How to Take Care of Your Microphones
By Lynn Fuston on May 26, 2023
A sound engineer's mic locker is the most important tool in his or her
arsenal. Microphones are the first and most critical element of your
recording chain. Proper care and maintenance are essential. Take care of
your mics, and they'll take care of you. Here are some guidelines that will
help ensure you'll get many years of great recording out of your mics.
How to Care for Condenser Microphones
Condenser mics are the sonic backbone of many studios and have proven
themselves to be workhorses in many recording applications. Sweetwater
reached out to Klaus Heyne of German Masterworks to find out the best way to
care for condenser mics. Heyne is one of the world's foremost authorities on
microphone repair and modification and restores and customizes recording
mics for the Walt Disney Company, Apple, Lucasfilm, and too many other
studios, artists, and producers to mention. Here are some pointers that will
help keep your condenser mics performing at their prime for years to come:
Always keep your mic in a plastic bag when not in use. Any plastic bag will
stop airborne dust and foam particles from windscreens and storage boxes
from settling on the capsule. Put a plastic bag over the mic when you are
not working, and always bag the mic before storing it in its case.
Always use a stocking screen pop filter when recording vocals. It will
intercept a singer's spit/saliva mist from gumming up the diaphragm and keep
the electrically charged capsule from turning into an attractive flypaper
for airborne particles. A contaminated capsule will eventually affect high
frequencies, cause discharge noise, or shut down completely.
Always keep a minimum distance of six inches between the mouth and mic to
prevent plosives from damaging the capsule.
Always connect the cable from the power supply to the tube condenser mic
before turning the power supply on. Voltage shock from a live power supply
(hot plugging) can damage or kill a tube.
Never put your condenser mic where you would not put your ears. Condensers
are very sensitive instruments that respond to minute changes in sound
pressure. Excessive sound pressure level (SPL) will eventually degrade the
capsule's diaphragm the same way prolonged exposure will damage your
hearing.
How to Care for Ribbon Microphones
While modern ribbon mics are more durable than vintage models, they still
need to be handled with care. Here are some little-known tips that will keep
your microphone working great for years to come:
Treat your microphone with the respect you would give a fine precision
instrument. While not as delicate as a Stradivarius, most ribbon mics won't
tolerate being tossed into a milk crate like dynamic mics. You don't have to
use kid gloves to handle ribbon mics, but treat them like the valuable tools
they are.
Never put your microphone down without covering it first - especially not on
the floor. The powerful magnets in a ribbon mic will attract small metallic
particles into it that can result in distorted recordings. Don't
underestimate the strength of the magnetic force that extends around your
microphone.
Don't loan your precious ribbon mic to a ribbon novice. Many people don't
understand the proper methods for handling and caring for ribbon mics. If
they treat it like a dynamic mic, then it will likely return in an unusable
state. Just one person blowing into the mic to see if it's on, and it will
go back for repair.
Always position your microphone slightly off-axis when close-miking
high-energy sources to protect it from excessively loud sources. Ribbon
microphones have a fairly even pickup pattern, so moving one of these mics
slightly off-axis won't have an adverse effect on your recording.
When using a ribbon on a kick drum or any other instrument with a strong
directional blast of air, angle the length of the ribbon at 45 degrees to
the source, not parallel to the drumhead. This will lessen the stress on the
ribbon, allowing it to pick up the sound without the entire acoustic pulse
hitting the ribbon all at the same time.
Additional Ribbon Microphone Care Tips
Always use a pop filter when you are close-miking loud plosive sound
sources. The concentrated blast of air from loud sources is extremely hard
on your mic's delicate ribbon. If you're capturing guitar or bass cabs, kick
drums, or vocalists, then a pop filter is highly recommended.
While it is possible to connect a ribbon mic to a phantom-powered mic input
without damaging it, it's always advisable to turn off phantom power before
connecting a ribbon mic.
Always loosen the relief valve on your case after getting off an airplane.
When your mic is transported in an aircraft, the cargo hold changes pressure
with altitude. Thus, when you open a sealed container, a large blast of air
will rush into it. This can damage the ribbon. So, before you put your mic
in the cargo hold, loosen your case's relief valve (or create a small vent
hole) to equalize the air pressure.
Thanks to Royer Microphones for sharing these tips about keeping your
precious ribbon mics in great shape.
How to Care for Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic microphones frequently take a beating (especially onstage), and they
don't mind, which is why they're so popular. Night after night, spit, sweat,
lipstick, dirt, and lots of other nasty stuff get caked onto your
microphone's grille and windscreen.
As the manufacturer of the world's most iconic dynamic mics (the SM57 and
SM58), Shure knows dynamic microphones. That's why Sweetwater reached out to
them to get some tips about caring for your dynamic mics.
Here are some helpful cleaning tips for keeping your stage mics hygienic and
performing at their best:
Unscrew the grille from your mic, and rinse it off with water. Use a mild
detergent to eliminate odors. If it's really gummed up, then try a
toothbrush with soft bristles. You can leave the foam windscreen attached to
the grille while you clean it.
Be sure to let the grille dry before you put it back on the microphone.
Air-drying is best, but a hair dryer on low heat also works so long as
you've removed the internal foam windscreen. Never use a high heat setting -
it can melt the windscreen.
If your microphone doesn't have a removable grille, then hold the mic upside
down and gently scrub it with a damp toothbrush. Holding the mic upside down
prevents moisture from leaking into its cartridge. You can clean the foam
that covers your SM58's diaphragm the same way.
If your microphone smells bad, then gently scrub it with a toothbrush soaked
in a diluted solution of mouthwash and water. Again, hold the mic upside
down when you do this. Never spray disinfectant or any cleaning agent at the
head of the mic since that will penetrate the grille and possibly damage the
mic.
If someone with lipstick was using your mic, then you may find lipstick
smeared all over the grille. This stubborn substance is designed to stay on,
not come off. Thankfully, there are makeup wipes that are designed to remove
lipstick without taking off your lips. These can be used to wipe the outside
of the grille and hopefully keep the next person at the mic from getting
secondhand lipstick.
Microphone Care Is Incredibly Important
Like anything valuable, it's important to take care of your investment to
last for years on end. The same holds true for microphones and all your
music equipment. A long-lasting recording setup includes more than just the
mic; pop filters, shockmounts, mic stands, and all other accessories play
their roles in keeping your microphone in tip-top shape.
About Lynn Fuston
Lynn Fuston spent 37 years behind recording consoles in dozens of studios in
Nashville, as well as doing remote recordings around the globe. In addition
to his time at the board, he's been a contributing writer/editor for
recording magazines such as EQ, ProSound News, Audio Media and Pro Audio
Review since the '90s. His studio work on Gold and Platinum-selling records
with iconic Christian artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, DC Talk,
Russ Taff, Twila Paris, Kathy Troccoli, and countless others gives him a
unique perspective on the artistry and technology of recording. He also
produced the world-renowned 3D Audio CDs, a series which allows listeners to
compare mics, preamps, analog-to-digital converters, DAWs, and summing,
giving them the ability to hear the differences in their own spaces. He has
hosted recording forums since 1998, both on the internet (3dB) and Facebook
(3D/FB). Fuston is now the Manager of Written Content for Sweetwater's web
and print publications.
