Specs

[Mushu]

Hi, I'm trying to compare two microphones. I won't say the names. Firstly, is there a very noticeable difference between 16bit and 24bit bit rate? I want to know if these specs in comparison will affect the performance of the microphone and which one looks better overall.

Both are 20Hz - 20kHz for frequency response.

Specs of first microphone on the left and the other on the right.
Sensitivity: 14.1 mV (–37 dB) re 1V at 1 Pa (Noise: 20 dB SPL) ////// 4.5mV/Pa (1 kHz)
Max SPL: 144 dB (THD: 1% 1 kHz) ////// 120dB (THD: 0.5% 1kHz)

I can't seem to find the full specs for the second microphone so I'll stop there.

 

[mshilarious]

Don't trust 20-20 specs without seeing a frequency response chart. Nominally, that should mean the low & high rolloffs should be no more than -3dB at 20Hz and 20kHz, but that's not real common in mics.

Overall, these things depend on your intended use . . . but all other things being equal (which they probably aren't), I'd take higher sensitivity and higher SPL handling where I could get it . . . also, if you can't find full specs, that's a bit of a red flag. The Germans make many of the best mics in the world, and they are *meticulous* about specifications . . .

Finally, remember that specs don't tell you if a mic is suitable for your intended use, they just tell you if a mic is *not* suitable for your intended use.

 

[Shadow_7]

16 bit and 24 bit is like the dynamic range resolution. kHz would be the frequency range resolution. So yes there are differences. If your professor talks in monotone and never does anything exciting, 16 bit is ideal. If the professor whispers, then shouts, throws books, slam doors, then taps their fingers on their desk, you might need the dynamic range of 24 bit.

Frequency response range 20Hz-20kHz doesn't mean that it has the same dynamic (loudness) sensitivity to all frequencies, or that it's not sensitive to frequencies beyond that range, so the graph can reveal some of the quirks. Relative to the mic that helped to generate the graph which might bear little resemblance to the mic that you actually end up with. Depending on the manufacturer / history of your mic.