Microphone
An acoustical-electrical transducer by which sound waves in air may be converted to electrical signals.
Acoustic Feedback
Unwanted interaction between the output and input of an acoustical system, e.g., between the loudspeaker and the microphone of a system.
Bias Voltage
A low DC voltage typically supplied by a body-pack wireless transmitter to power a condenser microphone.
Boundary Microphone
A type of microphone that detects sound pressure level changes at a boundary of the acoustic space in order to reduce interference between direct and reflected sound.
Capsule
The portion of a microphone that converts acoustic energy to electrical energy.
Cardiod
Describes the pickup pattern of one type of directional microphone, which is roughly in the shape of a heart. Such microphones are several dB less sensitive to sound arriving from sources at angles 90 degrees or greater away from its front.
Diaphragm
The surface that vibrates in response to sound.
Distance Factor
Provides an indication of a directional microphone′s increased working distance, compared to a DF of 1.0 for an omnidirectional mic.
EES (Early Early Sound)
Structure-borne sound may reach the microphone in a room before the airborne sound because sound travels faster through the denser materials.
Proximity Effect
An increase in the bass response of some mics as the distance between the mic and its sound source is decreased.
See also: Acoustics, Audio Transducer, Boundary Microphone, Capacitor Microphone, Carbon Microphone, Condenser Microphone, Distance Factor, Dynamic Microphone, Early Early Sound, Pop.
Subjects: Instrumentation Noise & Vibration
- Further reading:
- Handbook of Modern Sensors, , Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG
- Weblinks:
- Bruel & Kjaer - Technical Reviews These documents give detailed articles on measurement and signal processing theory.