Sanken CS-3e Overview




In the Sanken CS-3e, three directional capsules are arranged in a front-back array to combine line microphone performance and second-order pressure gradient response in a single system. With this unique design, the CS-3e achieves phenomenal supercardioid directivity in the lowest frequencies and throughout the full range in a microphone 27cm (10 inches) in length. It is significant that the CS-3e picks up the targeted frontal sound sources with exceptional clarity over a wide frequency range – even in noisy ambient environments or in long reverberation spaces – by rejecting undesired noise and sounds coming from the rear and sides.

Background:

Conventional shotgun microphones use a line capsule array and a pipe with slits in front of the capsule to create high directivity by utilizing phase interference inside the casing. With this conventional design, high-directivity in the middle-low frequency range is not achieved, although high-directivity in the high frequency range is maintained. Conventional shotgun microphones are at a disadvantage because they invariably pick up unwanted sounds coming from the back and sides. In order to solve this problem, conventional shotgun microphones designed for high directivity in the middle-low frequencies require a length of more than one meter (39 inches) in length. However, long shotgun microphones seriously affect mobility and are not ideal for field recording.

Non-Proximity Effect:

When a conventional shotgun microphone is near the sound source, proximity effect results in a boosting of certain low frequencies and slight masking of others. This effect becomes more pronounced when the directionality becomes greater. By contrast, the CS-3e virtually eliminates the proximity effect and maintains sharp directivity, while the sonic characteristics do not change with varied distances between sources and microphone. This is a significant advantage over all other directional microphones.