User Manual

SATURN USER GUIDE

GETTING THE MOST FROM

YOUR SONTRONICS SATURN

• Getting started: Connect your XLR cable to your preamp or mixing console

then turn on the phantom power. SATURN will only operate with phantom power.

Next, adjust the gain to the required level and you are ready to go!

• Pickup patterns: SATURN has multiple pickup or polar patterns. By moving the

selector wheel left or right, you can select any of the FIVE patterns (see below), and

whichever pattern you have chosen will be indicated by the blue LED above the icon.

> OMNIDIRECTIONAL receives sound pressure equally from all directions. This pattern is useful for accurately

recording ambient or room sounds. It is also useful for producing a natural-sounding stereo recording.

> SUBCARDIOID combines an extended low frequency response (compared to cardioid) with the wider

off-axis side response of omnidirectional to produce a ‘warmer’ tone.

> CARDIOID receives greater sound pressure from the front, less at the sides and provides strong rejection

from the rear. Microphones with this pattern are referred to as ‘pressure-gradient’ and will exhibit stronger

low frequencies the closer you get to the capsule. This phenomenon is called the ‘proximity effect’ and can

be used creatively in the recording process. Read more about it on the ADVICE page at www.sontronics.com

> HYPERCARDIOID receives similar sound pressure to cardioid but the pickup is ‘squeezed’ to produce a

more narrow and focused pattern, with a small pickup at the rear of the microphone.

> FIGURE-OF-EIGHT is a bi-directional pickup, receiving sound pressure at the front and rear but reducing to

full rejection at both sides. This pattern can be used to record a voice or an instrument with added room

ambience since sound also arrives at the rear of the microphone, 180° out of phase to the front. Effective

results of simultaneously recording two voices or instruments can also be achieved if each musician is

placed opposite the other, to the front and rear of the mic. Stereo recording formats such as X/Y (Blumlein)

and MS can be achieved when combining SATURN with another gure-of-eight or cardioid microphone.

• High-pass lter switch: SATURN has two high-pass lters. The 75Hz position lters out frequencies below

75Hz in a 12dB/octave slope. This can be useful for removing ‘rumble’ and ambient low frequencies if you’re

recording in a location that is not acoustically isolated from such sounds. The 125Hz position lters out

frequencies below 125Hz in a 12dB/octave slope. This can be used effectively when recording acoustic guitars

by helping to remove the ‘boominess’ and provide a more focused reproduction.

• Attenuation (pad) switch: SATURN has two attenuation or pad positions to help reduce overloading of the

internal circuit when using the mic to capture sources with high SPLs (Sound Pressure Levels). Depending on

the source, when necessary, select -10dB or -20dB. Read more on the ADVICE page at www.sontronics.com

• Applications: SATURN has been developed to provide outstanding results in all mono and stereo recording

applications, for example, male and female vocals, spoken word, acoustic and amplied instruments, drums

and percussion, brass, woodwind and ambient/room recording. Of course, if you nd SATURN produces great

results on any other instruments or sources, please let us know!

Find out more about the full range of SONTRONICS microphones and audio products

and activate SATURN’s Lifetime Warranty at www.sontronics.com

BRITISH DESIGN • WORLD CLASS