Congratulations on your purchase of the BLUE Kiwi, a pre- mium large-diaphragm, multi-pattern condenser microphone made the old-fashioned way, without compromise. The Kiwi is a precision recording tool, combining the low noise and superb transient response of top-grade modern electronics with the crisp, airy high end magic of legendary vintage vocal mics. Among solid state microphones, the Kiwi is utterly unique; not only because of its size and styling, but also by virtue of its unprecedented range of nine different pickup patterns.
In omnidirectional and figure of eight patterns, or at a dis- tance, this microphone delivers every nuance in the room, with finely focused resolution and clear, musical frequency response out to the extremes of the audible spectrum. In its cardioid patterns the Kiwi excels at delivering a vocal or solo track right to the front of the mix where it belongs, with detailed highs, smooth midrange, and minimized proximity effect (a bass boost inherent in all unidirectional mics).
At the heart of the Kiwi is a multi-pattern variation of the BLUE B6 Bottle microphone capsule. To provide matched response throughout the range of pickup patterns, two single backplate, large diaphragm capsules are acoustically matched, and then measured in our anechoic chamber for optimum performance. The end result is a hand-crafted dual backplate capsule, tuned to deliver a larger-than-life sound with exten- sion in the lower and upper frequencies. Though designed primarily to achieve a world-class contemporary vocal sound, this capsule can be utilized to add a glossy, produced sheen to saxophone, piano, electric guitar, and other lead instruments. It also has extreme presence and “grab” at distances of three feet or more for distant acoustic guitar recording, ambient percussion miking, and unconventional vocal treatments.
The microphone’s electronics are Class A discreet, with trans- formerless output. In plain English, this means that the sound which arrives at the diaphragm is transduced (converted to electrical energy) as accurately as possible, allowing the user to get the maximum benefit out of the multi-pattern capsule created by BLUE. To this end, the Kiwi utilizes hand-selected electronic components of the highest quality (such as expen- sive metal-film resistors), and there are no integrated circuits (a.k.a. “IC’s”), pads or low-cut filter switches in the signal path.
In order to familiarize yourself with the specialized and unique features of the Kiwi microphone and accessories, please take the time to read this manual, and be sure to try the suggested recording tips.
Getting Started
The Kiwi system includes BLUE’s “The Shock” suspension mount, along with a padded, heirloom-quality wooden box which houses the microphone. “The Shock” is a vintage-style sus- pension mount designed to isolate the Kiwi microphone body from low frequency vibrations when mounted on a stand. To fit the Kiwi into this assembly, first open the wire latches on the upper and lower circular padded bands situated inside the shock mount frame. Then simply slide the Kiwi into the bands, make sure that the pattern selector switch is accessi- ble, and close the wire latches to tighten the bands around the microphone. The angle of the mount assembly can be swiveled and adjusted with the large thumbscrew, which will normally be positioned at the rear of the mic.
The Shock
Once you have the Kiwi secured in the Shock, you may find it easiest to attach the assembly to a stand by 1) loosening the boom stand arm or threaded end of the mic stand, 2) grasping the mount assembly in one hand, and 3) screwing the mic stand threads into the mount, without over-tightening. This procedure will eliminate any possibility of damage to the mic. NOTE: Forceful positioning of The Shock without loosening of the thumbscrew can result in damage not covered by warranty.
In order to get the most out of this, or any quality microphone, it is essential to pair it with a good microphone pre-amplifier. Most professional recordists prefer to have outboard preamps on hand, and will choose solid-state or vacuum tube models based on their unique characteristics. To maintain the integrity of your signal, use the BLUE Kiwi mic cable to connect the Kiwi to a mic preamp. Whenever possible, connect the mic preamp output directly to your recorder or A/D converter, by- passing the mixing board and any unnecessary components.
The Kiwi requires 48 volt phantom power, which is provided by most mic preamps, mixing consoles, or separate phantom power supplies. It is important to note that some units, though rated at 48 volts, may supply insufficient or unstable phan- tom power, which can result in distortion and/or degraded performance when used with the Kiwi.
To avoid damage to audio components when connecting phantom power, follow this simple procedure: 1) turn down the mic pre- amp gain, headphones, and your studio monitors, 2) connect microphone cable to the Kiwi and microphone input jack, 3) turn on phantom power, 4) turn up the mic preamp gain, etc. To disconnect or re-route the Kiwi, 1) turn down the mic preamp gain, headphones, and your studio monitors, 2) turn off phan- tom power and wait 10 seconds before disconnecting the mic.
To secure the delicate capsule during transport and shipping, three brass set screws are provided. These screws should be
