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. 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.






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






3. Another name for condenser microphone.






4. Often look like handheld vocal mics; Talk or sing into the end of the microphone.






5. Magnetic field opposite to that which presently exists; Do this on the bottom mic when miking a snare with two mics.






6. The head or top of the guitar where the tuning pegs are located.






7. 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






8. 4 coincident mics each positioned at 90






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






10. French physicist who pioneered piezoelectricity.






11. Reduces the power of a signal used when the trim itself cannot prevent overload in the mic line level signal.






12. + & - (Front & rear in opposite equal amounts)






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






14. 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.






15. 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.






16. Coincident pairing angled between 90






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






18. Most sensitive to sounds arriving from the front while rejecting sounds from rear; Shaped like a heart; Rejects most signals from 180






19. Coincident pairing of two bidirectional mics that make a pattern of crossing Figure 8's.






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






21. 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.






22. Commonly utilize large diaphragm dynamic mics.






23. Timing difference between two waves; Waves interfere cancelling each other out and altering frequency response; Measured in degrees; Can be caused by reflections of sound waves; Can be reduced by putting cabinet or amp at an angle.






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






25. 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;






26. Proportional to: Magnetic field strength; Length of the conductor; Velocity of conductor moving through the magnetic field.






27. Utilized primarily on condenser and ribbon mics to isolate it from vibrations that might otherwise be transmitted to the microphone through the mic stand.






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






29. First microphone invented by Georg Neumann






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






31. 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.






32. 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






33. 12V DC; 24V DC; 48V DC






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


35. Small microphone attached to the bridge of a string bass or to an acoustic guitar to amplify its sound.






36. Tough & rugged; Can work in extremely high SPL environments; Less responsive to transient frequencies b/c of diaphragm mass is heavier than sound waves.






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






38. 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.






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






40. 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.






41. 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.






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






43. 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.






44. The first dynamic microphone with changeable polar patterns.






45. + & + (Front & rear in equal positive amounts)






46. 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'.






47. Tough & rugged microphone that contains an element consisting of a dome- shaped diaphragm and a moving 'voice coil'; Operates on principles of magnetic induction.






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






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






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