Mic SPL quesions HELP PLZ***

[saikit_2003]

i got some question here...
1. what happens to mics in High SPL???
2. actally what is SPL?signal pressure level? what does it do?
3. Dynamic and condensor mics---> how they operate, common???

please help me!

 

[jkokura]

the answers to your questions are best answered by Harvey...I know it takes time and it can be hard to understand...but I had questions like this over the past year...and a lot of them have been answered simply by reading...

As for the specifics of your questions, I don't think I'm qualified to really answer them...sorry

jacob

 

[bcains]

i got some question here...
1. what happens to mics in High SPL???
2. actally what is SPL?signal pressure level? what does it do?
3. Dynamic and condensor mics---> how they operate, common???

please help me!

SPL Explained
DPA mic tech guide

 

[saikit_2003]

i read this already

i read already, but i still dont understand what happens when a mic in "High" SPL....

 

[bcains]

i dont understand what your are asking? A high SPL mic, just means it can
handle higher sound pressure levels...

 

[saikit_2003]

ok , let me ask again...haha

i dont understand what your are asking? A high SPL mic, just means it can
handle higher sound pressure levels...

what is the different between a high spl mic and a low spl mic

 

[PhilGood]

i read already, but i still dont understand what happens when a mic in "High" SPL....

Sound pressure level (SPL) is measured in decibels. The quiter a sound is, the lower the SPL (lower decibles) and the louder something is, the higher the SPL (higher decibels). When the sound pressure exceeds mic's SPL rating (volume LOUD), it will distort! (Thzzzbbchhh-crackle-ghttth)

There is no such thing as a "high SPL mic" or a "low SPL mic. They just have different capabilities.

Tell Walters "hi."!

 

[BigRay]

what is the different between a high spl mic and a low spl mic

um...a high spl mic handle HIGH SPLs and a low spl can only handle LOW SPLs. the higher spls the mic can handle the better. -sound pressure level...

trb

 

[Harvey Gerst]

"Sound Pressure Levels" are the way engineers express how loud something is, by comparing it to a know level on a scale. Sound levels are measured in "Bels" and smaller divisions are "Decibels".

Microphones are calibrated and measured by exposing the mic to a specific soound level (94dB) at a specific distance, and measuring the output of the mic (indicating how far below the signal is from 0dB). This number is shown as a minus dB number. It's called "Sensitivity".

Condenser mics have a great deal of signal level sensitivity and may only need 30dB or so of amplification to bring the signal up to 0dB. Dynamic mics don't fare as well and can require 55 or more dB of amplification to get up to 0DB. Ribbons may need even more. Sensitivity has nothing to do with quality; it only describes the signal range the mic needs.

But very loud signals can overload a microphone, so a maximum SPL figure is needed. This usually occurs somewhere between 130dB and 140dB - both very loud levels. When you exceed the max SPL of a mic, the mic begins to distort more and more.

The last important figure is "Self-noise". That determines the softest sound the mic can hear till it's own inherent noise drowns out the quietest notes.

Disregarding the frequency and polar pattern response, those are the 3 important factors as far as the mic's ability to "hear" a sound:

"Noise Floor" tells you the softest sound the mic can "hear"

Sensitivity" tells you how well the mic converts sound to electric output

"Max SPL" tells you how loud the signal has to be to distort the mic.