recordinghacks

Mojave Audio MA-301 FET

Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone

The MA-301 FET is a solid-state version of the MA-300 tube mic. It could also be considered to be the multipattern version of the MA-201 FET. In keeping with the rest of the Mojave family of large-diaphragm mics, it uses a K67-style capsule and transformer-coupled output circuit.

The capsule is a 32mm (O.D.) model, with 26mm diaphragms made of 3-micron Mylar. The same capsule can be found in the other large-diaphragm Mojave mics.

The 301 includes a capacitative pad (-15dB) and a high-pass filter (-6dB/octave @ 100Hz). These features are not found on the two Cardioid LDCs from Mojave (MA-200, MA-201 FET); they were introduced on the MA-300 in late 2010. The switches for these features are located on the rear side of the MA-301 FET body, below the headbasket.

The pad, filter, and pattern switches add a significant amount of circuitry to the microphone, as compared to the minimalist approach of the MA201 Fet. The 301 also has a DC converter, which raises the polarization voltage to 55-60 V, and makes it somewhat easier to produce a figure-8 polar pattern with the mic’s 3-wire capsule. (See the Neumann U87 profile for more discussion of the use of K67 vs K87 capsules types in figure-8 microphones.)

The mic’s output transformer is from Jensen; the same model transformer is used in several of the other large-diaphragm Mojave microphones.

A small toggle switch located on the front of the microphone body provides selection of Cardioid, Omnidirectional, or Figure-8 polar patterns.

The mic was introduced at Winter NAMM 2012 in Anaheim, CA, and began shipping in early 2012.

The Mojave Audio MA-301 FET is also known as: MA301.

The mic was released in 2012.

Specifications

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
Omnidirectional (9.4 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) Cardioid (9.4 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) Bidirectional (9.4 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz)	Pad: -15dB (Via Switch) Filter: HPF: -6dB/octave @ 100Hz (Via Switch)

Capsule Dimensions	Impedance	SPL/Noise
Diaphragm diameter: 26mm Capsule diameter: 32mm Diaphragm gauge: 3 microns	550 Ohms (Low)	Max SPL: 134 dB Self-noise: 16.0 dB(A)

Weight	Length	Max Diameter	Interface(s)
450g (15.87oz)	194mm (7.64'')	51mm (2.01'')	3-pin XLR male (1)

Power Specifications
Requires phantom power

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