Sontronics ORPHEUS Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone

ORPHEUS is Sontronics' three-pattern condenser, switching between cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-of-eight. Its unusual feature is the gain switch: as well as the expected -10 dB cut it offers a +10 dB boost, which is a real answer to a quiet source into a preamp that gets noisy at high gain. Sensitivity is already 30 mV/Pa with self-noise under 13 dBA, so the boost position gives you headroom to work with rather than hiss.

Response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz with a 130 dB ceiling and impedance under 200 Ohms. Output is 3-pin XLR on 48 V phantom. The body measures 204 x 86 x 86 mm and weighs 0.9 kg, heavy enough that the supplied angled stand mount matters. It ships in a wooden box with that mount.