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Blue Microphones enCORE 100

Cardioid Dynamic Microphone

The en•CORE 100 is Blue’s entry-level stage dynamic microphone, designed for vocal and instrument reproduction.

The mic employs a proprietary moving-coil cartridge, designed by Blue to maximize clarity and detail. The capsule is shockmounted and weighted to reduce handling noise.

The published frequency-response graph shows -3dB points around 65Hz and 12kHz. The mic has a +6dB peak at 150Hz, slightly scooped mids, and a presence peak (+5dB) from 3–4kHz, with a smaller HF bump at 9–10kHz.

The mic’s cardioid polar pattern widens slightly toward omni at low frequencies, and tightens into hypercardioid at high frequencies.

It includes a “soft-grip” mic clip and a storage pouch.

GearWire

Vocals through [the enCORE 100] were big and full… Using the enCore 100 on a singer with a full band on the same stage demonstrated how well the mic’s cardioid polar-pattern rejects off-axis sound.

The enCore 100 requires a little more gain than an SM58 to get up over the music… The mic’s low-mids are solid, and slightly beefier than what you’d get from an SM58.

The enCore 100’s presence peak sounds like it is a bit higher than the SM58s, which helps with intelligibility. However, this can also give you an increase in sibilance.

ProAudioReview, 2010

I was immediately impressed with the clarity and smoothness of the 100, and compared it to other vocal mics that you might find in a typical concert arsenal. I was hugely impressed with the dexterity of the 100’s vocal warmth and definition.

MusicConnection, 2010-03

I tested the 100 and 200 against the venerable Shure SM57, Bob Heil’s PR20 and the Audix i5. Sonically both the 100 and 200 seemed close together with the 200 being slightly more open in the high frequencies. The Heil has a very ‘carved’ sound heavily weighted in the low frequencies while the i5 has less bass boost (than the Heil) and more treble boost. Both the 100 and 200 were good at rejecting off-axis sounds but not as well as the i5 — the best of the five tested here.

Permalink: Blue Microphones encore-100

The mic was released in 2009.

Specifications

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
CHART Cardioid (1.55 mV/Pa; 65 - 12,000 Hz)

Coil Diameter	Impedance	SPL/Noise
n/a	250 Ohms (Low)	Max SPL: 147 dB

Weight	Length	Max Diameter	Interface(s)
400g (14.11oz)	185mm (7.28'')	n/a	3-pin XLR male (1)

Power Specifications

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