Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone

by Crown

Product Features

• Crown Sound-Grabber-II Conference Microphone

Product Details

• Item Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B0006FHBVU
• Item model number: 6000H50770
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,953 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Crown Sound Grabber II is a Pressure Zone Microphone for budget applications such as recording conferences and speeches. It works great with camcorders, picking up clearer sound than built-in microphones. Other uses include "no-fuss" music recording just place it on the floor near the musical ensemble.

Powered by a 1.5V AAA battery, the Sound Grabber II includes a permanently attached cable with a 1/8" phone plug. The microphone's unbalanced output connects directly to a miniature cassette recorder. A 1/4" phone-plug adapter is provided.

Technical Specifications

• Frequency response (typical): 50 Hz to 16 kHz
• Polar pattern: Hemispherical (half-omni) on a large surface.
• Impedance: 1600 ohms, unbalanced.
• Sensitivity: 20 mV/Pa (-54 fBV/Pa).
• Power sensitivity: --42 dBm.
• Cable: 10 foot with mini phone plug, 1/4" phone plug and micro phone plug adapters
• Power: One 1.5V AAA alkaline battery.

Product Description

The Crown Sound Grabber II is a Pressure Zone Microphone that works great with camcorders, picking up clearer sound than built-in microphones. Other uses include "no-fuss" music recording just place it on the floor near the musical ensemble. Because the PZM is placed on a flat surface, it doesn't suffer from comb-filtering issues that occur with spot or room miking when sounds bounce of walls, ceilings, or floors. Powered by a 1.5V AAA battery, the Sound Grabber II includes a permanently attached cable with a 1/8" phone plug. The microphone's unbalanced output connects directly to a miniature cassette recorder. A 1/4" phone-plug adapter is provided. The Crown Sound Grabber II is an updated version of the original Sound Grabber. It utilizes the same Pressure Zone Microphone technology in which sound waves reinforce themselves in the area nearest a flat surface, usually referred to as the “boundary.” Top recording engineers all over the world are using professional versions of the Crown PZM (Pressure Zone Microphone) to improve the quality of their recordings. The Sound Grabber II is one version of that technology, designed to meet the needs of the home or business recordist and bring the benefits of PZM technology within the reach of many more people. Because of this new technology, Sound Grabber II offers you the opportunity for vast improvement in the quality of your recordings. The Sound Grabber II will pick up sounds at distances you never thought possible with a clarity that other microphones, simply cannot match, due to the limitations of their construction. The Sound Grabber II does not need to follow the action, since it has a wide-angle pickup pattern. So long as the mic “sees” the sound, in whatever direction or angle, it will pick it up clearly; it does not need to be between you and the other person. Speakers or vocalists can move freely around the Sound Grabber II without their tone quality changing due to the effects of comb filt

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars WARNING: Plug incorrectly wired - once fixed, a good PZM mic, July 14, 2010

By 

I. Fetterley (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone

These mics work well once you remove the mini-phono plug and install another similar plug. The design problem is that the shield is NOT connected to the metal case (ground). Nor is it connected to either side in the mic itself. If you carefully cut the plug plastic away with a razor blade, you can see the problem, but the end solution is to just replace the plug. If you use it without rewiring, it will be OK in places that have low AC noise, but will hum in most real recording environments. Given the way the plug is built and that 2 out of the 2 I ordered were identical, I suspect ALL of these units have this problem.

I have read reviews on this unit in the past that say it is junk, and I suspect this wiring flaw has been around for the life of this device, hence why the poor professional reviews. Once rewired, it works well - still is a non-balanced cable and therefore in high noise-field environments, it will not compete with professional grade equipment, but for recording of choirs or wide-stage omni-directional uses, it works well. I use them for opera recordings on small stages with good results.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sound-Grabber-II Conference Microphone., August 4, 2006

By 

R. Peffers (MSU) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone

Excellent, fast service. The Sound-Grabber-II Conference Microphone is exactly what we needed for recording meetings. No problem transcribing. Can hear everything on the tape.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy!, September 6, 2008

By 

Rigby "LibraryLady" (Saint Charles, MO, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Crown Sound Grabber II PZM Condenser Microphone

We use this microphone for recording National Board teacher candidates and their classes. The sound is clear and the cord is long so you can move around a classroom easily. It's easy to use and does the job!