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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. An instrument for detecting sound transmitted through water commonly manufactured using ceramic piezoelectric material.






2. Pure polar pattern with which the microphone is equally sensitive in all directions; Great for capturing ambiance or room reverb.






3. Condenser; Cardioid; Side Address; 48V Required; Large Diaphragm; Manufactured by Rode; Widely recognised as the world's quietest studio microphone; Ideal for vocals - voiceover - and acoustic instruments.






4. 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






5. The property of certain crystals that causes them to produce voltage when a mechanical pressure such as sound vibrations is applied to them; Originates from Greek word 'piezein' (to compress).






6. 12V DC; 24V DC; 48V DC






7. Considered to be the best mic ever made; VF14 Tube.






8. The moving plate of a condenser capacitor; Constructed of a thin piece of metal or thin plastic - such as Mylar - coated with gold or nickel; .05 - 10 microns thick.






9. First to mass produce the condenser microphone in 1929; Improved cutting lathe technology by developing direct drive turntables; Invents 48V Phantom Power to power the new condenser microphone for Norwegian State Television.






10. To oppose with equal weight or force as in the length of the boom arm versus the weight of the microphone.






11. Built by AKG for Telefunken and regarded as one of the best vintage condenser microphones ever.






12. Commonly utilize large diaphragm dynamic mics.






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






14. Moving a conductor (a coil of wire) through a magnetic field will cause a voltage to be induced across the conductor.

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15. Vintage Tube Mics hold voltage after being unplugged; Be sure grounds are connected to power cord and that the charge has left microphone prior to striking.






16. Shows the level of self- noise from a microphone's internal electronics; Measured in dB (decibels).






17. 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.






18. The attachment that holds a microphone in place on the mic stand; Comes in various shapes - sizes - and applications.






19. This is what is measured to produce an electrical signal in condenser mics; This changes as sound waves strike the diaphragm causing the distance to the back plate to change.






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






21. 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.






22. 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.






23. Known as 'The Bottle' this was the first mass - produced condenser mic.






24. Early example of switchable polar patterns; Had both a dynamic and a ribbon capsule inside of it which when combined produced other polar patterns.






25. Phenomenon causing carbon microphones to lose sensitivity as granules become packed together over extended use; To remedy problem mic is gently rapped on hard surface.






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






27. Developed the condenser microphone in 1916 at Bell Labs.






28. Filters only the bandwidth of frequencies that are supposed to (or allowed) to pass through; High and Low Pass are examples.






29. Pair of cardioids facing to the front and rear - plus a sideways - facing figure 8; Mid- sides pair plus another rear- facing cardioid which is combined with the same Figure 8 mic for the surrounds.






30. 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.






31. The first microphone sold by Shure; Military awarded Shure a contract to build microphones in WWII.






32. A stereo miking technique similar to coincident pair - where the mics are set up with some distance between them; Distance and angle of microphones may differ; Creates a more defined stereo image; Produces very sharp images; Provides more 'air'.






33. The first dynamic microphone with changeable polar patterns.






34. An electromagnetic microphone - in which a thin - corrugated ribbon is suspended within a high magnetic flux field; Excellent transient response due to the small amount of acoustic energy required to move diaphragm.






35. Fixed plate that is charged with polarized voltage found in condenser mics; Usually constructed of milled brass; Has a number of holes drilled in it to provide damping for diaphragm.






36. Sounds that arrive at the 0






37. Cable wrapping method that reduces interference and makes it easier to unravel the cable.






38. Small coil of wire wrapped around the plastic or aluminum diaphragm of a dynamic microphone.






39. One of the world's greatest condenser microphones prized for the CK12 capsule.






40. Demonstrated the first stereophonic transmissions via the Theatrophone in 1881.






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






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






43. 1 Bidirectional & 1 Cardioid placed coincidentally; Bidirectional faces left and right and cardioid faces the sound; Gives control of the focus and size of the stereo image;






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






45. Condenser; Multiple; Side Address; 48V Required; Manufactured by AKG; Dual Diaphragm; Nine selectable pickup patterns; Peak Hold LED; The reference microphone for almost all comparative microphone tests.






46. Shows the total range of the mic's internal pre- amp; Measured in dB (decibels).






47. Dynamic; Super-Cardioid; End Address; Humbucking Coil; Brilliance Switch; Manufactured by Sennheiser; Acknowledged as the most accurate and versatile dynamic mic available.






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






49. The first AKG dynamic microphone.






50. 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.