Sontronics MERCURY Variable-Pattern Valve Condenser Microphone

MERCURY is Sontronics' flagship valve microphone, and its pattern control is not a five-position switch: it sweeps continuously from omnidirectional through cardioid to figure-of-eight and every point between. That is a tuning control for the room as much as for the source. Open it toward omni to bring the space in on a piano, close it toward cardioid to shut the space out on a vocal, without moving the stand.

A European 12AT7/ECC81 valve sits behind the capsule. Sensitivity is 20 mV/Pa, self-noise under 14 dBA, maximum SPL 125 dB, response 20 Hz to 20 kHz. A -10 dB pad and a 75 Hz filter are on the body. The mic runs from the included SPS-2 supply over an 8-pin cable, so phantom power is not needed; this is the 115 V US configuration. It ships in an aluminium flight case with a wooden mic box, shock mount, supply, 8-pin cable and mains lead.

Microphone type	Variable-pattern valve/tube condenser
Polar pattern	Continuously sweepable, omni through cardioid to figure-of-eight
Valve	European-made 12AT7/ECC81
Frequency response	20 Hz to 20 kHz
Sensitivity	20 mV/Pa
Impedance	200 Ohms or less
Max SPL	125 dB (0.5% THD at 1 kHz)
Equivalent noise level	under 14 dB (A-weighted)
Pad / filter	0 dB, -10 dB pad; linear or 75 Hz filter
Power	115 V SPS-2 power supply included; phantom power not required
Dimensions	250 x 90 x 80 mm
Included	Microphone, wooden box, shock mount, power supply, 8-pin cable, power lead, aluminium flight case
Order Code	STMERCURY-US-U