MICROPHONE

Microphone Types:

BODY STYLES:
•hand held
•lavalier
•body
•shotgun
•headset
•boom
•parabolic
•desk/stand
•boundary

images from RCA, Shure Brothers, Inc., Electrovoice, Audio Technica, Gibson and
A Microphone is a Transducer:
A transducer is a device, usually electrical or electronic, that
converts one type of energy to another for the purpose of
measurement or information transfer. Most transducers are
either sensors or actuators. In a broader sense, a transducer is
sometimes defined as any device that converts energy from
one form to another.
Common examples include microphones, loudspeakers,
thermometers, position and pressure sensors, and antennas.
In a microphone, the diaphragm moves in response to
changing air pressure (sound), creating an electrical current.
Although not generally thought of as transducers, photocells,
LEDs (light-emitting diodes), and even common light bulbs
are transducers.
definitions from wikipedia.org and whatis.com
Moving Coil (Dynamic) Transducer:
•durable; resists humidity and
temperature extremes
•no power supply needed
•a good quality dynamic is
expensive
•low output level; closer to noise
floor
•hard to physically overdrive the
mic element with loud sounds
•hard to electrically overdrive
amp input with loud sounds
•identical mechanism as
loudspeaker
image from “First Class Radiotelephone License Handbook”, fourth edition, ©1974, Howard W. Sams Co., Inc.
Condenser Transducer:
•delicate; can be damaged by
physical shock, high humidity
and temperature extremes
•requires battery or external
“phantom” power supply for the
internal amplifier
•brighter sounding than a
dynamic mic
•more sensitive than dynamic
mic of same diaphragm size
•higher output level than
dynamic; can provide better
signal-to-noise ratio
image from “First Class Radiotelephone License Handbook”, fourth edition, ©1974, Howard W. Sams Co., Inc.
Ribbon (Dynamic) Transducer:
•delicate; easily damaged by
shock, humidity and high
sound levels
•desk mount, boom or
handheld body styles
•no power supply needed
•warm, rich sound
•very sensitive
•low output level
•expensive; difficult to find

image from “electronic communication”, third edition, ©1975, McGraw Hill Inc.
 Microphone Polar Patterns:
The sensitivity of a
microphone varies depending
omni
on the design of the mic,
orientation of the sound to the
mic and the frequencies
considered. This is displayed
graphically as a polar pattern.
uni
Microphones fit somewhere
on a continuum from
omni-directional through
unidirectional, to
bi-directional. In general,
mics vary more from their bi
“advertised” patterns as
frequency increases.
images from “ksm44_en.pdf”, Shure Brothers, Inc.
 Omnidirectional Mics: Housing
sensitive sensitive Diaphragm

sensitive sensitive

•sensitive from all directions Sound Waves

•has a sealed housing behind the

diaphragm
•positive pressure from any
direction pushes the diaphragm
in Sound Waves

•most natural sounding mic

pattern due to uniform frequency
response
Unidirectional Mics: The Cardioid: Housing
sensitive
sensitive

Diaphragm
null

sensitive
sensitive Port
•more sensitive to the front
•has a ported housing behind the Sound Waves
diaphragm
•positive pressure from front pushes the
diaphragm in
•positive pressure from rear enters ports,
equalizes on both sides of the
diaphragm, producing no motion Sound Waves
•frequency response not uniform off axis
•usually exhibit “proximity effect”
Ribbon Bidirectional Mics:
null

sensitive
+ - sensitive
inverted
Diaphragm

null
Sound Waves
•sensitive front and rear only
•no housing used around the
diaphragm
•rear entering sounds are
naturally inverted relative to
the front Sound Waves
•frequency response not
uniform for sounds entering
off axis
Condenser Bidirectional Mics: Ports
null

sensitive
+ - sensitive
inverted

Diaphragms
null

•formed by two identical

unidirectional mic capsules Sound Waves

mounted back-to-back
•capsules are connected together
electrically out of phase so that
positive pressure entering the
rear produces inverted waveform Sound Waves
compared to positive pressure
entering the front, mimicking a
ribbon bidirectional
 Mic Placement:
Obey the Inverse Square Law!
Doubling the distance from source to transducer quarters the sound
pressure level on the diaphragm.

Halving the distance from source to transducer quadruples the sound

pressure level on the diaphragm.
 Proximity Effect:
DIRECTIONAL MICS respond to the Inverse Square law differently
than omnidirectional microphones. Low frequencies are enhanced more
than mid and high frequencies as the source-to-mic spacing decreases.
This is the reason many performers and announcers work directional
microphones closely, giving their voice more low end. Be aware varying
source-to-mic spacing during a performance can drastically change the
timbre of the voice.
Many directional mics include a bass-rolloff switch to equalize this
effect for close-micing situations. Some mics are carefully designed to
minimize it.

~17dB change at
100Hz, from 1/8
inch to 24 inches

image from “us_pro_beta57a_ug.pdf”, Shure Brothers Inc., 2004

Selecting a Mic:

Using a mic for a particular situation

requires these decisions be made about:
•the appropriate body style
•the appropriate transducer type
•the best polar pattern to use
•the proximity of the mic to the source
•handling sound reflections
 Body Style Selection:
Hand held: Boom:
•“universal” •instrument
Lavalier: •studio voice
•spoken voice Parabolic:
•some instruments •sports sidelines
Body: •surveillance
•stage or screen Desk:
Shotgun: •interview
•high-noise situations Boundary:
Headset: •complete room coverage
•hands-free uses •conferences
•sports commentators
•performers
 Transducer Selection:
Moving Coil: Condenser:
•extremely loud sounds •extremely quiet sounds
•sports remotes •high quality recording on a
•emergency/backup mic budget
•general purpose •covert/concealed
•bad weather situations applications
•near strong magnetic fields
Ribbon:
•predictable sound levels
•controlled studio locations
•experienced performers
•feeding high-gain, low-
noise amplifiers
Polar Pattern Selection:

Consider both the desired and all

UNDESIRED sound sources
when choosing a pattern. Use the
best pattern to attenuate undesired
audio as well as delayed
reflections of desired audio.