Astatic 901VP Continuously Variable Pattern Condenser Boundary Microphone

Astatic 901VP Variable-Pattern Boundary Microphone

The Astatic 901VP is a condenser boundary microphone with a continuously variable polar pattern and a 100Hz to 20kHz frequency response. A single adjustment sweeps its pickup from cardioid through omnidirectional to figure-8, letting one microphone adapt to almost any room or seating arrangement. Housed in an all-metal body with a shock-absorbing rubber base, it sits discreetly on a conference table, altar, or lectern. For integrators who want one boundary mic that solves many acoustic problems, it is a remarkably flexible tool.

Continuously Variable Polar Pattern

The defining feature of the 901VP is a continuously variable polar pattern that moves smoothly between cardioid, omnidirectional, and figure-8 without swapping capsules. A polar pattern describes the directions from which a microphone accepts sound: cardioid rejects sound from behind to fight feedback, omnidirectional hears the whole room, and figure-8 captures two opposite sides while rejecting the flanks. Because the pattern is dialed in rather than fixed, a single 901VP can be tuned to a boardroom one day and a two-person interview the next, eliminating the need to stock multiple boundary mics.

Condenser Boundary Capture

As a boundary microphone, the 901VP mounts flush against a hard surface so that direct and reflected sound arrive in phase, boosting sensitivity and eliminating the hollow comb-filtering of a mic held above the table. The condenser element inside responds quickly and evenly across a wide band, which is why boundary condensers are the standard for capturing seated talkers around a table. A meeting-room designer can place one 901VP in the center of a table and pick up every participant clearly, rather than crowding the space with individual stand mics.

Integral 80Hz High-Pass Filter

An integral 80Hz high-pass filter with a 12dB-per-octave slope is built into the 901VP to strip away low-frequency energy below the range of speech. Rumble from HVAC systems, foot traffic, and building vibration lives in that low region, and removing it dramatically improves the intelligibility of voices in a live sound-reinforcement feed. This means a house-of-worship engineer gets clean, articulate speech from the lectern without dialing in extra EQ on the mixer.

Clean, Low-Noise Signal

A -33dBV sensitivity, a 120dB maximum SPL, and just 22dBA of self-noise define the electrical performance of the 901VP into its 150 ohm balanced output. Sensitivity that high means the microphone captures soft, distant talkers, while the low self-noise keeps the signal quiet enough for teleconferencing and broadcast capture. For a corporate AV team recording a panel discussion, that combination yields a clear, professional feed straight into the system.

Phantom Power and Connection

Standard phantom power runs the 901VP, which operates on P12, P24, or P48 and draws only 4mA from the mixer. Phantom power is DC voltage sent up the mic cable by a mixer or preamp to energize a condenser capsule, so no batteries are ever needed. The microphone ships with a 30-foot detachable cable terminated in a TA3F connector at the mic and a standard 3-pin male XLR at the other end, letting it reach a rack-mounted mixer across a large room.

Applications and Users

Teleconferencing, sound reinforcement, and installed conferencing in government, institutional, religious, and business settings are the core applications for the 901VP. An AV manager outfitting a hybrid meeting room can drop it on the table and dial the pattern to omnidirectional to capture everyone, while a courtroom technician can narrow it to cardioid to isolate a witness stand. The all-metal body and shock-absorbing rubber base keep it planted through daily handling in these high-use rooms.