Under extreme conditions, even a SCHOEPS Colette series microphone can be overdriven by very high sound pressure levels. Here the limiting factor is not the capsule but the microphone amplifier. The overload point ranges from 128 – 135 dB-SPL (max SPL, 0,5% THD), depending on the capsule and the amplifier type (e.g. 5 dB lower with the “+5 dB“ version). In these situations the signal level at the amplifier input may be attenuated by inserting a PAD between the capsule and the microphone amplifier or the Active Accessories.

The use of two PAD 10 C on one microphone will result in an attenuation of only ca. 15 dB due to the capacitive principle of operation. If the level must be attenuated by a full 20 dB, a PAD 20 C should be used.

The PAD is a passive accessory and has only two contacts at the top and bottom. Thus, theoretically several PADs can be concatenated between amplifier/active accessory and capsule.