Detail 01
Boundary (PZM) design
The surface it sits on becomes part of the mic, so there are no phase cancellations from floor reflections.
Product detailSKU #1273887983407
CrownPZM30D Boundary Microphone
Independent shopping perspective
The Korena take
A boundary microphone that mounts flat on a surface and picks up a room hemispherically. For stage floors, conference tables, piano lids and ambience capture.
Strong match
Who this is for
- Taped to a stage floor for theater and drama pickup
- Conference tables where a mic stand is in the way
- Inside a piano lid or on a wall for room ambience
Consider the trade-offs
When to look elsewhere
- Close-miking a single voice with isolation from everything else
- Very quiet ambience work where 20dB self-noise creeps in
- Anyone needing a switchable pattern or pad
What matters in use
The specifications, translated
Catalog numbers tell only part of the story. These are the details most likely to change how this product feels, sounds, or fits into a setup.
Detail 02
150dB max SPL at 3% THD
Handles very loud sources without breaking up. Drum rooms, brass sections and loud stages are within range.
Detail 03
20dB self-noise
Fine for speech, stage and loud sources. Audible hiss if you're capturing near-silent ambience at high gain.
Detail 04
7 mV/Pa sensitivity
Middling output. Distant or quiet sources will need a preamp with clean gain at higher settings.
Detail 05
20Hz-20kHz response
Full-range capture. Low end depends heavily on the size of the surface you mount it to.
Detail 06
Electret condenser
A permanently charged capsule element. Consistent output, no warm-up, and it stays stable across long install runs.
Final check
Know before you order
- 01The mounting surface is part of the sound. Bigger, harder surfaces mean more low end and gain.
- 02No stand or clip applies here. It lies flat, taped or weighted down.
- 03Budget for an XLR run long enough to reach from floor to console.
Product questions
Before you decide
Straight answers to the questions shoppers most often ask about this product.
01Can I use this on a stage floor?
Yes, that's a primary use. It lies flat on the floor and the floor itself reinforces the pickup. Tape the cable down so foot traffic doesn't pull it.
02Will it pick up the whole room or just what's in front of it?
It covers a hemisphere above the mounting surface. Everything above the plane it sits on gets picked up, so it captures broadly rather than isolating one source.
03Can it handle a loud drum kit or brass?
Yes. It takes 150dB SPL before hitting 3% distortion, which is well past what a loud acoustic source produces in a room.
04Does the surface I stick it to matter?
A lot. A large, rigid, hard surface extends the low end and raises output. A small or soft panel thins the sound out noticeably.
Reference
Full specifications
The complete catalog record, organized around the decisions musicians make when comparing gear.
1 detailsSound
- Frequency Response
- 20Hz-20kHz
1 detailsPickups & controls
- Open Circuit Sensitivity
- 7 mV/Pa (-43dB re 1 volt/Pa)
1 detailsBody & build
- Color
- Black
1 detailsConnections & power
- Power Sensitivity
- -43dB re 1 mW/pa. EIA sensitivity -135dBm
1 detailsSize & weight
- Weight
- 6
4 detailsOther
- Self Noise
- 20dB equivalent SPL, A-weighted
- Transducer
- Electret condenser
- S N Ratio
- 74dB @ 94dB SPL
- Maximum SPL
- 150dB SPL at the mic produces 3% THD
