IT’S ALL IN THE DIAPHRAGM The way microphones generally work depends largely on their diaphragm size – a thin material that vibrates when it encounters sound. That vibration converts sonic energy into electrical energy – and that’s how you end up with a recording. • Small diaphragm: Mics with small diaphragms are commonly called pencil mics, due to their thin shapes. Because of their compact design, they are lighter, easier to position and stiffer. They can handle higher sound pressure and have a wider dynamic range. However, they do have increased internal noise and low sensitivity. Shotgun mics, for example, typically have smaller diaphragms. • Large diaphragm: This is the type of mic diaphragm usually sought out by broadcasters. Large diaphragms move easily, allowing them to detect even faint differences in sound pressure levels. Many USB mics now have large diaphragms. • Medium diaphragm: These modern mics combine the characteristics of small and large diaphragms. They have a slightly fuller and warmer sound like larger diaphragms, yet still retain some of the high-frequency content small diaphragms are known for. Medium diaphragms are a good alternative if you don’t have a mic with a large diaphragm for broadcasting.
t will come as little to no surprise that the invention
Microphones are now ubiquitous in the modern world, facilitating clear communication and artistic expression. Whether it’s capturing the raw emotion of a live music performance, enabling remote collaborations or enhancing the way we interact with smart devices, microphones continue to shape the ways we experience and share sound. In the context of broadcast media, you can now choose from thousands of unique microphone models, making it simple to select something that precisely fits any of your podcasting, streaming or top-level broadcast needs – whatever they are. HEARING AIDS AND THEATRE It’s quite an odd sensation hearing a recording of your own voice, as it often sounds different to how you experience it internally. The reason for this is that listening to a recording excludes the element of the sound that comes from bone conduction
of the microphone was in part connected to one of humankind’s most influential electronic inventors, Thomas Edison – it having been introduced in 1877 by Emile Berliner, who was working with the inventor at the time. In its first form, it consisted of a drum-like device that was a carbon button microphone. During this period, many other microphone models had been introduced, however it was the carbon button format that was generally accepted. The instrument was dubbed a ‘loose-contact transmitter,’ as it included two electric contactors that were separated by a light layer of carbon. The loose contact was connected with a diaphragm that vibrated once hit with a sound wave. Berliner had originally owned this concept, but it was then that the patent was sold to Edison for $50,000.
inside your head. When you speak and hear your own voice, your bones and tissues tend to enhance the lower- frequency vibrations. That’s part of what makes our first example so interesting. Having tried one of its microphones ourselves at NAB Show this year, members of the FEED team agreed it was the first time we’d heard our voices back and thought, “Yep, that’s me.” DPA Microphones, which is based in Denmark, draws on more than six decades of world-class microphone design experience. That history dates back to the fifties, where its predecessor, Brüel & Kjær, developed the first, precisely accurate measurement microphone. “I joined DPA because it strives towards absolute perfection,” begins Helga Somava, director of product management at DPA Microphones. “It’s a seriously gratifying job to work somewhere that does not compromise on anything.” DPA offers solutions in a range of sound-related industries, as well as broadcast. This range was in-part initiated by the theatre market, which required a solution that, while still capturing clear sound on stage, was flexible and easily concealable.
IT’S AN ODD SENSATION HEARING A RECORDING OF YOUR OWN VOICE, AS IT OFTEN SOUNDS DIFFERENT TO HOW YOU EXPERIENCE IT INTERNALLY
MUSIC HISTORY Grammy-winning duo Rodrigo y Gabriela perform in Austin using DPA mics
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