SONY

From the C-800G &
C-100 audio heritage,
Sony introduce the microphone for Home Studio, C-80

C-80 is unidirectional condenser microphone that can be used for a variety of recording situations in a home studio, including recording vocals/voice and acoustic instruments such as guitar/piano.

C-80

Based on the microphone capsule of the C-100 and using the same diaphragm material with the C-800G, C-80 has a peak characteristic around 13 kHz, making vocal/voice presence stand out among other instrument sounds. It features a strong presence and rich reproduction of low and mid frequencies.

Dual diaphragms reduce the proximity effect. Natural vocal and voice recording is possible even when vocalization is made at a position close to the microphone. In addition, a low-cut filter to eliminate unwanted low-frequency noise and a pad switch function to minimize distortion caused by excessive input sound are equipped for recording in a home studio.

Environments where C-80 come to life

Vocal

Tight and rich mid-range capture provides a vocal sound with a clear core and presence, allowing vocals to stand out even when mixed with other instrumental sounds. The high frequency range with a sense of loss reproduces even the finest nuances, such as delicate breathing. The overall straightforward and natural sound does not require complex post-processing.

Instruments

In recordings of acoustic guitars and pianos, the characteristics of the instruments, such as the scrape of guitar strings and the resonance of the body, are realistically reproduced with a firm, extended low-end and natural overall balance. The dynamic and dense sound also brings the instruments closer to the listener.

Voice

Natural and clear voice recording is achieved by suppressing boomy low frequency and noise when vocalization is made close to the microphone. The forward-focused directional characteristics and low-cut filter prevent the microphone from picking up ambient and low-frequency noise, making it suitable for live broadcasts.

Technology

Capsule of C-80

Following the microphone capsule for the C-100, which has an established reputation for high sound quality, a new microphone capsule for the C-80 has been developed.

The acoustic impedance of the back plate has been reduced to achieve higher sensitivity. Insulation structure material made of high-strength, high-insulation polyetherimide (PEI) with high-precision resin machining is used for the capsule case and back electrode, and brass with high-precision machining is used for the capsule case and back electrode. The diaphragm membrane is coated with 24-karat gold vapor deposition. By assembling and processing these materials with high precision, a high-precision, high-purity, low-distortion sound is realized.

On the back of the capsule, an "acoustic shifting circuit" is employed to adjust not only the sound quality collected from the surface but also the sound quality collected from the rear side to achieve a unidirectional characteristic.

In addition, a diaphragm is also placed on the rear side to suppress the proximity effect (dual diaphragm structure).

Exploded view. There is a backside diaphragm and an Acoustic Phase Shifting Circuit in front of it
  • (1) Microphone case: High specific gravity zinc die-cast is used to ensure anti-vibration and vibration damping properties.
  • (2) Mesh: The same material as that used for C-100 was selected because it affects the extension of high frequency range and sound damping.
  • (3) Sleeve: High specific gravity zinc die-cast is used to ensure anti-vibration and vibration damping properties.
  • (4) Reflector: To minimize the influence of unwanted reflected waves on sound quality, a material with low intrinsic sound and habitual characteristics was selected.
  • (5) Shock damper: A shock damper with rubber sandwiched between metal pillars is used, following the anti-vibration structure of the C-800G. The shock damper achieves a core sound quality while ensuring vibration isolation.
  • Film capacitors are used for the signal line capacitors to improve the transparency and clarity of the sound quality.
  • High-precision metal film resistors are used for signal line resistors.
  • The output terminals are XLR-3-12C type with gold-plated contacts.
  • Low-cut filter and pad switch function