Countryman Isomax 2 All-Purpose Microphone

Most miniature directional mics quietly become omnidirectional as the frequency drops, which is why a cardioid clip-on can still pick up the drummer behind it. The Isomax 2 does not: its patterns are frequency-independent, so a cardioid stays cardioid and a hypercardioid keeps its rejection into the low end. Combined with a 150 dB SPL overload point, that makes it a genuine all-purpose capsule for strings, winds, brass, and percussion, and for placement work where a mic has to reject the room as much as capture the source.

The capsule measures 8 by 16 by 4 mm excluding the strain relief and is offered in omnidirectional, cardioid, and hypercardioid patterns in standard or high gain. Output is 600 Ohms balanced and transformerless, tightly specified at plus or minus 2%, and it drives a load without distortion at full rated SPL. Powering is 6 V to 50 V phantom at 4 mA. Wireless configurations ship with a 5 ft cable and hardwired configurations with 10 ft, and Countryman's flute, saxophone and horn, guitar, and stage mounts cover the common instrument placements.