Pearl Microphone Labs ELM-A Large-Diaphragm 180-Degree Linear Stereo Condenser Microphone with Dual Outputs

The ELM-A from Pearl Microphones Labs is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone with a continuously variable polar pattern designed for professional studio recording. At the heart of the ELM-A lies the rubber-fitted ELM capsule, a unique 7:1 rectangular condenser capsule that offers an extremely smooth off-axis response, detailed sound capture, and very-low self noise. This iteration of the ELM series provides dual outputs, one for each side of the capsule, allowing for seamless polar pattern changes in postproduction and giving engineers a powerful tool for fine-tuning critical mixes.

The 7:1 length/width ratio of the capsule means that the polar pattern of the capsule functions like a standard cardioid in the horizontal plane, while vastly reducing the high frequencies, arriving from the vertical plane above and below the mic, a property that can be extremely useful for minimizing unwanted reflections from the floor and ceiling, providing the audio engineer with a valuable tool to handle poor room acoustics and challenging acoustical environments. This unusually narrow horizontal plane makes the ELM-A an excellent choice for choirs, drum overheads, vocals, instruments, string orchestras, symphonies, and ensembles. The transformerless circuitry yields crisp, detailed, and nuanced reproduction of sources with a self noise of only 11 dBA.

The ELM-A is excellent for stereo mic configurations and is also sold as a matched stereo pair. The capsule requires 48V phantom power, and the ELM-A includes a rubber shockmount and wooden case. The mic features a 5-pin XLR connector. Please note that a 5-pin to dual 3-pin XLR breakout cable is required but not included.

Continuously Variable Polar Pattern in Post

• Recording the mic's outputs onto two channels provides complete control over the polar pattern while mixing. Use only the front-capsule output for a standard cardioid pattern, while dialing in the rear capsule gives you an omnidirectional pickup. For a figure-of-eight response with a good rejection of 90° off-axis sounds, flip the polarity of the rear capsule.
• This also means that the ELM-A can act as a 180-degree stereo microphone and that it can be used for several stereo configurations, such as M-S or Blumlein, when combined with an additional microphone.