There are many headphones and headphone types on the market that are defined by a large number of specifications. These specs tell us a lot about the headphones and how they’re likely to perform. Of course, it’s always best to listen critically and make up your own mind about headphones but knowing and understanding the…
Amplifiers can be found all around us if we choose to look for them. They’re in our phones, televisions, entertainment systems, vehicles, shopping malls, and many other places. Though we may think of active amps when we think of amplifiers, there are also passive amplifiers that are common enough in our daily lives. What is…
Audio equipment can be expensive but totally worth it to us gear heads. As with any purchases we make, it’s always great to weigh out our options and look for the best deal. With the rise in online shopping, it’s not uncommon for musicians, engineers, audiophiles and hobbyists to purchase their audio equipment online. This…
Loudspeakers are rather insensitive and inefficient transducers. Knowing and comprehending their sensitivity and efficiency ratings is key to understanding how speakers work as a whole. What are speaker sensitivity and efficiency? Sensitivity and efficiency are similar specifications/measurements of how well a speaker converts amplifier power (electrical energy) into acoustic (mechanical wave) energy. Put differently; they…
When EQing an audio signal or choosing a microphone based upon its frequency response, known the frequency range of the sound source is important. Though it’s easy to find out the range of possible notes in an instrument, it’s a bit trickier to under the fundamental frequencies and harmonics of the sound source to truly…
The audio world is full of neat gadgets and devices that make the lives of professionals and amateurs easier. One such optimization is the audio snake. What Is An Audio Snake And Are They Required? An audio snake is essentially one physical cable that combines multiple audio cables within its body. Snakes come in a…
American football is a beautiful and complicated sport. Broadcasting football as part of the audio team is also quite complex relative to other sports but is fulfilling when done correctly. One particularity of American Football broadcasting is the parabolic microphone dishes on the sideline. Why Are Parabolic Microphone Dishes Used In Football? Parabolic microphone dishes…
The term “microphone clip” gets used in all sorts of situations that involve audio. Depending on the situation, “microphone clip” could mean different things. Microphone clip (disambiguation): In this article, we’ll briefly discuss each of the above-mentioned ways the term “microphone clip” is used. Microphone Clip (Physical Mount) More often than not, the term “mic…
Love it or hate it, distortion is something we should always be listening for in our microphones, audio chain, and playback. Measuring distortion quantitatively is difficult, but total harmonic distortion provides a decent method of calculating distortion in an audio signal. What is total harmonic distortion in audio and microphones? Total harmonic distortion (THD) is…
Whether we’re dealing with sound or with audio, we’re dealing with waveforms that have peaks, troughs, and polarity. Microphones act as transducers that convert sound into audio and, therefore, also deal with polarity and phase. What is microphone polarity, and how does it affect mic signals? Microphone polarity is thought of and noted in two…
When dealing with microphones and other audio/sound equipment, the terms “sound” and “audio” are commonplace. Knowing the difference between these two terms will help to understand professionals in the field while also allowing you to communicate more effectively when using microphones and other sound/audio equipment! What is the difference between sound and audio? The key…
You’ve likely noticed that there are many different microphones and microphone types in the world of audio. The main 3 types of microphones are the dynamic, condenser, and ribbon mic. What are the differences between dynamic, condenser, and ribbon microphones? The main difference between dynamic, condenser and ribbon mics is the way they convert sound…
