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






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






3. Used for stereo miking to ensure correct balance and imaging.






4. Shure's ribbon microphone that utilizes Roswellite to prevent ribbon damage.






5. The measuring device used for loudspeaker room response testing.






6. Mics in which sound waves vibrate a piezoelectric crystal that generates a varying voltage.






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






8. Method of creating low end effects from a bass drum by creating a tunnel at the mic end thus trapping sound and amplifying low end boost.






9. Radio Frequency Interference






10. Commonly found in acoustic guitar pickups; Ceramic piezoelectric material is used in hydrophones (underwater mics) because of durability.






11. 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.






12. German broadcasting stereo mic technique; An X-Y type with the mics 20cm apart and at a 90






13. Used in adverse conditions to protect from elements like sand - or dust.






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






15. Shure's newer ribbon studio mics; KSM 353 & 313 (Roswellite); KSM 44 - 32 - & 27.






16. The graphic representation plot of the sensitivity of a microphone from any direction over a 360






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






18. Older ribbon microphone weighing 8.5 lbs. nearly all of it the large magnet!






19. 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.






20. First microphone invented by Georg Neumann






21. EMI employee that was the innovator of many coincident pairing mic techniques; Mid/Side & Blumlein techniques are associated with him.






22. Modern drummer who has created a large kit and innovated several ways of capturing the sound from his massive kit.






23. Commonly utilize large diaphragm dynamic mics.






24. 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






25. Voltage applied to piezoelectric material will cause it to deform or change shape; NO PHANTOM POWER!






26. 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.






27. Divisions on the fingerboard which represent the position of a specific note or tone.






28. Very robust and durable; Used in telephones until 1990's; Currently finds applications for military use.






29. Mics placed in front of an instrument or ensemble (in a left/right fashion) to obtain an overall stereo image; Sound more open and natural; Weaker center image than X/Y; Great for creating background sounds that will blend in with foreground sounds.






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






31. The outer covering of a microphone.






32. 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.






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






34. Term coined by Sir Charles Wheatstone derived from the Greek words 'micro' (small) & 'phon' (sound).






35. Changes in air pressure from the front or the back can cause polarity cancellation; Sides have good rejection; Natural polar pattern is bidirectional.






36. Dutch broadcasting stereo mic technique; An X-Y type with the mics 30cm apart and at a 90






37. The part of the guitar you turn to tune the strings in order to get the right sound out of the guitar when one plays.






38. Quartz; Barium Titaniate - Tourmaline; Rochelle Salt - and even cane sugar.






39. 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






40. When using two microphones reverse the polarity of the bottom mic.






41. Condenser; Cardioid; End Address; 48V Required; Manufactured by Neumann; Consists of three compact miniature microphones; Has a gentle rise at about 9 kHz that provides tonal balance that is fresher and livelier.






42. More compelling sound - giving both depth and perspective.






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






44. 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.






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






46. Allows all high frequencies to pass; Blocks the lower frequencies from being processed.






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






48. The first dynamic microphone with changeable polar patterns.






49. Solid state version of the U67.






50. A 3- mic array using omni mics with left - right and center placement; Center is placed about 5 ft. closer to the source to eliminate 'holes' in the middle and the center levels are reduced for an even sound; Forms a triangle.