Purpose of a Microphone

The purpose of a microphone is to turn sound waves into voltage. All microphones are the same because they pick-up sound. They have a diaphragm like a speaker, in fact all a microphone is, is the reverse of a speaker and vice versa. In the case of a microphone, sound waves move a tiny plastic cone across a magnet which produces voltage, It is read and amplified and sent to a speaker. The speaker receives the voltage turns in into magnetism, which moves the speaker coil and turns it back into sound. You talk across a microphone not directly into it, because the diaphragm is sensitive to pressure, sound or air and can easily distort.

The structure of a basic dynamic microphone is really simple; primary wind cover to protect popping,  diaphragm to capture the sound waves, coil to turn the waves into voltage, circuitry to amplify the voltage, body to house all the parts and the connector to send the voltage on it’s way.

Microphones have various polar patterns, which means the microphone is sensitive to the space its in according to where the source of the sound is in relation to the microphone.

• Omni is sensitive 360 degrees
• Cardiod is sensitive from the front and less from the sides and even less from the back.
• Hyper Cardiod is sensitive from the front and even less from the sides and the back
• Super Cardiod is sensitive from the front but way down on the sides almost dead to back
•  Unidirectional is sensitive from the front, dead to the sides and dead to the back

I’ll go into the ratios of sensitivity if you need to, but for now it’s a basic explanation.

 

2 Responses to “Purpose of a Microphone”

1. Diane says:

   February 1, 2012 at 1:58 PM

   Good blogging!

   Reply
2. KenMc says:

   February 1, 2012 at 4:21 PM

   Thanks Diane I want to write a little more technical sorts of things, would most people appreciate it?

   Reply