Test your basic knowledge |

Microphones Theory

Subject : engineering
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Microphone with 4 large diaphragm condenser capsules; 3 bidirectional and 1 omni; Can be combined to make any polar pattern.






2. Modeled to mimic a human head for extremely good spatialization; Shaped like a human head.






3. Coincident pairing that is at 90






4. Dynamic; Cardioid; End Address; Manufactured by Shure; Considered the industry standard for live vocal performance microphones; One of the best- selling microphones in the world.






5. Rotating speaker cabinet design featuring separate treble and bass drivers that can switch speeds; Speaker rotate from front to back creating a Doppler effect; Resulted in new spatial perception for each note. Stereo miked up top and single miked at






6. The lowest - and usually most intense - frequency of a complex sound; Most often perceived as the sound's basic pitch.






7. Device used to measure sound loudness; Often used to measure and balance the loudness of each speaker in a home - studio - or live venue or theater system.






8. Omnidirectional: 0 - Cardioid: 8 - Supercardioid: 12 dB - Hypercardioid: 6 dB - Bidirectional: 0






9. Will yield a 6dB increase in output - but will cause a loss of high frequency response.






10. 4800 ft/sec






11. Basket/grille made out of a specific type of copper wire to block protect the mic from physical damage and to protect the mic from stray RFI






12. Tube with ports down the side with the mic capsule at the bottom; Sounds entering the tube from on - axis interact inside the tube with the sounds coming in through the side ports - an interfere with each other in such a way as to partially cancel of






13. Condenser; Cardioid; Side Address; 48V Required; Large Diaphragm; Manufactured by AudioTechnica; Transformerless circuitry virtually eliminates low- frequency distortion.






14. The combination of the ribbon and magnet in a ribbon microphone.






15. 2 - 4 ft. from player; Placed below the line of sight of the bell - rotated at about 30 degrees off axis - and tilted upward.






16. Sensitive in a narrower pattern in the front than a cardioid and has a prominent/pronounced lobe at rear; Rejects most signals from 110






17. Increasing magnetic field strength is the only practical means of increasing output voltage; Conductor movement is limited due to tension of the ribbon; and ribbon length increases lead to a loss of high frequency response.






18. Configured to simulate the spacing and directivity of human hearing; Box shape with two 'ears' on each side.






19. Mounts on a single stand to provide for adjustable spacing and angling between mics.






20. Often look like large diaphragm studio mics; Talk or sing into the side of the microphone.






21. Bell Labs scientist that was an innovator of many spaced pair and arrayed miking techniques.






22. The measure of how quickly a mic's diaphragm will react when it is hit by an acoustic sound wave.






23. Device used to calibrate sound pressure measurement devices; Emits a single 1 kHz frequency over a sustained period of time.






24. The tuning machines of a guitar; Part of the tuning key that strings are threaded through and twisted.






25. Delicate and require extreme care; NO PHANTOM POWER; Becoming more popular than ever because of highly efficient magnets - lower manufacturing costs - and great fidelity.






26. Used in production sound for multiple perspectives on the set; Used in Audio Post to record a number of mics into a recorder with minimal set- up & tear down.






27. Condenser; Cardioid; Side Address; 48V Required; Manufactured by AudioTechnica; Ideal for project/home- studio applications; Low price; Remains the low cost performance standard in side- address condenser mics.






28. Occupying the same space and time.






29. Condenser; Cardioid/Hypercardioid; End Address; 48V Required; Manufactured by AKG; Can be powered by internal 9 V battery for field recording; Improves clarity of speech with the PB 1000 Presence Boost Adapter.






30. E = Blv - e - Electromotive Force (in volts) - B - is the magnetic field strength - l - is the length of the conductor - v - is the velocity of the conductor moving through the magnetic field






31. Used to make sure you have accurate angles & capsule spacing when miking in stereo.






32. The first cardioid pattern dynamic microphone.






33. Close mic placement can help guard again bleed from other instruments and takes advantage of proximity effect; Center of cone = Brighter; Outside of cone = Darker; Reflections can create phase issues (can be reduced by putting the cabinet at an angle






34. Dynamic; Cardioid; End Address; Manufactured by Sennheiser; Unique mic clip with quick- release button; Large diaphragm dynamic element handles high SPL's - making it great for recording guitars and drums.






35. Digital device used to Fourier Forms; Used to measure the specific number of sine waves in a specific frequency in a specific setting.






36. Big + & - (More front with less opposite rear)






37. Founded AKG at the end of WWII in Austria.






38. Bioacoustic Research; Documentary Journalism; Radio; Film/TV Production; Audio Post Production.






39. Used to filter heating current in certain mics; Invented by Georg Neumann.






40. 12V DC; 24V DC; 48V DC






41. Flat plate that controls or directs the flow of sound energy in a crystal/ceramic mic.






42. Sounds that may be broadcast over the radio or internet.






43. 4 to 6 ft. from the player; Mic should be placed below the line of sight of the bell - rotated at about 40 degrees off- axis - and tilted upward.






44. Best signal- to- noise ratio; Minimal phase cancellation; Quality representation of what is being recorded; Attempt to ignore unwanted external noise.






45. Derived from two words; 'electr' from electrostatic and 'et' from magnet.






46. Microphone consisting of two parallel metal plates - each holding an opposing charge (+ or -) and thus creating a capacitor to induce an electrical charge as sound waves move the diaphragm; Require a solid- state or tube preamplifier.






47. Sub- frequency (below 100Hz) capture device designed for use with kick drums and floor toms as an alternative or supplement to a traditional microphone.






48. Shows the max sound pressure level possible with a certain amount of distortion; Measured in dB (decibels).






49. Cable wrapping method that keeps every coil on top of the next; May cause interference and tiny curls or tangles.






50. Dynamic; Cardioid; End Address; Manufactured by Electro Voice; Large Diaphragm; Humbucking Coil; Bass Roll Off Switch; Minimizes proximity effect; Ideal for broadcasting and sound engineering techniques.