recordinghacks

Blue Microphones Reactor

Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone

The Reactor is a multipattern large-diaphragm condenser microphone with a unique and visually distinctive design.

The large-diaphragm capsule is based on Blue’s B6 capsule. The B6 is a center-terminated 34mm (outside diameter) capsule with dual 6-micron Mylar diaphragms. For use in the Reactor, the capsule design has been simplified, although details have not been released.

The capsule head swivels up to 90° to facilitate positioning.

The provides three selectable polar patterns: Cardioid, Omnidirectional, and Figure-of-8. Unusually, the pattern switch is noiseless, suggesting that the mic’s circuitry slowly ramps up the polarization voltage to the rear diaphragm when the mic is switched from Cardioid to either Omni or Fig-8.

The pattern switch is incorporated into the center of the microphone body. The selected pattern is indicated by a backlit symbol behind a magnifying lens.

The mic’s self-noise is very low, at 9.3dBA, making the Reactor suitable for quiet acoustic sources and ambient miking.

The Reactor includes a shockmount, pop filter, and storage case.

It is scheduled to ship in the Spring of 2011.

We will update this profile with fuller specifications once they become available.

Electronic Musician, 2011-10

Reactor is warm when you want it, with an airy top end that leads to incredibly clear reproduction of virtually any sound source. I rarely found a need to dial in additional EQ, choosing instead to work the polar patterns and make use of the swiveling head.

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The mic was released in 2011.

Specifications

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
Omnidirectional (19 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) Cardioid (19 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz) Bidirectional (19 mV/Pa; 20 - 20,000 Hz)

Capsule Dimensions	Impedance	SPL/Noise
Capsule diameter: 34mm Diaphragm gauge: 6 microns	50 Ohms (Low)	Max SPL: 135 dB Self-noise: 9.3 dB(A)

Weight	Length	Max Diameter	Interface(s)
n/a	n/a	n/a	3-pin XLR male (1)

Power Specifications
Requires phantom power Phantom voltage: 48v

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