Sontronics Apollo 2 User manual

SONTRONICS APOLLO 2

USER GUIDE

Thank you for choosing our APOLLO 2 microphone and welcome to the SONTRONICS family!

We hope you enjoy your new purchase and we invite you to take a moment to

We have provided this guide to help you fully understand your microphone and get the best from it.

PLEASE READ THIS GUIDE CAREFULLY before using your APOLLO 2 as it also contains

important information for your safety and for the longevity of your new microphone.

For more information on all our

microphones and accessories,

and about

SONTRONICS

in general,

visit www.sontronics.com

ABOUT YOUR APOLLO 2

Our British-made and designed SONTRONICS APOLLO 2 is based on our

groundbreaking APOLLO, which has become a must-have for studios,

composers, venues and sound stages all over the world.

The APOLLO 2 utilises two ribbon motors set in X-Y Blumlein formation

(named after English electronics engineer Alan Blumlein who invented

stereo recording techniques in the 1930s) in addition to a British-made

circuitboard of our proprietary design and a custom-wound transformer

made here in SONTRONICS’ hometown of Poole.

The delicate ribbons combined with the APOLLO 2’s high sensitivity,

super-low self-noise and the unique design of the seamless, laser-

welded British stainless steel grille allow the mic to soak up every detail

of whatever is being recorded, capturing a truly stunning and superbly

accurate three-dimensional image.

APOLLO 2 is ideal for use as an overhead room microphone and gives

sublime results on orchestra, choir and chamber ensembles, grand

and upright piano in studios or in live environments. It gives natural,

expansive results with perfect detail and clarity in the high frequencies

and a balanced depth and fullness to the mids and lows.

APOLLO 2 is also perfect for using as an overhead microphone for

drums and percussion or smaller instrument and vocal ensembles,

and it can be used to great eect as a room or ambient mic, whether

you’re recording in a church, an opera house, on a live stage or in a

home studio set-up. You can also use APOLLO 2 as a mono ribbon

microphone by isolating one ribbon motor (using just one XLR cable)

and turning the mic so that the live ribbon is facing the source.

Supplied with its shockmount and Y-cable in a sturdy ﬂightcase,

APOLLO 2 is an absolutely stunning addition to any mic collection.

APOLLO 2 KEY FEATURES

• Phantom-powered stereo ribbon mic

• Two ribbons in X-Y Blumlein formation

• Made in the UK

• Incredibly open, natural sound

• Captures every intricate detail

• Rich mid & low frequencies

• Covered by Lifetime Warranty

• Ideal for piano, orchestral, choral,

chamber or opera recordings, in studio or

live environments

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Polar pattern: Figure-of-eight x2

Frequency response: 20Hz - 15kHz

Sensitivity: 18mV/Pa -33dB ±1.5dB

(0dB = 1V/Pa @ 1,000Hz)

Impedance: ≤150 Ohms

Equivalent noise level: 10dB (A-weighted)

Max SPL (for 0.5% THD @ 1kHz): 125dB

Power: Phantom power 48V required (x2)

Connector: 6-pin to two 3-pin Neutrik®

XLR-M connectors (cable supplied)

Dimensions: 260 x 65 x 65mm

Weight: 2020g (2605g with shockmount)

Comes with: shockmount, ﬂightcase,

6-pin to two 3-pin XLR-M cable

APOLLO 2 QUICK START GUIDE

• Attach the supplied shockmount on to a microphone stand.

Make sure you are using a sturdy stand with a weighted boom

arm in order to support the weight of the APOLLO 2 safely.

• Sit APOLLO 2 in the shockmount and secure ﬁrmly in place

by turning the threaded ring at the base of the mount (not by

turning the microphone).

• Position APOLLO 2 at the ideal distance and angle from the

source(s) being recorded (see opposite for Placement Advice).

• Connect the six-pin end of the supplied Y-cable to the base of

APOLLO 2, and then connect two XLR cables to the two three-pin

connectors at the end of the Y-cable.

• Ensure that all input, output and EQ levels on your input device

(eg, mixer, interface, soundcard) are set to ZERO and phantom

power is switched OFF before connecting the male ends of the

two XLR cables to two ‘Mic In’ sockets on your device.

• Connect your input device to your computer and make

sure it is communicating with your DAW program, ensuring

that all up-to-date drivers have been downloaded.

• Turn on phantom power and adjust the levels as required

and you are now ready to go!

Plug the XLR cables into two

Mic Input sockets on your device and

then turn on 48V phantom power

Secure APOLLO 2

in its shockmount

and then set

in position

Use two XLR

cables to connect

APOLLO 2 to

your input device

(ﬁrst ensuring

that levels are

set to zero and

power is o)

Tighten the mic in

place by using this

threaded ring

Input device,

eg: interface, soundcard, mixer

HOW YOUR APOLLO 2 WORKS

SONTRONICS ribbon microphones feature an

extremely thin strip of corrugated aluminium

suspended between two powerful magnets. When

sound pressure reaches the ribbon, its subsequent

movement within the magnetic ﬁeld induces an

electrical current. This signal passes through a

custom-wound transformer and is then further

ampliﬁed by the internal preamp circuit.

The polar pattern of a ribbon microphone is naturally

ﬁgure-of-eight; the ribbon only picks up signal from

the front and rear and nothing at all from the sides.

Our ribbon mics (including SIGMA 2 & DELTA 2)

give a very intimate reproduction of sung vocals or

instruments, and are perfect for use in spaced stereo

recording applications where rejection of sound from

the o-axis positions is critical. A ﬁgure-of-eight mic

can also be used in combination with a cardioid mic

for mid-side stereo technique.

Ribbon mics have a very speciﬁc frequency

response, reproducing less high-frequency output

and capturing few ambient frequencies (‘less air’),

which leads to an authentic, natural-sounding result.

Traditional ribbon mics were renowned for having

extremely low sensitivity and required lots of gain to

boost the signal in the mix, sometimes resulting in

unwanted distortion and noise. However, SONTRONICS

ribbon mics include a 48V-powered preampliﬁed

circuit, resulting in much higher sensitivity and making

them more versatile and much easier to use than

traditional, unpowered predecessors.

SONTRONICS’new ribbon mics –SIGMA 2, DELTA 2

and APOLLO 2 – also uniquely feature RFI (radio

frequency interference) ﬁlters in their circuits, which

greatly reduce the possibility of the microphone

picking up radio signals, making them even more

suitable for using in a live or stage environment.

USING YOUR APOLLO 2

• Front & back: Each of APOLLO 2’s ribbon motors has a ﬁgure-of-eight pickup pattern and, as is usual for all

ribbon mics, you will notice slightly dierent tonal characteristics when recording from the front or from the

rear. This is quite normal and can actually be very useful.

• Stereo recording techniques: APOLLO 2 can be used for various recording techniques, most obviously for

overhead and room recording where you might otherwise use a condenser microphone with an omni pattern,

the dierence being that APOLLO 2 gently limits the high-frequency response and delivers a more natural,

intimate reproduction.

• Instrument miking: APOLLO 2 can also be used for closer-miking of instruments positioned either in its

normal X-Y position (the front of the mic, with the logo, facing the source) or in mid-side position, where the

mic is turned 45° so that one of the ribbons is facing the source and the other is facing left to right.

• Mono recording: You can use APOLLO 2 as a mono ribbon microphone by isolating one of the ribbon motors,

by connecting just one XLR cable to either the UPPER or LOWER connector on the supplied Y-cable.

• Frequency response: Ribbon microphones do not have an accentuated high-frequency response and this

can result in a very intimate recording when using on instruments.

• Suggested use: APOLLO 2 gives beautiful results as an overhead mic (either on its own or in a multiple-mic

arrangement), on orchestra, choir, instrument ensembles, church organ and drumkit. It also gives beautiful

results on grand or upright piano, harp, acoustic guitar, guitar amps, vocals, solo instruments (in stereo or

mono), and as a room or ambient mic in addition to any other multiple mic set-up.

PLACEMENT ADVICE

NB: Take care not to place APOLLO 2 too close to any loud source as the delicate ribbon elements can be

overloaded or damaged by high pressure levels. NEVER BLOW DIRECTLY INTO APOLLO 2!

APOLLO 2’s high sensitivity and open grille design allows it to be placed up to ﬁve or ten metres (15 to 32 feet)

or more away from the instrument(s) being recorded and yet it will still capture all the detail of the instruments

or voices as well as all the ambience of the space you are recording in. This makes APOLLO 2 perfect for

capturing the natural acoustics of any room, from a cathedral to a home studio.

When recording grand piano, we would advise that the lid is propped open securely at its fullest position and

for APOLLO 2 to be positioned just inside the lid, about halfway down the soundboard. The mic should be at

45° from upright, pointing towards the piano. You can also experiment with moving the microphone closer into

the soundboard right under the lid for an even more detailed and intimate sound.

If using the APOLLO 2 in mono mode for solo instruments or vocals, turn the mic 45° so that the ribbon you are

using is facing the source. When recording vocals or wind instruments, use a pop ﬁlter such as the SONTRONICS

ST-POP to protect the mic from air blast and moisture and to reduce plosives and sibilance.

IMPORTANT CARE & SAFETY INFORMATION

As with all sensitive electrical equipment, your APOLLO 2 microphone

should be treated with care and respect at all times. Here are a few tips

to help extend the life of your mic and keep it working at its best…

• When you’re not using your microphone, always keep it in its protective ﬂightcase.

• Keep your microphone away from moisture, liquid, naked ﬂame, direct heat or

powerful light sources, and take care to avoid any knocks or bumps. Do not

place hot or cold drinks near your microphone, in case of spillage or heat transfer.

• Avoid transferring the microphone from cold to warm environments as this can lead to condensation forming

inside, which will adversely aect its performance. Should condensation occur, leave the microphone to reach

room temperature before using it again.

• When recording vocals, ALWAYS use a popshield to help prolong the life of the ribbon element.

• Do not turn on phantom power before the mic is plugged in as this can lead to damage to the sensitive

components inside the microphone. Similarly, when you’ve ﬁnished using your mic, turn o the phantom

power BEFORE disconnecting the mic.

• Use a soft cloth to clean your microphone after use (especially when recording vocals or wind instruments).

Do not use any solvents, thinners, chemical cleaners or aerosols as they could cause damage to the mic body.

• Due to its mechanical nature, the ribbon element will naturally stretch over time (and the ribbon motor itself is not

covered by our warranty). If you notice the sound of your microphone becoming distorted or duller than usual,

• If subjected to sudden impact or a sudden loud sound source, the ribbon may break or disintegrate completely,

resulting in no signal at all. Please contact us to arrange for a new ribbon to be ﬁtted.

• Under no circumstances should you attempt to open or service the microphone yourself. There are no

user-serviceable parts to the microphone and it will invalidate your warranty and may result in danger to you

and to the mic. Contact us or your local stockist or distributor for advice and help if you need it.

• If your mic exhibits any unusual behaviour, noise, smell or smoke, STOP USING IT IMMEDIATELY, disconnect

it from any other device and contact us or your local stockist/distributor for advice as soon as possible.

All our microphones are designed and developed

here in the UK by SONTRONICS’ founder and designer

Trevor Coley. We spend a long time creating and

crafting our microphones with extreme care and

attention, and all our new models are beta-tested with

top artists, musicians and producers (including the

engineers at Abbey Road Studios) before they

go into production.

Each circuitboard is constructed using the highest

quality components to ensure that your microphone

delivers you many years of worry-free use.

The capsules in our condenser microphones are

diligently hand-made using gold-sputtered Mylar

ﬁlm which is no more than 6 microns thick (seven

times thinner than a human hair) and then artiﬁcially

pre-aged to ensure stability and to also give each

microphone its speciﬁc characteristics

Our ribbon microphones employ a microscopically

thin strip of corrugated aluminium ribbon and the

most powerful rare-earth magnets to achieve class-

leading sensitivity and audio reproduction. They are

built with British-made circuitboards, CNC-engineered

metal parts and precision-moulded grilles made from

British stainless steel mesh. The APOLLO 2 stereo

ribbon mic uses a top-quality Mogami® cable with

premium Neutrik® connectors.

SONTRONICS valve microphones (ARIA & MERCURY)

also employ UK-made circuitboards and utilise

hand-selected, European-made (or vintage British-

made), dual-triode vacuum tubes chosen for their

consistency in delivering a balanced frequency

response without over-colouring the original signal.

Our ribbon, dynamic and valve microphones are

hand-built in our UK headquarters, where our

experienced engineers put all of our mics through

several levels of quality control tests using specialist

laboratory equipment to ensure they meet (and

surpass) a series of strict performance targets.

In-depth audio tests are also carried out to ensure

each mic is working perfectly.

You can be sure that your microphone has been

lovingly crafted, expertly put through its paces,

stringently tested and hand-packaged so that you

can simply plug it in and start making professional-

quality recordings straight out of the box. We hope

you enjoy your microphone!

ABOUT OUR MICS

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