Mic Pads

[Bassmanster]

Anyone built?  I like my sensitive mic pre for spoken word, but I have to turn it down too much for a screaming amp, especially if I use a condenser.  It gets dull.

There are the XLR inline ones, but it would be nice to make a box with several dB reductions.

[RicharD]

http://hairballaudio.com/shop/index.php?cPath=27&osCsid=737912ebe94558a04c0306b00ce1b3cd



35 clams

Seems expensive, but you can hardly source parts for a stepped T pad for less.  Plus it would take quite a while to build.  Schematic attached.

[PRR]

Those are both 600:600 pads.

Microphone pads should be different.

In fact you can't make a good mike pad less than 20dB, so-so 15dB. You shouldn't often need over 20dB pad... else you may be using poor-choice tools.

Hot condensers should have a -10dB capsule shunt. Use it.

[Bassmanster]

Thanks guys.  If I did I would emulate the in/out impedance of Shure's pads, which are published.

Cheap condensers, no pad.

I think I'll try using a buzz box for the time being and turning the amp down.  I can also hack the built-in -14 pad in my mic pre (Hamptone) to something higher (er, lower).

[RicharD]

Sometimes I think I'll never figure this stuff out.  Here's a good link:
http://www.uneeda-audio.com/pads/

Looks like the standard is a -20dB "U" pad using 2 - 680 ohm and 1 - 150 ohm resistor.  Meanwhile my project is completely backasswards.   

[Bassmanster]

I found some online java applet calculators for H pads.  You input the attenuation, input and output Z and it gives you the five resistors.  So that will come in handy if I decide to do it.

I should have just got the resistor-based step gain controls on my pre, but it was more money.