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How to understand microphone specs to get the best sound for your project

Nov 16, 2017 by John Aldred Add Comment

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With more and more people shooting video and creating content for YouTube, microphones are more ubiquitous than they used to be. But when you want to go for one that’s a little more serious, they come with all kinds of tech data. The question most of us want to know the answer to, though, is simply “How good does it sound?”

But the answer is a little more complicated than we might think. Each of those specs means something, and it’ll affect the sound in a certain way. And which is “best” depends on what you’re trying to record. This video from Podcastage looks through 10 of the most important microphone specs and breaks down their meaning in simple terms.

It’s a great breakdown that should make your buying decisions much easier. Here’s a breakdown of the video, if you’re looking for information on a particular specification.

  • 00:00 – Intro
  • 00:30 – Part 1: Microphone Type
  • 01:10 – Part 2: Frequency Response
  • 01:45 – Part 3: Polar Pattern
  • 02:37 – Part 4: Self Noise (Equivalent Noise Level)
  • 03:02 – Part 5: Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
  • 03:19 – Part 6: Sensitivity
  • 03:53 – Part 7: Max SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
  • 04:48 – Part 8: Dynamic Range
  • 05:11 – Part 9.0: Output Impedance
  • 05:46 – Part 9.5: Load Impedance
  • 06:17 – Part 10: Power Requirements
  • 06:38 – Part 11: What you should look be looking for?
  • 07:58 – Outro

As I mentioned above, each microphone has its quirks that make it more useful for one task over another. Personally, my favourite mics are the Sennheiser K6/ME66 and Rode NT1a. But I also own and like the Rode NTG1, Rode VideoMicro, Rode smartLav+, and Saramonic UwMic9 dual wireless lav kit. Each has their own purpose and offers advantages for recording different things.

Which will be best for you will depend on your own needs and standards. At least now, though, you’ll be able to figure out what you want, armed with a little more information about what you’re getting.

 

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Related posts:

Sound 101 – How to read and understand microphone specs Get perfect sound in your videos with $5 DIY sound absorbing panels Need sound effects? Rode’s entire Ambisonic Sound Library is now available to download for free Give your DJI Osmo Pocket vlogs great sound with DJI’s new external microphone adapter

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: audio, Audio Recording, Microphone, microphones, Podcastage, sound, sound recording, voice over

John Aldred: from diyphotography.net

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

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