Shure BETA27 Instrument Microphone

General Description

The Shure Beta 27 is a studio-grade, side-address condenser microphone designed for professional sound reinforcement. It features a flat frequency response, low self-noise, and superior construction quality, ensuring precise performance in demanding environments. Its tight supercardioid polar pattern provides high gain before feedback, maximum sound isolation, and consistent off-axis rejection.

Features

• Supercardioid polar pattern targets the intended sound source with minimized bleed from off-axis sound sources.
• 1-inch, externally biased, ultra-thin, 2.5 μm, 24 Karat gold-layered, low-mass Mylar diaphragm for superior transient response.
• Class A, discrete, transformerless preamplifier for transparency, fast transient response, no crossover distortion, and minimal harmonic and intermodulation distortion.
• Premium electronic components and gold-plated internal and external connectors.
• Subsonic filter eliminates rumble from mechanical vibration below 17Hz.
• Switchable 15dB pad for handling extremely high sound pressure levels (SPLs).
• Three-position low-frequency filter switch reduces unwanted background noise or counteracts proximity effect.
• Integrated three-stage "pop" protection grille reduces plosives and other breath noise.
• Internal shock mount reduces handling and stand noise.

Performance Characteristics

• Low self-noise.
• Consistent, highly directional polar response.
• Exceptional low-frequency reproduction.
• Extremely high SPL handling.
• High output level.
• Extended frequency response.
• No crossover distortion.

Applications

• Electric guitar and bass amplifiers.
• Brass and woodwind instruments.
• Orchestras, choirs, and wind ensembles.
• Overhead miking of drums and percussion instruments.
• Close-miking of acoustic instruments such as piano, guitar, violins, drums, and percussion.
• Low-frequency instruments such as double bass and kick drum.
• Vocals and speech.

Avoiding Pickup of Unwanted Sound Sources

A supercardioid microphone has its greatest sound rejection at points 120° toward the rear. Position the microphone so that unwanted sound sources, such as monitors and loudspeakers, are at these angles, not directly behind it. To minimize feedback and ensure optimum rejection of unwanted sound, always test microphone placement before a performance.

Diagram Description: A diagram illustrating recommended loudspeaker locations for supercardioid microphones. It shows a microphone at the center (0°) with null points at 120° and 120° on either side, and rejection at 180° directly behind. A monitor is placed at one 120° point, and a P.A. loudspeaker at the other.

Stand Adapter

Thread the supplied stand adapter onto a floor or boom stand, then thread the microphone onto the adapter.

Note: To reduce low-frequency vibrations transmitted through the stand, use an isolating shock mount. Visit www.shure.com for more information.

Positioning the Microphone

The front of the microphone is marked by the Shure logo. Position this side toward the sound source.

Selecting Low-Frequency Response

A three-position switch on the back of the microphone adjusts the low-frequency response. Use the low-frequency filter to reduce wind noise, room noise, or proximity effect.

• Flat response: Provides the most natural sound in most applications.
• Low frequency cutoff: Provides an 18dB-per-octave cutoff at 80Hz. Helps eliminate floor rumble and low-frequency room noise from heating and air conditioning systems. This setting may also compensate for proximity effect or reduce low frequencies that make an instrument sound dull or muddy.
• Low frequency rolloff: Provides a 6dB-per-octave rolloff filter at 115Hz. Use this to compensate for proximity effect or to reduce low frequencies that could make an instrument sound dull or muddy.

Setting Attenuation

The attenuation switch reduces the signal level without altering the frequency response, preventing extremely loud sounds from overloading the microphone.

• 0dB: For "quiet" to "normal" sound levels.
• -15dB: For use with extremely loud sound sources such as drums, horns, or loud guitar cabinets.

Integral Pop Filter

The microphone grille consists of 3 separate mesh layers that act as an integral pop filter, helping to reduce wind and breath noise. An external pop-protection screen or windscreen may be necessary for close-miking vocalists, depending on the performer.

Load Impedance

Maximum SPL capability, output clipping level, and dynamic range vary with the input load impedance of the preamplifier. Shure recommends a minimum input load impedance of 1000 Ω. Most modern microphone preamplifiers meet this requirement, and higher impedance generally results in better performance.

Power Requirements

This microphone requires phantom power and performs best with a 48 Vdc supply (IEC-61938). It will operate with slightly decreased headroom and sensitivity with supplies as low as 11 Vdc. Most modern mixers provide phantom power. A balanced microphone cable (XLR-to-XLR) is required.

Specifications

Footnotes:

• [1] 1 Pa=94 dB SPL
• [2] S/N ratio is difference between 94 dB SPL and equivalent SPL of self noise, A-weighted.
• [3] THD of microphone preamplifier when applied input signal is equivalent to cartridge output at specified SPL.
• [4] All specifications measured with a 48 Vdc phantom power supply. The microphone operates at lower voltages, but with slightly decreased headroom and sensitivity.

Diagram Description: A graph labeled "Typical Frequency Response" shows decibels (dB) on the y-axis and frequency (Hz) on the x-axis, illustrating the microphone's frequency response curve from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

Diagram Description: A series of polar patterns labeled "Typical Polar Pattern" illustrate the microphone's directivity at different frequencies (250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2500 Hz, 6400 Hz, 10000 Hz), demonstrating the supercardioid pickup pattern.

Overall Dimensions

Diagram Description: A diagram showing the microphone's dimensions. The length is 156.2 mm (6.15 inches), and the diameter is 55.88 mm (2.20 inches).

Accessories

Furnished Accessories

• Black Mount/Swivel Adapter for BETA27, KSM27, KSM32 and KSM44 (Model: A32M)
• Padded, Zippered Carrying Bag for BETA27, SM27 (Model: A27ZB)

Optional Accessories

• Black Foam Windscreen for BETA27, KSM27, KSM32, KSM42, KSM44, KSM44A, PG27, PG42 and SM27 (Model: A32WS)
• Popper Stopper® Pop Filter with Metal Gooseneck and Microphone Stand Clamp (Model: PS-6)
• ShureLock® Rubber Isolated Shock Mount (Model: A27SM)

Certifications

CE Notice

Shure Incorporated declares that this product with CE Marking is in compliance with European Union requirements. The full text of the EU declaration of conformity is available at: https://www.shure.com/en-EU/support/declarations-of-conformity.

UKCA Notice

Shure Incorporated declares that this product with UKCA Marking is in compliance with UKCA requirements. The full text of the UK declaration of conformity is available at: https://www.shure.com/en-GB/support/declarations-of-conformity.