Violet Design the Garnet Microphone
Violet Design the Garnet Microphone is based on our original true electrostatic capsule and vacuum tube electronics. The capsule diaphragms are made of a special, highest quality, calibrated polymer film. The unique irregular sputtering with our special formula of gold mixture gives them a faster impulse transient response with minimized resonance, sound coloration, high and low frequencies reduction, and possibility to handle higher sound pressure levels. Using our original technology the diaphragms are tensioned and adjusted on our precisely made brass back-plates. At the end of the manufacturing process every capsule is carefully checked for electrical parameters and measured in an anechoic chamber for the optimum audio performance. The acoustically transparent multilayer mesh head’s construction supports polar patterns, keeps sound transparency almost unaffected and minimizes the head’s internal resonances, at the same time reducing plosive sounds and wind noise, and shielding capsule from external interference. “The Garnet” microphone’s internal preamplifier is based on a class-A discrete vacuum tube circuit designed under the highest audiophile standards. Carefully selected vacuum tube and the best quality components provide linear audio frequency range, natural dynamics, minimum self noise and very low audio distortion of all types. The massive metal body stabilizes the thermal regime of vacuum tube electronics. The tube is mounted on an internal damper to protect it from mechanical resonances and acoustical feedback. The large size, noise cancelling design custom wound audio transformer provides even more warmth to the sound, and balances the output circuit separating the microphone from RF and other kind of interference. A gold plated contact 7-pin XLR output connector provides stable microphone connection. The Garnet microphone is powered from an external soft starting PSU-5 smart power supply unit, providing stabilized and protected polarization, plate and heather voltages. The included special audiophile quality VTC-06 tube microphone cable with gold plated contact 7-pin XLR connectors must be used between microphone’s output and power supply unit’s input. This cable minimizes all types of internal and external interference, noise and signal loss. “The Garnet” microphone’s rugged construction with balanced internal dampers-shock mounts for the capsule, vacuum tube, and all electronics module, together with included orginal construction JSM elastic external studio shock mount effectively reduces stand rumble, infrasonic interference and mechanical shocks. Under the special request “The Garnet” microphones are available in matched stereo pairs to provide balanced recordings. INCLUDED ACCESSORIES JSM – elastic studio shock mount PSU-5 – power supply unit VTC-06 – tube microphone cable 6m IEC – grounding mains cable
Specifications
Transducer type | electrostatic |
Operating principle | pressure gradient |
Diaphragm’s active diameter | 26 mm |
Frequency range | 20 Hz to 20 kHz |
Polar pattern | 9 selectable patterns |
Output impedance | 100 ohms |
Rated load impedance | 1000 ohms |
Suggested load impedance | >250 ohms |
Sensitivity at 1000 Hz into 1000 ohms load | 25 mV/Pa |
S/N Ratio CCIR 468-3 weighted | 75 dB |
S/N Ratio DIN/IEC 651 A-weighted | 86 dB-A |
Equivalent noise level DIN/IEC A-weighted | 8 dB-A |
Maximum SPL for 0.5% THD at 1000 ohm load | 130 dB |
Dynamic range of the internal preamplifier | 122 dB |
Output connector | 7-pin XLR male, gold plated contacts |
Dimensions | H230 x 50 X 30 mm, 800 g |
JSM dimensions and weight | H130 x W105 x D25 mm, 200 g |
PSU-5 dimensions and weight | H55 x W225 x D185 mm, 1500 g |
Selectable mains voltage, frequency | 100/120/220/240 V AC 45-65 Hz |
Mains fuse | 250 mA (100/120V), 125 mA (220/240V) |
Power consumption | <20 W |