Kevin DeSchwazi said:
One of the switches is a pad. This reduces the mics input by 10db (someone feel free to correct me here if it's not quite accurate) and is used if you're recording something loud like a kick drum or a cranked up guitar cab.
Then there's a high Pass Filter which rolls off low frequencies, it didn't say which frequency on the spec I looked at but it's usually around the 50-100hz range. This can be used to get rid of those low frequencies on sources that don't really need them like vocals and guitars (leaving them for the bassier instruments).
The other switch allows you to select between different polar patterns. If you look in the big thread at the top of this forum you can find out about those. In fact you can find out about everything to do with microphones in that thread hence it's pretty lengthy. Well worth putting aside some time to read it though.
Kevin, you got it right for the most part but I think you might be going over "metalman69"'s head.
The -10db pad does reduce 10db. It comes in handy when you're plugged into a mic preamp and you're still getting a distorted signal (assured that your studio is set up for balanced/unbalanced all the way though of which is a whole other discussion). I find a pad to be really nice on kick drums and cymbals, depending on the band of course.
Yup, High Pass Filter passes the high frequencies... as a Low Pass Filter passes the low frequencies. Depending on the situation I generally stay away from the HPF/LPF for most applications. I generally use those for multi-mic'ing drums where something might be to my advantage to use mic filters.
Oh yes, Polar Patterns.... it's not a Polar Bear wearing a Zuit Suit, it's actually the direction you want the mic capsule to pick up on.
Your mic looks like it has the popular three:
Omni (Circle) will pick up everything within a certain radius from all angles. It's "airy" and for vocals can sound pretty thin with too much room sound.
Cardioid (penis head - sorry if that's too graphic) - It will capture mostly what's in front of the mic (more direct) in relation to "the front" of the mic (where the geometric shapes and switches are; circle, figure eight, and "penis head")
Figure 8 (um.... it's the figure 8) - it will capture room but reject sound from adjacent sides (it will capture front/back or left/right depending on how it's faced to source. Figure 8 is good for a secondary mic incorporating some nice phase girth (phase is a whole other monster-in-a-box). I use a Figure 8 mic in conjunction with cardioid mics for drums, guitar, and sometimes vocals.
Hopefully that made sense,
-- Adam Lazlo
