Frequently Asked Questions

 Most significant difference is that the Fat Top II comes standard, fitted with an upgraded Lundahl 2913. Introducing the upgraded Lundahl to the already quality hardware makes for an extended frequency range. This gives the mic improved definition, lower floor & higher ceiling. In addition, the body diameter is larger and longer in leng

Yes, the signal path from the ribbon is wired so that it only flows one way (out) via the transformer.

Connect your XLR microphone cable to a pre-amp with matching PIN-OUTS. The PIN-OUT configuration listed below is the industry standard for microphones, XLR cables and processing hardware.

Balanced Male/Female XLR PIN-OUT 

configuration:

PIN 2 – Hot/Positive/High

PIN 3 – Cold/Negative/Low

PIN 1 – Ground

CAUTION:

Use of Patch Bay: Disengage the Phantom Power prior to making an insert/patch. 

The stock tranny sounds very good, but the custom winding and core material used in the Lundahl and Cinemag transformers do offer improved definition along with extended low and top end frequencies. 

The short single ribbon offers that fastest response and is well suited for guitar cabinets, drum overheads and room mics. The long ribbon offers extended low and top end frequencies and work good with acoustic guitars and vocals. Overall, ribbon microphones are very forgiving and will work well with just about anything you put in front of it.

Pinnacle ribbon mics are dynamic passive microphones with no active electronics (excluding the active/passive mic). A typical microphone has a built in bottom and top end, so EQ is normally not needed. The ability to use EQ in conjunction with a microphone enables you to dial in the microphones to suit your room and subject.

SPL rating on Pinnacle ribbons is 135dB.

Yes, air-pressure is the number on cause of ribbon failure (stretched ribbon). Be careful not to subject the ribbon to any source that will cause the ribbon to stretch. When in doubt, use a pop-filter.

The most striking symptom is that the microphone sounds dull with loss of low and high frequency range. You can also check the microphone by slowly moving it back and forth (similar to a pendulum on a clock). You will hear the ribbon swishing past the magnets. 

 Click here to go to repairs and upgrades.

If you find that your Pinnacle microphone is out of phase with another microphone, simply turn the microphone around and operate from the other side. Pinnacle microphones house a hand-tuned element that incorporates the legendary symmetrical ribbon design. The design offers a true figure-8 pattern. The corrugated aluminum membrane itself is positioned in the center from front to back, thus producing a balanced audio input signal from both sides to the ribbon assembly. 

It is suggested that it is always bet that the ribbon itself be pointed in a vertical position. Always in a dry place and not susceptible to air puffs.

The back side of the microphone is out-of-phase, you will need to switch the phase on the pre-amp to achieve the same voicing. 

Yes, click hereto go to repairs and upgrades.

If the Volt has a low Z mic inputs no need for a pre-amp unless your having to run the interface volume too high and introducing noise into the DAW. If you find that you are running your interface volume too high for comfort, you can use a device like Cloud Lifter. Run the mic cable into the Cloud Lifter and then into the interface. He knows a lot of folks that use Cloud Lifter and are happy with that set up. 

Sequential serial numbers are not an indication of a matched pair. Sound and output level would determine this. Stereo pairs are built and assembled by our technicians. The exterior sleeve put on the microphone for serial number tracking does not indicate if they are a matched pair.