ANGRY AUDIO P-N 991042 Mic Drop Gizmo User Guide
- May 15, 2024
- Angry Audio
Table of Contents
USER GUIDE Mic Drop Gizmo
P/N 991042
Revision 2.0
Welcome!
Welcome to the world of Angry Audio, home of the audio Gadgets and
Gizmos.
The future we were all promised has, at least as of this writing, failed to
manifest itself. There are no flying cars. Jetpacks never took off (see what
we did there?). And tragically, we have no robotic housekeepers in mid-century
maid outfits picking up after us and cracking wise in a Brooklyn accent.
The audio world, on the other hand, has advanced quickly, as one look at a
modern broadcast studio will reveal. Technology has opened up creative
possibilities that would have been impossible just a few years ago. What
hasn’t changed is the importance of getting the basics right and sweating the
details. A good studio is built by including components that make it a
convenient and enjoyable place to create the content that dazzles your
listeners, drives traffic to your advertisers, and lets you hang onto your ski
boat for another summer.
Accordingly, every audio Gadget and Gizmo – including this Mic Drop Gizmo – is
designed to solve common yet critical problems, and is meticulously engineered
with performance and longevity in mind to deliver pristine audio and reliable
performance for many years.
Our promise and guarantee.
In a recent survey, ten out of three people loved their Mic Drop Gizmo and we
think you will too. That’s why we give you 30 days to bond with your Gizmo. If
you find you have irreconcilable differences, we’ll buy it back.
Every Angry Audio Gadget and Gizmo is warrantied to be free from defects in
parts and workmanship for two full years after you purchase it. If it fails
within this time period, Angry Audio, at its discretion, will repair or
replace it so long as you let us know of the failure within the warranty
period and can provide proof of purchase in the form of a dated sales receipt.
You can call us at +1 615-763-3033, or
reach us online at at
www.angryaudio.com/contact.
Making a good first impression.
When you unbox your Mic Drop Gizmo, we hope it makes a good first impression
and you take a moment to appreciate the lengths we’ve gone to in order to
create a “built for broadcast” product. All of our products are over-
engineered to provide long-term reliability and guaranteed RFI immunity.
Some of this is apparent – such as the durable powder-coated steel enclosure –
but much of this goodness is invisible, like the premium components within.
Even if you can’t see it, you’ll hear it!
Safety First
A word or two about safety.
The Mic Drop Gizmo is a relatively low-risk product to make, install, and use
in terms of liability. There aren’t many places things can go horribly awry
safetywise. Then again, we thought the same thing when we introduced the
TubToaster, an appliance that should have saved buyers lots of time in the
morning by allowing them to simultaneously shower and make a light breakfast.
Instead – how can we put this delicately? – it quickly eroded any future
customer base and denied a lot of people the simple pleasure of perfectly
toasted rye bread.
Along with a promise to mothball our gas-powered upright vacuum (it seemed the
logical progression of the cordless concept to us) we agreed to talk about
safety, so here goes.
The Mic Drop Gizmo is intended to be installed and used by qualified personnel
only. To avoid electric shock, do not disassemble the unit or attempt to
perform any servicing unless you are qualified to do so.
While the Mic Drop Gizmo does not have its own power supply, it may receive DC
voltage from the console to which it is wired, and hazardous voltages may be
present on external components.
Do not expose your Gizmo or its power supply to rain or moisture. Coffee is
bad for it, Diet Coke is worse, and bourbon is definitely a no-no.
Any electronic device can fail without warning; do not use this product in
applications where a life threatening condition could result due to failure.
Overview and Installation
Meet the Mic Drop Gizmo! (a/k/a, “What is this thing?”)
We figure you have a pretty good handle on what the Mic Drop Gizmo is and what
problem you bought it to solve, but we have a nearly pathological desire to
explain things. If we don’t, we get a nervous tic. It’s not pretty.
Let’s paint the scene: you’re doing a live show with a guest. Your guest feels
a tickle in the back of their throat, and here comes the cough. If you have
multiple guests, the rest of them follow suit and pretty soon everyone is
hacking away like Rodney Dangerfield in the rough on a 400-yard hole. If
you’re making a podcast, you can always edit out these unpleasantries, but
that takes time and of course, live shows have no such option. What to do?
Enter the Mic Drop Gizmo. This simple device mounts near the base of your mic
arm and replaces the XLR pass-through connectors you might already have there.
You plug the mic arm cable into the top, and the XLR on the bottom goes on to
your console or mic preamp. But in the middle is a delightful red “cough”
button. Press it down, and it mutes the mic. Release it, and the mic is hot
again. Voila! Letting guests quash their croup is now easier than making a
PB&J (and eliminates the chance of dropping jelly on your shirt).
Countertop Installation.
The Mic Drop Gizmo is designed to be easily installed directly in your studio
furniture, in a location that is practical and easy for talent to reach
(usually at the base of the mic arm), using just a drill, a hole saw and a
screwdriver.
Cutting the hole requires an electric drill fitted with a 2 ⅛” hole saw – no
router needed.
If you get queasy at the thought of cutting into that Formica, have no fear:
to help you precisely locate the area to be cut, we’ve provided the handy-
dandy printable template seen on the next page.
Note:
Your printer must be set to print this page at 100% size. If your printer
scales images down to fit the page, the printed image will be too small.
Set your printer’s output accordingly, and measure the printed page with a
ruler to ensure the printed dimensions match the actual size.
Installation Template
One handy-dandy printable template.
- Once you’ve decided where you want your Gizmo, tape the template to your desktop. Leave at least 12” between the edge of the desk facing the user and the Gizmo. Use an awl or center punch at all five hole centers and remove the template.
- Drill the 2 ⅛” diameter center hole. This hole must go completely through the tabletop.
- For hardwood, plywood or MDF desktops, drill a 1 /16” pilot hole for each corner hole. Use the four wood screws included to secure the Gizmo. Be careful not to over-tighten.
- For desktops constructed of other materials including stone or glass, or those of a hollow (honeycomb) construction, the corner holes must be 1 /32” diameter through holes to allow a flathead bolt (not provided) to pass through the desktop and be secured with a nut from beneath (also not provided).
Connections & Controls
Connections.
Audio connection is straightforward: connect the XLR-M from your mic arm to
the XLR-F on the desktop side of the Gizmo, and connect the XLR-M on the
bottom of the Gizmo to your console, mic preamp or mic processor input.
The RJ-45 jack opposite the XLR connector provides audio throughput using the StudioHub+ wiring standard. Using this you can feed your Mic Drop Gizmo directly to devices which provide StudioHub+ input connections, or use CAT-5 for longer runs with a pre-wired StudioHub+ XLR breakout cable — but if you truly enjoy crimping and soldering, we wouldn’t want to rob you of this pleasure! For you, the StudioHub+ wiring schema is presented below.
Behavior Modification.
No, we’re not talking about electro-shock therapy, although we will admit to
enjoying a good whiff of ozone from time to time.
We’re talking about customizing the operation of your Mic Drop Gizmo using the
4 sets of jumpers located on the circuit board adjacent to the RJ45 connector.
These jumper sets labeled “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” are hidden once your Gizmo is
mounted to your studio furniture to keep them meddlin’ Hatfield boys
(otherwise known as your jocks) from fiddlin’ with ‘em, dang-nabbit.
Default factory jumper installation
Available options you can change by modifying factory jumper positions:
-
Dynamic / Condenser Mic Setting. Your Mic Drop Gizmo works with dynamic and condenser microphones; Phantom power passes through.
Out of the box, the Gizmo is set for use with dynamic mics, with a jumper installed on the “A” pins to provide a DC short for use with dynamic mics. This setting may also work well with some condenser mics; if your condenser mic mutes silently with the DC short in place, keep it installed. If, however, you experience audible ‘pops’ during mute/unmute operations, remove the jumper and an AC short will be applied instead, which should clear the ‘pops’. -
Button Action. The function of the red pushbutton on the unit’s faceplate is configured by the factory as “push to mute.” Removing the jumper installed on the “B” pins and moving it to the “C” position changes the button function to “push to talk” – perfect for sending momentary producer mic communication through talkback or IFB channels.
-
Ground Selection. Normally, XLR pin 1 should be connected to shield to provide chassis ground. Your Mic Drop Gizmo follows this standard. However, the jumper installed in the “D” position at the factory may be removed if ground loop problems are present.
Specifications and Compliance
Specifications.
Part Numbers
Mic Drop Gizmo Part No. 991042
Connections
Mic Input 3-pin XLR female jack
Mic Through 3-pin XLR male jack
RJ45 (StudioHub+)
Environmental
Operating Temperature 0° to 40° C (32° to 104° F)
Storage Temperature -20° to 45° C (-4° to 113° F)
Relative Humidity 0% to 90% non-condensing
Product Weight & Dimensions
Shipping box 4” x 4” x 4” (10.2cm. x 10.2cm x 10.2cm)
Shipping weight: 1 lb. (0.45 Kg)
Compliance in the U.S.
In the U.S., this Gizmo complies with the limits for a Class A computer device
as specified by FCC Rules, Part 15, Subpart J, which are designed to provide
reasonable protection against such interference when this type of equipment is
operated in a commercial environment.
…and in Canada.
In Canada, this Gizmo does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise
emissions set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian
Department of Communications.
…and in Europe.
This Gizmo complies with the requirements of the EEC Council Directives
93/68/EEC (CE Marking), 73/23/EEC (safety – low voltage directive), and
89/336/EEC (electromagnetic compatibility). Conformity is declared to
standards EN50081-1 and EN50082-1.
Word Search
You’ve earned a break.
You sure do work hard. We are in awe! Kick back and give your inner Trekkie a
bit of relaxation with this word search puzzle. One to beam up, Mr. Kyle.
Star Trek (The Original Series)
Words can be found in any direction (including diagonals) and can overlap each
other. Use the word bank below.
Word Bank
1. communicator
2. redshirt
3. tiberius
4. chekov
5. photon
6. vulcan
7. tribbles
8. oxmyx
9. spock
10. scotty
11. gorn
12. tricorder
13. uhura
14. sulu
15. disruptor
16. mccoy
17. mudd| 18. nomad
19. andorian
20. romulan
21. klingon
22. phaser
23. organia
24. transporter
25. miramani
26. enterprise
27. dilithium
28. tellarite
29. memory alpha
30. illogical
31. edithkeeler
32. corbomite
33. roddenberry
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Schematic
