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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Binaural Recording?

Binaural recording involves placing two microphones as close to the ears as possible. The idea is to record the sound exactly as your ears hear it. Our body uses very subtle changes the sounds we hear to produce a stereo image. Sounds will reach one ear sooner than the other depending on where they originated. Even the shape of our head and ears changes the sound, playing an important role in how we perceive stereo information. When binaural recordings are listened to using headphones, the sound is almost identical to how it was heard while it was being recorded.

What is "plug-in-power"? Do I have it? Can I get it?

Electret microphones need power to operate. Most minidisc and DAT recorders were designed to be used with electret microphones and they have what is called plug-in-power. Check your manual to see if your recorder has this. Chances are if you have a microphone input and a line input, the microphone input is powered. Line inputs are not powered. You can add plug-in-power capability to you recorder with our external power supplies. These let you use microphones with the line input.

What do SPL numbers mean?

SPL stands for sound pressure levels, in other words how loud the sound or music is. These levels are usually measured using the decibel scale (dB). Zero decibels is the threshold of hearing, the quietest sound most humans can hear. Normal conversation is around 60 dB. An orchestra plays at around 100 dB, while rock concerts are usually between 110-120 dB. Most people can't tolerate sounds above 130 dB, sound levels that high are painful to be exposed to.

What is a Gain Stage?

A gain stage is a circuit that amplifies the voltage signals coming from the microphones. The signals coming from microphones can be very small, only a few thousandths of a volt. In order to make these signals useful they are amplified to a higher voltage. Since these signals are so small it's very easy to amplify noise as well as the useful part of the signal. This is why when the signals from the microphones are large enough, when recording loud music, it's better to use the line input of your recorder to avoid the amplifiers used in the microphone input.

What does electret mean?

Electret microphones are a type of microphone that uses an electrically charged plate that vibrates with the sound, to change sounds into electrical signals. Electret microphones are generally smaller than other types of microphones, such as dynamic microphones, this makes them very convenient for portable recording.

What is a dynamic microphone?

Dynamic microphones change sound into electrical signals by using a diaphragm attached to a coil which, moves over a magnet. This process is the exact opposite of how a speaker makes sound. Speakers send electrical signals to a coil placed over a magnet, the coil then causes the speaker to move producing sound.

What does "clipping" mean?

Clipping is a type of distortion that can ruin recordings. There are a few different types of clipping that can affect recordings. The first type occurs when sounds are too loud to be measured accurately by the microphones. The microphones will overload and send the wrong signals to the recorder. Another type of clipping happens when the microphones send a signal that is too large to the recorder. Most recorders have sensitivity adjustment controls. If the sensitivity is too high, and you're trying to record loud sounds the recorder will overload. Most recorders have an indicator that shows if they are overloading, these let you know that you need to turn the sensitivity down.

What are omni directional microphones?

Omni directional microphones pick up sounds no matter what direction the microphones are pointed in. As opposed to cardioid microphones, which pick up sounds stronger in the direction they are pointed.
















Jay Goodell Copyright 2004, 2005