Conference napalm::commusic_v1

2841.0. "C-ducer Drum Wizard" by COMET::BELLMJ (The ImperialStar) Mon Feb 10 1992 20:25

Way back in October of 1989 there was a review of an electronic unit called the
C-ducer Drum Wizard, by C-T Audio Marketing, in Modern Drummer.  It was a 
double space rack module that served three purposes:  It was an eight channel
mixer, an eight channel trigger-to-MIDI converter and it also passed all the
"refined" trigger signals out to allow for analog (pre MIDI) external unit
triggering.  Basically, it sounded a lot like some Simmons unit that does the
same thing...namely it mixed your real drum sounds, but also channeled the
mics into a MIDI converter.  Anton Fig (Late Night) uses the Simmons one.

Well, I suppose I started a base note for discussion about this particular unit
(it surprises me that it is completely devoid of entries in this conference) 
but I really wanted to talk about the microphones that come with this C-ducer.

As a matter of fact, that's why they called it what they did:  it uses
capacitance transducer microphones.  They're flat tapes that one mounts within
the drum, and because of the nature of capacitance transducing (?), they are
fairly free of crosstalk.  This is because "they sense mechanical vibrations
internally rather than reacting to vibrations in the air."  They also say they
are immune to feedback (which sounds viable).

But the thing is, the reviewer claims the frequency response is 20Hz-22kHz
with a THD of <0.05%...and he loved the way they sounded.  He compared them
to "a moderately expensive (around $150) dynamic mic'" and said that the
C-ducer's won.  He said it was easier to get "a full tone, plenty of resonance,
and a good solid attack."

Which brings me to my point.  Do capacitance transducer microphones deliver the
same kind of signal as a dynamic mic?  In other words, if I could get a hold
of the company and say "I want some of those mic's" can I just plug 'em into
my favorite mixer?  Or is the signal different and I would have to change it
over to use regular equipment?

I'm real interested in the way these things hook up and the vaporspec's, and
if there's a way, I'd like to try one.

Mike
    
    (cross posted in DRUMS)

    I vaguely recall reading a review of these mics sometime in the last
    year or two, and vaguely recall that the review was at least positive,
    if not a rave.  Let me see if I can track down the source.
    
    len.