Beyer Dynamic of West Germany are one of the major European microphone manufacturers, with an extensive range of condenser and dynamic (both moving-coil and ribbon) models to cover most applications in the PA and recording field. Beyer offer a number of moving-coil designs in particular that are both versatile and competitively priced, including the M69 and M400 that are the subject of this month's review

M69N(C)


The M69N(C) is a hyper-cardioid mic intended mainly for recording studio applications, although its very rugged and surprisingly weighty construction should make it equally at home in more physically demanding environments. The body of the microphone is finished in a functional matt black, complemented by a chromed wire-mesh ball-end which has a rather flattened top. The slim, 1" diameter shaft houses a three-pin male XLR connector at its base, with the output being low impedance (nominally 200 ohms), and balanced (Pin 2 'hot', Pin 3 'cold', Pin 1 earth, in accordance with the European 'standard').

The M69 exhibits well controlled polar characteristics, with the specified hyper-cardioid pick-up pattern displaying the expected null points around 120 and 240 degrees, and the off-axis response apparently suffering no particularly harmful irregularities. This mic's tight directionality should be an asset in achieving good separation in close-miked work, and in effectively resisting feedback in live performance PA usage.

The M69's nominal frequency response is an unqualified 50 Hz to 16 kHz, but such figures are of no great significance in themselves, for in practice the actual curve is usefully 'tailored' in the upper midrange, whilst the bottom-end response is extensively modified by variations in the working distance. Most cardioid mics display this type of 'proximity effect' to some extent, and in the M69 close-up use results in about 10dB of boost at 100 Hz.

Clarity


At greater working distances, however, the response is rather more smooth, but it is also gently tilted, with 100 Hz being about 6dB down, and 5 kHz 6dB up, relative to 1 kHz. This imparts a subjectively pleasing impression of clarity and detail to the sound, with a well controlled low frequency area, and very little of the 'brittle' and harsh qualities often found in mics that have been tailored to give a presence boost. The M69 is able to sound pleasingly smooth and well balanced in a number of instrumental recording applications, although the lack of extension at both frequency extremes makes it less suited to the more demanding wide range sources such as piano, or drum kit overhead use.

Hand-held vocals displayed good articulation and a pleasant warmth, but handling noise, although not excessive, seemed to contain rather a high degree of HF content for this type of mic. Some 'popping' was evident on explosive breath sounds when used close up, and I would recommend the use of Beyer's optional accessory popscreen (PS88) for the recording of vocals with this mic. An alternative version of this model is available, designated M69N(C)2, which features a built-in 'voice-music' switch, offering a low frequency roll-off effect of 12dB at 50 Hz to counteract the proximity effect if desired.

Sensitivity


The M69 possessed reasonable sensitivity for a moving-coil model; microphone sensitivity is quoted in a number of different ways, sometimes making comparison between different manufacturers' specification rather difficult without knowledge of the necessary calculations. However, I always employ the common method of specifying the output voltage, in millivolts, produced by a reference sound level of 74dB SPL (roughly equivalent to the level of conversational speech at a distance of about eight inches). This produces a figure for the M69 of 0.23mV (equivalent to -73dBV). For comparison, some previously reviewed moving-coil models include the Sennheiser MD441 at 0.18mV (-75dBV) and AKG's D202 at 0.16mV (-76dBV), whereas a typical condenser mic will offer a much higher sensitivity, with a figure in the region of 1.0mV (-60dBV). The Beyer M69 certainly has a healthy enough output level for the type of task to which it is suited however, as this consists mainly of close-miked applications.
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