Both of the newly added switches (for pad and low-cut filter, as mentioned above) are sideways-mounted, miniature toggle switches with their functions labelled on the metalwork. www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun04/articles/segemini.htm, www.soundonsound.com/sos/May03/articles/sez5600.asp, Win! The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. First Look: Pro Tools | Carbon. Use of the included shockmount, as well as a separate pop shield, is highly recommended. The diaphragm is gold-sputtered, 1.08'. The high presence boost helps keep some 'air' around the top end, but the subjective result is still smooth. Listed: 2 months ago: Condition: Good (Used) Good condition items function properly but may exhibit some wear and tear. Lighter on both the pocket and the wrist than the Gemini II, the Z5600a II is, again, an update of an earlier SE tube microphone, this time the Z5600a. Housed in a similarly chunky 80mm x 230mm body, the Gemini II again features dual tubes, this time a 12AX7 for the input stage and a further 12AU7 in the output stage; the latter takes over the role of the more usual transformer. As far as I can tell, this revision uses a similar 1.07-inch, gold-sputtered, centre-terminated, cardioid capsule to its predecessor, mounted inside a large, dual-layer mesh basket on a shock-absorbing support. In figure-of-eight mode, the sound is closer to what you'd expect from the cardioid pattern than the omni. The rotary pattern-control switch is located on the PSU alongside the eight-pin mic connector and the three-pin XLR balanced output feed. They have a wide range of affordable microphones, and that looks set to continue, but they also have some innovative design ideas that they can apply to more up-market products, and the Gemini II is clearly in that category. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents. The shockmount itself follows the familiar metal-cage construction, with fabric-covered elastic hoops supporting and isolating the inner section. The Gemini II is predictably weighty, so it would benefit from a substantial stand to avoid toppling. If you're looking for one stellar studio microphone that can … Because the presence peak is right up at 10kHz there's no tendency to over-emphasise the harsher upper-mid range, though singers wanting a slightly more rounded top end may want to try using the mic slightly off-axis to soften the tone. All contents copyright © SOS Publications Group and/or its licensors, 1985-2020. Microphone Specifications Its sensitivity is quoted as 12.6mV/Pa, and its self-noise, at 12dB A-weighted, is a significant improvement over the 16dB A-weighted managed by the original version. With nine polar patterns, the Z5600a II is ready to record absolutely anything.. It's unusual to find a transformerless tube mic such as the Gemini II, and the only other company I can think of that make one are CAD, whose less costly M9 employs solid-state output components in place of the second tube the Gemini uses at the output stage. It is a large diaphragm studio microphone with a variable pattern - 9 graded steps through 8 fixed points. Turning to the Z5600a II, If you're in the market for one of these the Rode K2 is also worth a look. However, the capsule has a broad presence peak rising towards 10kHz, so this isn't a dull-sounding tube mic. As I mentioned above, the transformerless design would appear to combine the most recognisable attributes of tube and solid-state microphones, providing the expected tube warmth and low-end weight but without losing the high-end sizzle, as can happen with 'tube plus transformer' designs. $585 + $30 Shipping. Gemini II £899 ; Z5600a II £449. Is there a 'right way up' to mount a mic? You may recall that the first Gemini mic used two dual-triode tubes, hence its impressive girth. 30-day modular deep dive/writing challenge, The All-New Behringer Keyboards 'n' Stuff Thread. Like its predecessor, the Gemini II boasts twin valves, one for the input stage and one for the output stage, which can clearly be seen through the mic's case. If you were thinking of buying a Gemini II as a main vocal mic for your own use, you'd need to make sure it suited the character of your voice, as you would with any microphone, but for anyone who already has one or two conventional solid-state and tube microphones the Gemini provides a distinctive tonal alternative and thus would be worth adding to a collection. The basket assembly rings slightly if you 'ping' it with your finger, but that doesn't seem to come across in the sound and it doesn't produce the low-end grumble, when handled, that the Gemini does. The Gemini II comes similarly packaged. The vast majority of tube mics have transformer-coupled outputs, due to the need to match the high impedance of the tube circuitry to the lower impedance associated with microphone signals, but that design can soften the high end to a noticeable extent. Prices include VAT. Tech Talk. Its maximum SPL for 0.5 percent THD@1000Hz is 135dB, some 5dB better than the Gemini I, and the output impedance is the same nominal 200Ω. SE Electronics Gemini II & Z5600a II Gemini: The Return. That's just what the Gemini aimed to do, and SE have now updated the concept with a new version, which I'm looking at here alongside another SE tube-mic update, the Z5600a II (first reviewed in SOS in May 2003; www.soundonsound.com/sos/May03/articles/sez5600.asp). The Z5600a II. The current range of SE tube mic PSUs feature a controlled power-up LED, which blinks for around 30 seconds to give the tubes a chance to warm up, but (as with tube mics in general) it's best to allow the whole mic to warm up for half an hour or more before using it, not only to get the circuitry to operating temperature but also to help drive off any condensation from around the capsule. At the bottom of the mic is an eight-pin connector for the cable that links the mic to the PSU, and the shoulder of the protruding XLR housing is threaded so that it secures to the shockmount's integral locking ring, allowing the mic to be operated at any angle, including fully inverted. It sounds great on everyone!”. The Z5600a II kit includes shockmount, power supply, cable and separate wooden microphone box, all inside a larger carry-case. Add to Cart. The electronics are tube-based. Improvements to the PSU and internal circuitry have lowered the self-noise to a creditable 12dB A-weighted, while the maximum SPL for 0.5 percent THD@1000Hz is now 135dB. The Z5600a II from sE Electronics is a large-diaphragm tube microphone that gives you a uniquely modern sound with a classic tube vibe. There are plenty of goodies that come with sE Electronic’s Z5600a II. In accordance with the laws of physics, both the cardioid and figure-of-eight modes exhibit a proximity effect that exaggerates the low end when used close up, which the omni mode does not. A switchable 10dB pad has been added to the new mic, along with a switchable low-cut filter, and the included PSU is SE's new updated design, with a chunky, brushed-aluminium case and improved electronics for lower noise. The Z5600a II sits at the more affordable end of the multi-pattern tube-mic market but delivers on both sound and build quality. Brand: sE Electronics; The Gemini II isn't a budget microphone — indeed, it costs more than some of the big-name European models, which may give you a hint as to the direction SE are taking for the future. I had some criticisms of the original Gemini's stand mount, as it was prone to working loose under the weight of the microphone, but this new version has a toothed pivot assembly that locks into place very firmly. Mastering Essentials Part 4 - Mastering EQ: Balance, Don’t Match. As I'd expected, the sound opens up more in omni mode, and although it's not as transparent as a single-diaphragm, dedicated omni model, the Z5600a II works well in omni mode for capturing room ambience or for close-miking acoustic guitars and other instruments. The Z5600a-II is the third-generation release of sE’s 5600 microphone, originally released as the Z5600 in 2003. Photo: SE Electronics / Mark EwingSE's original fixed-cardioid-pattern Gemini microphone (reviewed in SOS June 2004, www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun04/articles/segemini.htm) broke with tradition by offering tube technology in a transformerless circuit, resulting in a microphone that combined the warmth of a tube mic with the airy top end of a solid-state, transformerless model. Learn more. Are they worthy contenders for space in your mic locker? Good. This particular PSU features no controls other than a power switch, and aside from the IEC mains inlet there's just the eight-pin XLR to connect to the mic and a conventional three-pin balanced XLR output.
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