Nady Systems CBM 40 User Manual

CBM 40

Condenser Boundary Microphone

USER GUIDE

Thanks for purchasing the Nady CBM 40 Boundary

Microphone! This microphone is a wide-range back

electret condenser with a cardioid polar pattern. It

is very useful in a variety of surface-mounted

applications such as high quality sound

reinforcement, professional recording, and many

other demanding sound pickup situations. The

microphone is designed to be powered by an

external 9-52 V DC phantom power supply and is

enclosed in a heavy-duty die cast case on rubber

padding to minimize mechanical coupling of

surface vibrations to the microphone. 

UNPACKING, INSPECTION, STORAGE AND TRANSPORT

Your CBM 40 microphone was carefully packed at the factory, and the shipping carton was designed to protect the unit during

shipping. Please examine your microphone before using and retain the external shipping package for reuse should you ever need to

return your microphone for servicing.

• The microphone should never be dropped or subjected to extreme shock. Store only in a padded case to protect it during transport.

• Keep the microphone away from extremely high temperatures (above 140˚F or 60˚C) and humidity. Avoid leaving the microphone in

direct sunlight for long periods of time.

• When using the microphone outdoors, avoid getting it wet.

• After use in a high-moisture application such as a stage performance, wipe off the microphone with a dry cloth and permit it to air dry.

Do not store the unit in a closed space (e.g., a plastic bag) until all moisture has evaporated.

PRECAUTIONS AND CARE OF YOUR CBM 40

USING YOUR CBM 40

The CBM 40 can be used with any standard mixer, powered mixer/amplifier, or mic preamp which provides 9-52V phantom power. The

optional Nady 48V SMPS-1 Phantom Power Supply can also be used if your mixer doesn't supply phantom power.  Connect the

supplied mini-XLR to XLR cable directly to your equipment, or use an XLR to XLR balanced low impedance cable as an extension if

needed. 

The CBM 40 should be placed on a sturdy flat surface and aimed at the sound source. Experiment with your mic and you will find it to

be a useful tool in many applications. Although designed primarily for high quality far field pickup of audio, such as for use with choirs

and stage plays, the Nady CBM 40 can also be used in many creative applications. For example, wrapped in a blanket to deaden

vibrations, it is a very effective kick drum mic when placed inside the kick drum.

Be aware of the proximity effect (an increase in bass response) when the mic is placed close to the instrument.  This may or may not

be desirable.  Experimenting with the position of the mic with respect to the audio source will ensure the optimum results you are

seeking in any given application.  

If the microphone is placed too near a speaker during live stage use, an unpleasant howling effect (acoustic feedback) may occur.

Although all microphones are prone to feedback to some extent, those with a unidirectional polar pattern (such as the CBM 40) are

specially designed to accept only signals from audio sources in front of the mic element.  Thus, the half cardioid pattern of the CBM 40

ensures that it will deliver only the desired audio in front of the mic, rejecting the unwanted audio from the rear, even in noisy ambient

conditions with high sound pressure levels from the P.A. and monitor speakers.  This means that feedback will be greatly minimized

with the CBM 40 in all live performance miking applications. Of course, when using this mic in far field audio pickup applications, extra

care must be taken to lessen feedback.

Some useful ways in which to totally eliminate annoying feedback include: experimenting with mic positions with respect to the

speakers, decreasing speaker volume (whenever possible), and adjusting the equalization of the mic audio with the mixer.