SOUND SYSTEM

James Rodney P. Santiago

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Background

Sound System
A collection of various input/output transducers
subjected to some form of processing to be used for
large scale delivery of audible signals.

Purpose of a sound system

To reinforce people’s ability to hear better
To amplify sound for artistic reasons
To enable people hear a sound in a distant/remote
location

James Rodney P. Santiago

 DYNAMIC MICROPHONE

Acoustical Electrical
energy to energy to
electrical
Processing
Acoustical
energy energy

Audio in Audio out

Acoustical Energy
Electrical Energy
Electrical Processing James Rodney P. Santiago
 Types of Input Transducers

• Air pressure/Velocity microphones

• Contact pickups
• Magnetic pickups
• Tape heads
• Phonograph pickups (cartridges)
• Laser pickups
• Optical pickups

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Types of Microphones by method of transduction

• Dynamic
• Condenser
• Electret Condenser
• Ribbon
• Carbon (also Piezo-electric microphones)

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Introduction

Microphones are basically transducers that

convert mechanical/acoustical energy to
electrical energy.
The focus of the discussion will be on the types
of microphones, its construction and basic
operation.
Why do we need to convert acoustical energy to electrical
energy?
How do we go about the conversion?

What are the types of microphone?

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Microphone Characteristics

•The world of studio recording is very much different

from live sound reinforcement, however, the
fundamental characteristics are the same, It is the
ability to isolate individual instruments that allow for a
better control within the studio.

• Operating Principles

• Frequency response

• Directionality

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Dynamic Microphones
Dynamic microphones are classified into two
groups :
• moving coil.
• Ribbon
These microphones are mainly applied to broadcast
reporting situations and live stage work.

Within a moving coil dynamic microphone, a coil of wire

connected to the microphone diaphragm is held in a
magnetic field. Sound waves change the pressure of
the air they travel through, which causes the diaphragm
to vibrate. This causes the coil to move in the magnetic
field, which induces an audio frequency.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Dynamic Microphone Elements

•It is made up of a diaphragm, voice coil and a magnet

which forms a sound driven electrical generator. Sound
waves move the diaphragm/voice coil in a magnetic
field to generate the electrical equivalent of the acoustic
energy.
Limitations :

Extreme high and low frequencies.

Solution :

To compensate for its limitations, small resonant

chambers are often used to extend the frequency
range. James Rodney P. Santiago
 Microphone Architecture

Dynamic
Ribbon
Condenser
Electret Condenser
Carbon
Piezo-electric

James Rodney P. Santiago

 DYNAMIC MICROPHONE

Within a moving coil

dynamic microphone, a coil
of wire connected to the
microphone diaphragm is
held in a magnetic
field.
field Sound waves change
the pressure of the air they
travel through, which causes
the diaphragm to vibrate.
This causes the coil to move
in the magnetic field, which
induces an audio frequency.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Moving Coil Dynamic Microphone

DIAPRAGM
COIL

MAGNET
SOUND WAVE

James Rodney P. Santiago T

 Dynamic Microphone

James Rodney P. Santiago

Shotgun Microphone

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Microphone Architecture

Dynamic
Ribbon
Condenser
Electret Condenser
Carbon
Piezo-electric

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Ribbon Dynamic Microphone

In a ribbon microphone,
microphone
the sound field acts on
both sides of a light metal
ribbon placed between the
poles of a magnet.
A vibration of the ribbon
induces a voltage along
the ribbon and the voltage
generated is proportional
to the difference between
the acoustic pressures at
both sides of the ribbon.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Ribbon Dynamic Microphone

N S

James Rodney P. Santiago

Ribbon Microphone

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Microphone Architecture

Dynamic
Ribbon
Condenser
Electret Condenser
Carbon
Piezo-electric

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Condenser Microphone Elements

•Use a conductive diaphragm and electrically charged

backplate to form a sound sensitive “condenser “
(capacitor). Sound waves move the diaphragm in an
electric field to create the electrical signal. This means
that condenser microphones needs Phantom Power.
Advantage :

Smaller mic elements, higher sensitivity and flat

response over a wide frequency range.
Limitations :

Extra electronics that should be able to handle large

and small signal levels before it becomes distorted.
James Rodney P. Santiago
 Condenser Microphone
Condenser microphones use a variable plate capacitor as an
acoustic transducer, with the front electrode as the microphone's
diaphragm. As it moves, the capacitance changes, and a voltage
proportionate to the acoustic signal is produced.
Diaphragm Air Gap

Sintered Disc
Ceramic back plate Contact Ring

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Parallel Plate Capacitor

εo = Permittivity of empty space (ε air ∼ εo)

= 8.854x10-12 C 2/N.m2 = 1/(4π
π k)
ε = Permittivity of material between plates
A = Surface Area of one of the plates (SI: m 2)
James Rodney P. Santiago
d = Separation of the plates (SI: m)
Condenser Microphones

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Phantom Power

•It is a DC voltage (12-48V) used to power the

electronics of a condenser microphone. This voltage is
supplied through the mic cable by a mixer equipped
with phantom power or by some type of in-line external
source.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Microphone Architecture

Dynamic
Ribbon
Condenser
Electret Condenser
Carbon
Piezo-electric

James Rodney P. Santiago

Electret Condenser Microphone

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Back Electret
Back-Electret Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones use a variable plate capacitor
as an acoustic transducer, with the front electrode as
the microphone's diaphragm. As it moves, the
capacitance changes, and a voltage proportionate to
the acoustic signal is produced.
The electrodes used in pre-polarized condensers are
manufactured from a special synthetic material known
as the "electret". This material has a unique quality, in
that it permanently stores an electrical charge; the
charge is "frozen" in the electret material. Therefore, it
requires no high external polarizing voltage and can be
powered by low voltage internal batteries.

James Rodney P. Santiago

Piezoelectric Microphone

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Frequency Response
The change in output level or sensitivity of a
microphone over its usable range of frequencies (lowest
to highest).

Typically, microphones exhibit a frequency range of 20

– 20,000Hz.

In the identification of the usable frequency range of

a particular microphone, you must refer to its
response curve and identify its flat response
depending on your sensitivity requirement.

James Rodney P. Santiago

Musical Instrument Frequency Ranges

James Rodney P. Santiago

Frequency Response

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Distance Factor

Directional Microphones have more rejection on off axis sound

than omni-directional which enables it to be used for greater
distance to the source and still achieve the same balance between
direct sound and ambient sound.

Off axis coloration

Describes the microphones inability to provide uniform frequency

response on all axis. The effect is pronounced on High Frequency
components.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Proximity Effect

It refers to the microphone’s frequency response with respect to the

distance of the sound source to the pickup device of the
microphone.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Frequency Response

The curve shows on-axis response at a distance of 2’

from uniform sound source. Response may vary
depending on the microphone’s position.
James Rodney P. Santiago
 Directivity
The sensitivity to sound relative to the direction or angle
of arrival at the microphone.
It is usually illustrated via a polar pattern that shows a
360°view around the microphone.

In the identification of the usable frequency range of

a particular microphone, you must refer to its
response curve and identify its flat response
depending on your sensitivity requirement.

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Frequency Response
The change in output level or sensitivity of a
microphone over its usable range of frequencies (lowest
to highest).

Typically, microphones exhibit a frequency range of 20

– 20,000Hz.

In the identification of the usable frequency range of

a particular microphone, you must refer to its
response curve and identify its flat response
depending on your sensitivity requirement.

James Rodney P. Santiago

Microphone Polar Patterns

James Rodney P. Santiago

Omni-Directional Pattern

James Rodney P. Santiago

James Rodney P. Santiago
Cardioid Pattern

James Rodney P. Santiago

DYNAMIC MICROPHONE

James Rodney P. Santiago

DYNAMIC MICROPHONE

James Rodney P. Santiago

 Bi-Directional

James Rodney P. Santiago

Super Cardioid

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Hyper Cardioid

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 Reference

Yamaha Sound Reinforcement Manual

Shure Microphones

Sennheiser Microphones

JBL

James Rodney P. Santiago