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






2. When miking an amp placing it near the center of this will make it sound brighter; Miking near the outer edge of this will make it sound darker and more mellow in tone.






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






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






5. An electrical device characterized by its capacity to store an electric charge;






6. To capture two perspectives on the same sound.






7. An extremely strong acoustic nano- film designed to replace the foil ribbon in ribbon microphones.






8. Sounds that arrive at the 0






9. Use coincident or near coincident pairings; Too many microphones will cause phasing issues.






10. Overall measurement close to the overall sound level in frequency response charts.






11. 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.






12. Keep in proper case; Never disassemble shockmounts






13. Consumers can listen to live broadcasts over telephone lines; Individual one- way experience that required a subscription service to listen to performances.






14. Part of a mic stand that the mic stands on.






15. Dynamic; Cardioid; End Address; Manufactured by Sennheiser; Very small and compact; Especially suitable for use with drums and brass instruments; Includes a clip to mount directly on drums.






16. Small Diaphragm Electret condensers; Extremely flat frequency response; Omnidirectional pattern.






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






18. 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.






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






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






21. Forward facing bipolar mics spaced 20cm apart.






22. 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.






23. Stereo coincident pairing where the middle mic (usually a cardiod) is facing source and a bidirectional side mic is placed at 90






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






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






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






27. 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.






28. Electro- acoustic device attached to a transducer that vibrates to receive or produce sound waves which put the device into motion.






29. DC Voltage Req'd for capsule polarizing voltage and internal mic preamps; 3 sources: External Power Supply Unit (PSU); Phantom Power; Battery.






30. 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.






31. Polar pattern produced when you add a little bit of bidirectional to the omni pattern.






32. Tube microphone capable of SPL's over 140dB.






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






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






36. 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.






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






38. Coincident pairing angled between 90






39. + (only); (Front capsule alone)






40. 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.






41. 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






42. 4800 ft/sec






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






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






45. Stereo configuration using a spaced pair 3-10 feet apart.






46. Allows all low frequencies to pass; Blocks the higher frequencies from being processed.






47. Dynamic; Cardioid; End Address; Manufactured by Shure; Popular musicians' choice due to its sturdy construction and ability to work well with instruments that produce high sound pressure levels.






48. Works exactly like condenser mic but one of the two plates is manufactured as a capsule with a permanent static charge so there is no external power source necessary; Requires phantom or battery to charge internal mic preamp.






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






50. Tube manufactured for the new version of the AKG C12 (called the C12-A); Powered by Norelco.