AT822 & AT825 mics...little known facts.
Ty Ford
AT's Bill Balmer came back with some nifty notes on these mics.
From: "Bill Balmer" <bba...@atus.com>
To: tf...@jagunet.com
cc: "Karen Emerson" <keme...@atus.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 14:26:32 -0500
Subject: AT822 & AT825
Hi Ty,
It seems that you are getting a number of comments on the AT822 and AT825.
One of the things that I see quite a bit is a complaint about the stereo
mini-plug that comes with the AT822. ("gimme strong and durable XLRs
anytime") If these people would really take a look at these two mics, they
would see why there is a stereo mini-plug available.
Both of these mics use studio grade capsules - from the AT4031. The
specifications are similar. The electronics is different. The AT822 uses
a standard XLRM connector on the output. But, the AT822 is intended to
feed an unbalanced piece of equipment such as a portable DAT machine. Most
of these pieces of equipment use unbalanced electronics. The output XLRM
is not balanced and ground. It is Right, Left and ground. Many of these
recorders use a stereo mini as the input. That's why that adapter cable is
supplied. Cables are also supplied with 2 - mono 1/4 or 2 - mono mini as
well. Note that these adapter cables are short. If you need to extend the
disatnce from the mic to the recorder, this system allows you to use a
standard XLRF - XLRM mic cable as the extension. The AT822 requires an
internal battery.
Here's an interesting little capability that the AT822 can give you that
you wouldn't think of in a loooonnnng time. If you take its XLR output
(which is really L and R) using a standard mic cable, and run into a
standard, balanced, differential input, the position of the capsules and
the phase reversal into the amp result in a very good figure 8 pickup
pattern. I have run the polars in the anechoic chamber. It works. This
allows this mic to be used as the "S" in an MS set-up - very effectively
and very inexpensively.
The AT825, on the other hand, is the one that is intended to be used with
the XLR's. The AT825 is the balanced mic. The output connector is a 5-pin
XLR, giving you two balanced lines plus a common ground. Adapter cables
are supplied that branch off into the standard 3-pin XLR's for your
balanced left and right signals. No mystery there. The AT825 will operate
from phantom power or from an internal battery.
Because the these mics are configured as stereo mics doesn't necessarily
mean that they have to be used that way. There are two independent outputs
from each mic. If you wanted to use one like two, phase-coherent cardioids
to pick up a choir or ensemble in mono, that certainly is another viable
application. The capsules are aimed 110 degrees apart.
I hope that this clears up the reasons as to why there are two very similar
mics. They are squarely aimed at applications in different operational
market segments. Both mics work very well and are very good values.
Best regards,
Bill Balmer