M-AUDIO SPUTNIK
User Guide

the bottom of the Sputnik microphone, securing Recommendations it in place. We recommend that you always use the shock mount with the Sputnik mic as it 1) Preampli�ers: provides a safe and stable structure and it greatly for best results, use the best mic preamp you can. reduces vibrations coupling to the mic stand This may seem like an obvious statement, but all from the �oor. too often we �nd artists skimping on their mic 4) Plug the female end of the 7-pin cable into the bottom of the mic. To help align the pins, make sure the clip on the female plug faces the same direction as the front of the mic. (The front of the mic is the side with �Sputnik� engraved.) 5) Connect a balanced XLR microphone cable between the power supply and your mic preamp. We recommend you use the highest quality cable possible. Generally speaking, the shorter the cable, the better. (Remember: because the Sputnik power supply unit provides the voltages needed to power the Sputnik mic, you shouldn�t use the +48V phantom power function on your preamp.) preamp after they�ve invested in a top-quality microphone. Indeed, although the Sputnik mic itself outputs a clean, true representation of the captured sound, you�ll lose some of the bene�ts if your preamp colors the sound in any way. There are many good preamps on the market, but we can recommend some that work great with any mic: M-Audio�s Tampa, Octane, and DMP3. These are all very �neutral� sounding devices that amplify your mic signal without changing timbre or dynamics, and they won�t adversely affect the depth and energy of your audio signal. (In case you missed it before: don�t engage the +48V phantom power function on your preamp when using the Sputnik mic; the Sputnik power supply handles that function itself.) we recommend you always use a �pop �lter� when recording vocals. It�s a sonically transparent mesh or metal grill placed between the mic and the singer that �lters out �plosive� sounds (consonants like �p,� �t,� and �b�) that can cause transient distortion in the capsule from short bursts of energy exciting the diaphragm. The pop �lter will also help keep moisture away from the capsule when the singer breathes out into the mic. (Accumulations of moisture can be detrimental to the life of the capsule.) 3) Storage: we recommend you store the mic and power supply in the �ight case when you�re not using them. Alternatively, if you want to keep the Sputnik mounted on a stand within its shock mount when you�re not using it, please make sure you cover it using the soft cloth bag included in the �ight case. This will help keep dust and other particulate matter from contaminating the capsule over time, extending the Sputnik�s life. 4) Temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions: while the Sputnik may work in outer space, it�s been optimized for terrestrial use. If at all possible, keep the Sputnik mic and power supply in a stable (cool and dry) environment, and never let them get wet. In other words, avoid using the Sputnik outdoors, and don�t drop it in a swimming pool.

6) Connect the grounded AC power cable from the power supply mains feed to the wall power socket. 2) Pop �lter: 7) Turn your mic preamp gain level all the way down. You�ll gradually turn the level up once the Sputnik is up and running. 8) Now you can turn on the power switch on the power supply. It takes about 15 seconds for the red power LED to illuminate fully and ideally you should wait a few minutes for the Sputnik to �warm up� and for the operating voltages to stabilize before you begin recording. (We designed the slow �warm up� circuit in this way in order to extend the life of the vacuum tube.) 9) Select the polar pattern and attenuation level appropriate to your recording setup by using the switches on the body of the Sputnik mic. 10) Now you can adjust your mic preamp gain level, phase, etc. as appropriate. 11) When shutting down the mic, you should always turn off the power supply �rst and wait for the red LED to go out completely before removing the cables.

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User Manual