Matched pair of Cortiça microphones with Foam Windfilters

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Recorded with a matched pair into a TASCAM DR-40X. Not processed.

Why I made it

I built the Cortiça because I needed a set of microphones to record inside beehives. None of the microphones I owned would fit; they were too bulky or too directional. My first prototypes, in ABS and metal, produced too much handling noise for recording in the hand, so I tried cork, and the handling noise disappeared. Testing them in different situations, I realised I had made good all-round microphones: for field recording, but also for concerts in an AB pair and for recording acoustic instruments in great detail.

I chose an omnidirectional capsule because it hears a place the way you stand in it, without favouring any direction. The body is made in my workshop from Portuguese cork, which is light, warm in a cold hand, and good at damping vibration.

Good for: ambiences and nature, spaced AB stereo, acoustic instruments up close, and quiet sources where self-noise matters.

Which pair?

	With Foam Windfilters	With Furry Windfilters
Best for	Instruments, rooms, sheltered field work	Outdoor field recording
Wind	Light breeze	About 25 dB less wind noise at 39 to 49 km/h
Matching	Within 0.5 dB at 1 kHz	Within 0.5 dB at 1 kHz

Specifications

Type	Omnidirectional condenser
Powering	48 V phantom power (P48)
Sensitivity	−24 dB at 1 kHz, ±3 dB (1 kHz @ 50cm) 0 dB=1V/Pa
Self-noise	14 dB-A
Signal-to-noise ratio	80 dB-A (1 kHz, 94 dB SPL)
Maximum SPL	110 dB (THD below 3%)
Frequency range	20 Hz to 20 kHz
Output	XLR, balanced, floating
Body	Class A natural Portuguese cork and nickel alloy; silver-plated XLR pins
Dimensions	Cork body Ø 24 mm, metal body Ø 20 mm, length 57 mm
Weight	30 g per microphone

Measured, not claimed

I measure every microphone before it leaves the workshop and use those measurements to pair microphones from the same batch. The response rises by about 8 dB between 3 and 9 kHz: a presence lift that brings out detail in cymbals, strings, voices and birdsong.

Setup

1. Press the microphone gently into the mount, all the way up to the cork.
2. Only then connect the XLR cable.
3. Meeting resistance? Turn the mount 180 degrees.
4. To remove: cable off first, then push the microphone out from the back while holding the mount.

Cortiça fits any mount for 19 to 20 mm bodies. It works with any recorder or interface with 48 V phantom power, such as the TASCAM DR-40X used for the recordings above. It works with all ZOOM, Tascam, Sony and Sound Devices, and most other recorders that have XLR inputs and phantom power.

Download the Cortiça manual (PDF) · Stereo recording with omni microphones

Questions

How far apart should two microphones be?

Start close, around 25 cm, for intimate sources, and widen to 1 or 2 metres for forests, beaches and halls. Listen while you widen: a thin sound or missing low end means the spacing needs adjusting.

Which stereo bar do you use?

On the road I use the compact K&M 23550; for wider stereo, the K&M 23560. A cork stereo bar of my own is coming in 2027.

Can I order a custom set?

Yes. Write to me before ordering and tell me what you need; I will tell you what is possible and how long it takes.

What if something breaks?

Every microphone has a two-year warranty on materials and workmanship. Write to me with your order number and I will repair or replace it.

The tripod and stereo bar in the photos are not included.