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SE Electronics Gemini 5

Tube Condenser Microphone

The Gemini 5 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone with an innovative dual amplifier circuit, in which both tube and FET amplifiers are simultaneously operational. It is based on the popular Gemini/Gemini II platform, and shares a capsule and body styling with the earlier Gemini mics.

The tube circuit of the Gemini 5 has only a single vacuum tube; it uses a 12AX7, as does the amplifier stage of the Gemini II. Whereas the Gemini II uses a second tube (a 12AU7) on the output stage, the Gemini 5 uses an output transformer.

It is a unique characteristic of this microphone that both amplifier circuits are available simultaneously, via separate outputs on the power supply. There is no switch — rather, each output can be wired to its own input channel in the console or DAW and used together or independently.

The two amplifier circuits have identical frequency-response graphs, according to the sE Electronics website. We suspect this to be an error, although it is possible the FET circuit has been tuned to match the response of the tube amplifier.

Specifications for the two circuits differ:

	Tube	FET
Sensitivity	25.1 mV/Pa	31.6 mV/Pa
Self-Noise	18 dBA	16 dBA
Max SPL	130 dB	128 dB

The Gemini 5 is styled like the Gemini II, but is approximately 30% smaller.

The capsule in the Gemini 5, Gemini II, Gemini 3500, and the original Gemini are identical. It is a large-diaphragm, center-terminated design with a 27mm diaphragm.

The output transformer in the Gemini 5 is also used in the Gemini 3500.

The SE Electronics Gemini 5 is also known as: G5.

The mic was released in 2010.

Specifications

Frequency Response - Cardioid (tube circuit)Click Graph to Compare!
Frequency Response - Cardioid (FET circuit)Click Graph to Compare!

Pickup Patterns	Pads & Filters
Cardioid (25.1 mV/Pa; 30 - 20,000 Hz) Cardioid (31.6 mV/Pa; 30 - 20,000 Hz)

Capsule Dimensions	Impedance	SPL/Noise
Diaphragm diameter: 27mm	200 Ohms (Low)	Max SPL: 130 dB Self-noise: 18.0 dB(A)

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

Power Specifications
Includes tube power supply

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