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Earthworks PM40 Piano Microphone System

Dual High-definition Random Incidence Mics for Piano (48V)
$2,999.00

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Earthworks PM40 Piano Microphone System
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This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

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Change the way you mic piano!

The Earthworks PianoMic System is poised to change the way we look at miking pianos on stage and in the studio. As engineers we know the special set of challenges that arise when miking a piano. From striking the perfect balance between the treble and bass to the sheer inconvenience of placing a mic on the instrument, a piano is one of the most difficult instruments to mic. The PianoMic System is a dream come true for live sound and recording applications. If you've ever struggled miking a piano, look to the PianoMic System!

Earthworks PianoMic System at a Glance:
  • Random Incidence High Definition Microphones
  • Incredible Gain Before Feedback
  • Virtually No Bleed
  • Quick and Easy to Set Up
Random Incidence High Definition Microphones

The heart of the PianoMic System is two omnidirectional 40kHz High Definition Microphones with a frequency response from 9Hz to 40kHz, incredible impulse response and very short diaphragm settling time. The 40kHz High Definition Microphones have been designed for random incidence pickup. When microphones are placed inside a piano they are within a sound field that has multiple sound sources: i.e. every string, the soundboard, multiple reflections of the sound from the sound board, the sides and the lid of the piano. All these sound sources and reflections produce sound waves that arrive at the microphones from all directions. This is called a diffused sound field, and the PianoMic System High Definition Random Incidence Microphones are designed to perform optimally within such diffused sound field. In addition, these omni microphones have no proximity effect and the sound will remain the same (no increase or decrease in low frequency levels) no matter how close or how far the microphones are from the piano strings or sound board. This system provides exceptional sound quality with the piano lid either up or down.

Incredible Gain Before Feedback

The large amount of gain before feedback is achieved because the microphones are placed very close to the sound source and are within the sound field of the piano. The PianoMic System is able to make a piano sound louder than a loud pipe organ, and with a great deal more gain available before reaching feedback.

Virtually No Bleed

You might be asking yourself, "How can you use omni microphones and have essentially no leakage of sounds from outside the piano?" There are two important elements in the answer: (1) the microphones are placed inside the piano shell and are somewhat isolated from sounds outside the piano; (2) microphones are placed 3 to 6 inches above the piano strings, making the sound level of the piano picked up by the microphones phenomenally louder than sounds coming from outside the piano. Therefore any outside leakage picked up in the piano mics is dramatically lower in level than the sound of the piano itself.

Quick and Easy to Set Up

The PianoMic System uses an adjustable telescoping tube that is supported by the sides of the piano case. The telescoping tube can be adjusted to any length from 46 to 64 inches to easily accommodate any type of grand piano. The support arms that sit on the side of the piano case are smooth with a protective coating that will not harm the finish of the piano. They are less than 1/8" thick, so the piano lid can be easily closed on top of them with absolutely no danger of stressing the piano lid hinge. The telescoping tube spans across the piano over the strings and can be moved so the two microphones can be placed close to the hammers or further away from the hammers. The telescoping tube can be placed on the piano with the microphones facing the keyboard or with the microphones facing away from the keyboard. This flexibility allows a wide range of microphone placement options using the PianoMic System. As various makes and models of pianos differ in their size and construction, the highly adaptable PianoMic System will provide you with optimum results on any grand piano. The center section of the tube can be moved as much as eight inches to the left or the right if you desire to favor either the low or high strings of the piano. In addition, the flex arms allow the microphone heads to move approximately four inches to the left or right as well as up or down (closer or further from the strings).

Earthworks PianoMic System Features:
  • Frequency Response: 9Hz - 40kHz
  • Polar Pattern: Omnidirectional (random incidence)
  • Sensitivity: 15mV/Pa (-36 dBV/Pa)
  • Peak Acoustic Output: 148dB SPL
  • Output: XLR-3 (pin 2+)
  • Min. Output Load: 600 ohms between pins 2 & 3
  • Noise: 20dBA
  • Mic Gooseneck Length: 4.875" (12cm)
  • Dimensions: 64" fully extended, 46" fully collapsed
  • Power Requirements: 24-48V Phantom, 10mA
Earthworks PianoMic System - A better way to record piano!

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Tech Specs

  • Microphone Type: Condenser
  • Mono/Stereo: Dual Mic Pair
  • Polar Pattern: Omni
  • Frequency Response: 9Hz-40kHz
  • Max SPL: 148dB SPL
  • Self Noise: 20dB (A weighted)
  • Output Impedance: 65 ohms
  • Color: Black
  • Connector: 5-pin XLR (mic), 2 x XLR (mic box)
  • Power Source: 24-48V phantom power, 10mA
  • Weight: 0.75 lbs.
  • Included Accessories: Telescoping Bar, Hardshell Carrying Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: PM40

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Customer Reviews

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Rated 5/5

BEST piano mic system ever!

Look, this mic system is the best investment I have ever made in my life! It made me fell in love with my grand piano again and again. Honestly, it is the biggest incentive I have to better my skills and produce high quality value for my YouTube channel and Spotify. I absolutely love the 3d stereo sound image that it creates; the balance is perfect, no need to EQ the recordings, it captures every single piano overtone (!!) and it does offer the most realistic, warm and detailed piano sound I've heard after spending more than 3 months+ researching. I'm still in awe that it virtually has no bleed. Earthworks couldn't do any better. I simply cannot imagine using any other mic system in the future, ever.

Here's a sound-demo video where I showcase my 10 reasons why this is the best mic system in 2022 and beyond. :)
Music background: Bachelor's of Music in Piano Performance.
Rated 5/5

A must have for pianos!

Have tried several different microphones and rigs since 1998 for our grand piano and this is truly the best. The installation was easy and fast. We are using the microphones in a live setting with drums, percussion, and guitars and the microphones are not picking up bleed over from other instruments. These microphones provide the best sound and clarity of your piano without having to overly EQ it or build a rig. If you have a piano and you are struggling to hear it or want something with more clarity this is what you need!
Music background: AV nerd since 2002
Rated 5/5

Just buy them already

Incredible and detailed sound with a clarity you can't get from traditional mics. Got these a few weeks ago, already made one video and two recording with them and they sound phenomenal. Seriously just get them already they're worth it.

I'm a trained pianist at the doctoral level, teach at a university and work as a producer making ad/tv music. I recently got a 9 ft yamaha concert grand in my living room and these mics are better than anything I've used in the past (Neumann, Schoeps, etc). They are obviously a close mic sound so it won't be like hanging mics (which I never liked anyway). They do a good job of avoiding bleed and can really change depending on how far down you place them on the strings so there is some flexibility for sound. I might add a room mic to get natural reverb.

But the biggest thing for me is how they are always set up and ready to go with perfectly positioned mics, nothing kills me more than long setups I tended to use a vst just because it was easier.
Music background: Pianist and producer
Rated 5/5

I’ve purchased 4 of the PM40 mics

I'm a registered piano technician and I tune pianos aurally. I'm also the lead sound engineer for a few bands and a house of worship. I have experience with virtually every size piano from every major manufacturer. I've used these mics for live reinforcement, recording, and live streaming piano performances. This mic system is best paired with a quality pre amp, so bare that in mind. Also, talk the time to really measure the heigh of both mic capsules from the soundboard. This can help with unwanted phase cancellation. The only small hiccup is that these mics have a slight dip in response when it comes to the high tenor and 1st treble sections of most pianos. In other words, gives you more from the treble and bass than tenor in most cases. Other wise perfect for most applications.
Rated 5/5

Piano Perfectly EQ-ed Right Out of the Box

I have owned this mic system for 9+ years and use it on my Yamaha C-5 grand. And it really IS as good as these reviews say. 98% of the time you get a perfectly EQ-ed piano sound right out of the box. This mic system will save you hours and hours of time EQ-ing your piano sound to get it right. This has been one of the best purchases I ever made from Sweetwater.
Music background: Professional Musician

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What Do Our In-house Gear Experts Think?

Joseph Secu

This mic system is amazing! It's the best sounding set of mics for piano recording I've ever heard. The recording sounded exactly like the piano did live. If you have a recording studio or you have a piano that needs to be mic-ed, this is the ultimate sollution.
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