Microphones

Ribbon microphones are among the least understood yet most cherished microphones in the world. These peculiar mics may not be as popular as dynamic and condenser microphones, but they are valued just as much (perhaps even more) by musicians, audio engineers, and audiophiles alike. What is a ribbon microphone? A ribbon microphone has a thin,…

If you’ve ever been to a live band performance or have hung out in a recording studio, chances are you’ve seen plenty of dynamic microphones. Moving-coil dynamic microphones are commonly used in music recording, broadcasting, podcasting, and live venues around the world. What is a moving-coil dynamic microphone? A moving-coil dynamic microphone converts sound to…

There are essentially two main microphone types in the world that most audio-inclined people know: dynamic and condenser. The term condenser covers an astonishingly wide range of microphones, and so its definition is substantial. What Is A Condenser Microphone? A condenser microphone is an active transducer that converts sound waves (mechanical wave energy) into audio…

Of all the differentiating factors between microphones, they are most often distinguished as one of two major types: dynamic and condenser. Because the term dynamic applies to so many microphones, there’s a lot to know about dynamic microphones. What is a dynamic microphone? A dynamic microphone is a transducer audio device that converts sound (mechanical…

Sibilance is a natural and necessary part of human speech but can be a distracting nuisance in microphone signals and audio mixes. Speech and vocal intelligibility are important, but so is a great sounding mix! Here Are The Top 7 Tips To Reduce Sibilance In Your Microphones: The first 4 have to do with the…

Many of the world’s microphones require power to function. With the various microphone types and countless individual microphone models, we’d expect that there are multiple methods of powering these microphones. The Various Microphone Powering Methods Are: In this article, we’ll go deep into each of these microphone powering methods and discuss the various active components…

Have you ever used a microphone in an electronic device, in the studio, or in film? There’s a good chance it was an electret condenser microphone. These microphones are common in our day-to-day lives and are worth knowing about. What is an electret condenser microphone? An ECM is a type of condenser microphone transducer which…

As technologies advance, they often become smaller. This is partly the case with microphones and is certainly the case with the invention of the MEMS microphone. What is a MEMS microphone? A MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) mic is a pressure-sensitive diaphragm etched into a silicon wafer via MEMS processing. MEMS mics are largely based on electret…

To get the most out of our microphones, we need to know their directionality. Understanding how microphones respond to sound at varying angles and the directions in which microphones point will be invaluable in our work as musicians and audio engineers/technicians. What is a directional microphone? A directional mic is a microphone that is most…

Microphones of all types are designed to convert sound pressure variations into electrical signals. There are pressure and pressure-gradient microphones that react slightly differently to pressure in order to do so. What is a pressure microphone? A pressure microphone is a mic that has one side of its diaphragm open to external sound waves, and the other side closed in…

There are many types of microphones and nearly countless methods to differentiate one mic from another. One such differentiating factor with condenser mic capsules is the way in which they are terminated. They are either centre-terminated or edge-terminated. What is a centre-terminated condenser capsule? A centre-terminated condenser mic capsule has its electrical leads terminating from…