What is the deal with PZM's?

[NoFO]

I've been told that PZM mics are one of the most under rated and ignored tools that we as recording engineers have, and I know i've worked in 5 or 6 different studios and i've never seen one, i thought they were only good for conferences and crowd ambience. What experiences have you all had with them, and what applications are they good for?

thanks

Chris

 

[Krakit]

These have wonderful applications

The very nature of these mics make them perfect for sticking on piano lids and taping to floors and walls.

The polar patterns from crown PZMs make them good drum overheads too.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

NoFo,

If you had been following the Mongo thread about diaphragms size and polar patterns, you'd know that a Pressure Zone Mic is basically an Omni mic that works into a hemisphere. For best results, you would put it on a large flat surface to extend the low frequency response, like taping it to a wall. A Pressure Zone Mic captures all sounds above the boundry formed by the plate the mic is mounted on.

 

[billycatfish]

pzm

would a pzm mic be practical with a banjo? It's a five string closed back and i'd rather not install a $150 pickup system but want to plug it into an amp.
i would greatly appreciate help with this. any other suggestions?
thanks

 

[Krakit]

I wouldn't tape a pzm to the back of a banjo

I have always wanted to experiment with certain drum mic's clipped to banjo hardware and pointing toward the skin.

Ever done that?

 

[Tonewoods]

The Crown SASS is an interesting PZM mic...I'll be using one this weekend to tape an acoustic jam, although it is a bit obtrusive...

http://www.crownaudio.com/mic_htm/sass.htm

It's good for room ambiance, although it won't replace a couple Altec coke bottles.

Good for drum overheads, but won't replace a couple BK11s...

But for out in the middle of a field (it's battery powered and has a foam windscreen), it's a great choice...

 

[Tom Hicks]

The no-longer sold Radio Shack PZM (made by Crown Itl. like all of them) is all over the place at pawn shops and used music gear places.There is a simple mod to make it low Z.(just try pzm mod in your search engine)
My band has used one for years to record rehearsals because it eliminates phase problems.We just tape it to the ceiling and it sounds great.
If you buy a new one,check the frequency responce and make sure its not one of those business conference models optimised for voice only.

Tom

 

[hixmix]

Sam Ash sells Crown PZM's.

 

[nwsoundman]

I have installed plexiglass rectangles to them for added low end response and used them for drum overheads with fair success.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Re: pzm

would a pzm mic be practical with a banjo? It's a five string closed back and i'd rather not install a $150 pickup system but want to plug it into an amp.
i would greatly appreciate help with this. any other suggestions?
thanks

It might be practical. Keep in mind that your five string banjo is NOT "closed back", it's actually a resonator in the form of a parabolic dish that amplifies the sound and sends it out thru the holes in the rim.

You might try using an old R/S PZM, removing the two screws that hold the mic to the backplate, and then gluing the mic into the center of the inside of the dish reflector, so that the back resonator is used as the mounting plate for the mic. Interesting concept - it just might work really well.

 

[NoFO]

Attaching a PZM....

How exactly do these mount to say, plexiglass? I would assume they have screw holes? Inquiring minds want to know...

Chris