Term
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Definition
| a device that converts one form of energy into another. |
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Definition
| the measure of the total resistance to the current flow in an AC circuit; expressed in ohms. |
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Definition
| a mic with a moving-coil element. The coil is connected to a diaphragm suspended in a magnetic field. |
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Definition
| a microphone with a ribbon diaphragm suspended in a magnetic field. |
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Definition
| A ribbon microphone that uses an amplifier system requiring phantom power. |
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Definition
| A device that increases the amplitude of an electric signal. |
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Definition
| a microphone that does not require phantom power. |
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Definition
| operating voltage supplied to a capacitor microphone by an external power source or mixer, thereby eliminating the need to use batteries. |
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Definition
| a microphone that transduces energy electromagnetically. Moving-coil and ribbon microphones are dynamic. |
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Definition
| a microphone that transduces acoustic energy into electric energy electrostatically. |
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Definition
| a capacitor microphone using a tube circuit in the preamp. |
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Definition
| a sound that begins with a sharp attack followed by a quick decay. |
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Definition
| being within the optimal picup pattern of a microphone; on-axis. |
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Term
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Definition
| the graph of a microphone’s directional characteristics as seen from above. The graph indicates response over a 360-degree circumference in a series of concentric circles, each representing a 5 dB loss in level as the circles move inward toward the center. |
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Term
| Omnidirectional microphone |
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Definition
| microphone that picks up sound from all directions. |
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Term
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Definition
| a microphone that picks up sound to its front and back and has minimal pickup at its sides. |
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Term
| Unidirectional microphone |
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Definition
| a microphone that picks up sounds form one direction. |
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Term
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Definition
| a unidirectional microphone with a heart-shaped pickup pattern. |
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Term
| Single-entry-port microphones |
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Definition
| a directional microphone that uses a single port to bring sounds from the rear of the mic to the capsule. Because these sounds from the rear reach the capsule out of phase with those that reach the front of the capsule, they are canceled. |
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Term
| Multiple-entry-port microphones |
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Definition
| a mic that has more than one opening for sound waves to reach the transducer. |
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Definition
| a measure of an audio system’s ability to reproduce a range of frequencies with the same relative loudness; usually represented by a graph. |
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Term
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Definition
| frequency response in an audio system that reproduces a signal between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz (or between any two specified frequencies) that varies no more than +/- 3 dB. |
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Term
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Definition
| feeding a component or system more amplitude than it can handle and thereby causing loudness distortion. |
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Term
| Total harmonic distortion (THD) |
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Definition
| a specification that compares the output signal with the input signal and measures the level differences in harmonic frequencies between the two. Measured as a percentage; the lower, the better. |
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Definition
| Measurement of the voltage a microphone produces, which indicates its efficiency. |
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Term
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Definition
| the electrical noise, or hiss, an electronic device produces. Also called equivalent noise level. |
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Term
| Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) |
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Definition
| the ratio, expressed in decibels, of an electronic device’s nominal output to its noise floor. The wider the S/N ratio, the better. |
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Term
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Definition
| increase in the bass response of some mics as the distance between the mic and its sound source is decreased. Also known as the bass tip-up. |
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Term
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Definition
| attenuating bass frequencies. The control-for example, on a microphone-used to roll off bass frequencies. |
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Term
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Definition
| a circuit built into a microphone to reduce hum pickup. |
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Term
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Definition
| microphone that used to be worn around the neck but is now worn attached to the clothing. Also called mini-mic. |
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Term
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Definition
| any extremely small lavaliere mic designed to be unobtrusive on-camera and which can be easily hidden in or under clothing or on a set. |
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Term
| Proximity Oriented Mini Mic |
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Definition
| used for body miking; tends to add presence to close dialogue and reject background sound. |
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Term
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Definition
| used for body miking; tends to add an open, natural sound and pick up more ambience. |
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Term
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Definition
| a highly directional microphone with a tube that resembles the barrel of a riffle. |
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Term
| Parabolic Microphone system |
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Definition
| a system that uses a concave dish to focus reflected sound into a microphone pointed at the center of the dish. |
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Term
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Definition
| a microphone attached to a pair of headphones; one headphone channel feeds the program and the other headphone channel feeds the director’s cues. |
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Term
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Definition
| consists only of an earpiece with no headband cable-connected to a microphone. |
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Term
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Definition
| a microphone that attaches to a sound source and transduces the vibrations that pass through it. Also called acoustic pickup mic. |
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Term
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Definition
| the effect produces when a signal is time-delayed and added to itself, reinforcing some frequencies and canceling others, giving sound an unnatural, hollow coloration. |
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Term
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Definition
| a microphone whose capsule is mounted flush with or close to, but a precise distance from, a reflective surface so that there is no phase cancellation of reflected sound at audible frequencies. |
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Term
| Noise-canceling Microphone |
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Definition
| a microphone designed for use close to the mouth and with excellent rejection of ambient sound. |
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Term
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Definition
| not being within the optimal pickup pattern of a microphone; off-axis. |
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Term
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Definition
| a digital microphone for those who want to record directly into a computer without an audio interface such as a console, control surface, or mixer. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. |
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Term
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Definition
| the period of time it takes for data to get from one designated point to another. In audio, the signal delay through the driver and the interface to the output. |
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Term
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Definition
| device that makes it possible to connect any dynamic or capacitor XLR microphone into a computer via USB. |
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Term
| Multidirectional Microphone |
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Definition
| microphone with more than one pickup pattern. |
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Term
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Definition
| interchangeable microphone capsules of various directional patterns that attach to a common base. The base contains a power supply and preamplifier. |
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Term
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Definition
| two directional microphone capsules, one above the other, with sparate outputs, encased in one housing. |
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Term
| Middle-side (M-S) Microphones |
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Definition
| consists of two mic capsules housed in a single casing. One capsule, usually cardioid, is the midposition microphone. The other capsule usually bidirectional, has each lobe oriented 90 degrees laterally. |
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Term
| Binaural Microphone Systems |
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Definition
| two omnidirectional capacitor microphones set into the ear cavities of an artificial head, complete with pinnae. This arrangement preserves binaural localization cues during recording and reproduces sound as humans hear it-three-dimensionally. Also called artificial head or dummy head. |
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Term
| Surround-sound Microphone Systems |
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Definition
| separate microphones, or microphone capsules, housed in a single casing, for each pickup in a given surround-sound format and a controller to adjust spatial imaging. |
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Term
| Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) |
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Definition
| technology that allows interactive video game users who have a headset and a microphone to speak with each other, give and receives instructions, and play in a team environment against others using the same technology. |
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Term
| High Definition Microphone |
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Definition
| in general, a very high-quality microphone. In particular, a trademark of Earthworks, Inc. referring to their line of these types of mics and their proprietary technology. |
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Term
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Definition
| a microphone that converts an analog signal into a digital signal at the mic capsule. |
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Term
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Definition
| a device or plug-in that emulates the sound of various microphones. |
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Term
| Wireless Microphone System |
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Definition
| system consisting of a transmitter that sends a microphone signal to a receiver connected to a console or recorder. |
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Term
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Definition
| in wireless microphones, when more than one radio frequency (RF) signal form the same source arrives at the receiver’s front end, creating phase mismatching. |
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Term
| Fixed-frequency wireless microphone systems |
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Definition
| a wireless system assigned to one frequency. |
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Term
| Variable-frequency wireless microphone system |
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Definition
| a wireless microphone system that can use more than one channel. Also known as frequency-agile system. |
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Term
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Definition
| (1) a sudden attenuation of sound or loss of picture. (2) sudden attenuation in a wireless microphone signal due to an obstruction or some other interference. |
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Term
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Definition
| multiple-antenna receiving system for use with wireless microphones. |
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Term
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Definition
| (1) boosts the high frequencies in wireless microphone transmission. (2) boosts the treble range in radio broadcast transmission by 6 dB per octave, starting at 2.1 kHz (in U.S.) or 3.2 kHz (in Europe) |
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Term
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Definition
| reduces the high-frequency noise at the receiver in a wireless microphone system. |
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Term
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Definition
| a contraction of the words compressing and expanding that refers to wireless mics’ increasing dynamic range and reducing noise inherent in a transmissions system. |
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Term
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Definition
| in a wireless microphone system, a process of signal reception at the receiver that silences or mutes the receiver’s audio output when there is no radio signal. |
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Term
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Definition
| foam rubber covering specially designed to fit over the outside of a microphone head. Used to reduce plosive and blowing sounds. |
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Term
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Definition
| foam rubber windscreen placed inside the microphone head. Particularly effective in reducing sound from plosives and blowing. Also called blast filter. |
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Term
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Definition
| a device that isolates a microphone from mechanical vibrations. It can be attached externally or built into a microphone. |
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Term
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Definition
| a pair of ungrounded conductors whose voltages are opposite in polarity but equal in magnitude. |
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Term
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Definition
| a line (or circuit) with two conductors of unequal voltage. |
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Term
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Definition
| common male and female microphone plugs with a three-pin connector. |
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