[moresound]

I've got 2 condenser mics that have switches on them. One is an Audio-Technica 3035 used for vocals and guitar cabs, the other is a set of CAD CM217's used as drum overheads.
There are 2 different switches, one shows 0dbs and -10dbs, and the other as horizontal line and another horizontal line with the left side of it angled downwards.
What is the purpose and function of these switches? In what applications would you set these?
Thanks.

The switch with the db setting is a pad and the one with the angled line is a bass roll off ...Google for it's manual to get the particulars.

 

[dintymoore]

one shows 0dbs and -10dbs...

that's the 10 db pad. I use that most of the time as a default. It makes the output of the mic lower and seems to have less noise. It stops the mic from picking up a mouse farting 1/2 mi down the road.

That's the bass roll off. It's a bass eq that takes away a lot of the bottom. So either it's "normal" or "not so much bass". The angle position is "not so much bass". I use that when I don't want a lot of bass in the sound, like when I'm recording backup vocals. The straight line stands for "flat" or no eq. I leave it flat if I'm recording kick drum. The line graphic represents a graphic eq in either the flat or bass roll off position.

A typical thing would be recording your backup vocals with the bass rolled off and the lead with the bass roll off flat. That makes your lead vox bigger than your backups, and makes the backups sound like... backups. But there's no rules, your ears will tell you what the song wants.

 

[Muffin]

Wonderful, thanks for the responses.

 

[moresound]

It stops the mic from picking up a mouse farting 1/2 mi down the road.

I had this problem a lot so .....I just got a cat.

 

[dintymoore]

I had this problem a lot so .....I just got a cat.

I have two cats and they both prefer the 0 db position for that exact reason.

As far as the switches, it's always better to use them to tailor your sound before you record than it is to try and "fix" something with eq after it's recorded. It's cleaner and doesn't screw up the sound like eq always does to some extent.