Thursday, 4 November 2010

Suggestions Pertaining To Purchasing The Best Suited Mics

By Danielle Walters

Many times, a person is faced with a lot of unknowns when purchasing a microphone for the first time. Whether it be for a child joining an orchestra, or for a person fulfilling a lifelong dream of starting a band, there is actually a lot to learn. For those new to microphone lingo, chances are you are unaware of the many microphone types and the differences between them. Many of these differences can affect your choice of instrument microphones or any other type, for that matter. In this article we look at what you need to look for before purchasing your microphones.

You need to understand these terms. Transient response - how a microphone reproduces speed of voice/instrument. If you want a more technical definition, the transient response of a microphone is its ability to respond to rapidly changing sound waves. Frequency response - how a microphone responds to different frequencies. Sound Pressure Levels (SPLs) - could be defined as a measure of the strength or intensity of sound. I could get technical here, but suffice it to say that, for the average person, loudness or volume are good words to associate here.

The KM184 is a top-quality device that is particularly well-suited for recording either at home or in a studio. Indeed, it has been highly rated for the sound it picks up from instruments such as acoustic guitars. As a small diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone, it has also proved useful for engineers who want to record a live performance, as it features very smooth frequency responses for both the 0 degree axis and lateral sound incidence. Neumann has hailed the device as an improvement on its previous KM84 model, as a slight change of its capsule's rear opening has enabled it to achieve a fresher and livelier tonal balance than was possible in the past.

Another primary type of microphone is the dynamic microphones. Compared to condenser microphones, dynamic microphones are much more rugged. They are quite resistant to moisture, being "dropped", and other forms of abuse, which makes them the typical choice for stage performances. You will find that most quality rock clubs (or any club featuring live entertainment) will have at least 4 or 5 of these microphones. Each will probably bear scars from its life (literally) & may even look "worn out"; however, they likely are still fully functional and sound just as they did the day they came out of the package.

Another issue to consider is whether users want low or high impedance mics. The former can transmit signals over hundreds of feet without any noticeable deterioration in sound quality. However, the signal on more affordable high impedance mics can deteriorate if cables over more than 20-feet are used. Vocalists and musicians may also need to consider how sensitive mics are to sounds from certain directions. A unidirectional mic is undoubtedly more suitable for stage purposes, as the cardoid polar pattern helps it to ignore some external sounds, such as those created by other instruments in a live scenario.

There are other microphones types that we cannot discuss in this article. In future articles I will try to define them. However, here is a list of them so that you can search on them right now without having to wait for my next articles. Of the two main types of microphones, with the condensor microphones, there is the large diaphragm & small diaphragm, cardioid microphones. Hopefully, this article has helped you get a good overview of microphones and help them select the proper microphone for their needs. - 42265

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