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How to read microphone specifications

By Mikkel Nymand

Gydevang 44, 3450 Allerød, Denmark • Phone +45 4814 2828 • Fax +45 4814 2700 • www.dpamicrophones.com
Microphone University - How to read microphone specifications

How to read microphone specifications

By Mikkel Nymand (Tonmeister), DPA Microphones A/S

When you read microphone specifications, it is Example: DPA Type 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone, P48:
extremely important that you understand how to
Frequency Range:
interpret them. In most cases the specifications can On-axis: 20Hz - 20kHz ±2dB
be measured or calculated in many different ways.
This article is designed to help evaluate Frequency Response:
specifications in a meaningful way.

What you cannot determine from

specifications
While microphone specifications provide an
indication of a microphone's electro-acoustic
performance, they will not give you the total Multiple frequency response curves
appreciation of how it will sound. Specifications can Manufacturers of professional equipment will
detail objective information but cannot convey the always provide more than one frequency response
subjective sonic experience. For example, a curve, as it is essential to see how the microphone
frequency response curve can show you how will respond to sound coming from different
faithfully the microphone will reproduce the directions and in different acoustic sound fields.
incoming pure sinusoidal frequencies, but not how
detailed, well dissolved or transparent the result will
On-axis response
be.
The on-axis response demonstrates the
microphone’s response to sound coming directly
The decibel (dB) scale on-axis towards its diaphragm (0°). Be aware that
The basis for most microphone specifications is the the on-axis response may be measured from
decibel scale. The dB scale is logarithmic and is different distances, which may influence the
used because of its equivalence to the way the response on directional microphones because of
human ear perceives changes in sound pressure. the proximity effect.
Furthermore, the changes in dB are smoother and
more understandable than the very large numbers
that might occur in pressure scales (Pascal, Newton
Diffuse field response
The diffuse field response curve will illustrate how
or Bar). The dB scale states a given pressure in
the microphone will respond in a highly reverberant
proportion to a reference pressure, mostly 20
sound field. This will be an acoustic environment
µPa. The reference pressure 20 µPa is chosen
where the sound has no specific direction but where
equal to 0 dB. Please note that 0 dB does not
all directions are equally probable. The reflections
mean, that there isn’t any sound; it only states the
from walls, floor, ceiling etc. are as loud or louder
lower limiting sound pressure level of the average
than the direct sound and the sound pressure level
human ear's ability to detect sounds.
is the same everywhere. This is especially
interesting when considering omnidirectional
Frequency Response microphones, because they are able to register the
The frequency response curve illustrates the full frequency range in the lower frequencies. The
microphone’s ability to transform acoustic energy diffuse field response will show a roll-off in the
into electric signals, and whether it will do so higher frequencies, partly due to the air’s absorption
faithfully or will introduce colouration. Take care of higher frequencies.
not to mistake frequency response for
frequency range. The microphone’s frequency
Off-axis responses
range, will only give you a rough indication of which
The off-axis responses will reveal the microphone’s
frequency area the microphone will be able to
response to sound coming from different angles.
reproduce sound within a given tolerance. The
This is particularly interesting when you want to
frequency range is sometimes also referred to as
discover how a directional (i.e. cardioid)
“bandwidth”.
microphone will eliminate sound coming from other
angles than directly towards the diaphragm. Even
though the off-axis responses are attenuated on
directional microphones, it is of extreme importance

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Microphone University - How to read microphone specifications

that these curves also show a straight frequency Equivalent noise level
response, as it will otherwise introduce an off-axis The equivalent noise level (also known as the
coloration (curtain effect). microphone’s self-noise) indicates the sound
pressure level that will create the same voltage, as
Example: DPA Type 4011, Cardioid Microphone, P48: the self-noise from the microphone will produce. A
low noise level is especially desirable when working
with low sound pressure levels so the sound will not
“drown” in noise from the microphone itself. The
self-noise also dictates the lower limitation in the
microphone’s dynamic range.

There are two typical standards:

1. The dB(A) scale will weight the SPL
according to the ear’s sensitivity, especially
filtering out low frequency noise. Good
results (very low noise) in this scale are
usually below 15 dB(A).
Polar Response 2. The CCIR 468-1 scale uses a different
A polar diagram is used to show how certain weighting, so in this scale, good results are
frequencies are reproduced when they enter the below 25 - 30 dB.
microphone from different angles. The polar
diagram can provide an indication of how smooth Example: Type 4041-S Omnidirectional Solid State Microphone
(or uneven) the off-axis coloration will be.
Example: DPA Type 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone, P48: Equivalent noise level A-weighted:
Max. 7dB(A) re. 20 µPa

0° Equivalent noise level CCIR 468-1:

Max. 19dB

Sensitivity
Sensitivity expresses the microphone’s ability to
convert acoustic pressure to electric voltage. The
sensitivity states what voltage a microphone will
produce at a certain sound pressure level. A
microphone with high sensitivity will give a high
voltage output and will therefore not need as much
amplification (gain) as a model with lower
sensitivity. In applications with low sound pressure
levels, a microphone with a high sensitivity is
required in order to keep the amplification noise
low.

According to the IEC 268-4 norm, the sensitivity is

180° measured in mV per Pascal at 1kHz (measuring
microphones at 250 Hz). As an alternative, the
A reference point on the outer circle is defined, sensitivity can be submitted according to the
often by a 1kHz sinusoidal tone aiming the American tradition, which states the sensitivity in
microphone directly towards its diaphragm (0° = on dB, relatively to 1V/Pa, which will give a negative
top of the circle). Each shift between emphasised value. A serious microphone manufacturer will also
circles normally indicates a -5 dB step, unless state tolerances in sensitivity, according to
otherwise indicated. In this way you will be able to production differences - such tolerances would
determine how much weaker the signal will be normally be in the region of 2 dB.
around the microphone for certain frequencies, Example: DPA Type 3530 A-B Stereo Kit, P48:
commonly 5kHz, 10kHz, 15kHz and 20 kHz.
Sensitivity:
Nominally 10mV/Pa; -40dB re. 1V/Pa unloaded (at 250Hz) Max
The response curves should be smooth and difference 1dB
symmetric to show an uncoloured sound. Extreme
peaks and valleys are unwanted and the response SPL handling capability
curves should not cross each other. From the polar In many recording situations it is essential to know
diagram you can also see how omnidirectional the maximum Sound Pressure Level (SPL) the
microphones usually become more directional at microphone can handle. Please note that in most
higher frequencies. music recording maximum peak SPL's easily
supersede the RMS value by more than 20dB.

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Microphone University - How to read microphone specifications

The RMS value indicates an average SPL and will

not show the true SPL peaks.

It is important to know
1. The SPL where a certain Total Harmonic
Distortion (THD) occurs.
2. The SPL where the signal from the
microphone will clip, that is the waveforms
will become squares. This is the term: Max.
SPL and it refers to peak values in SPL.

A commonly used level of THD is 0,5% (1% is also

often seen), which is the point where the distortion
can be measured, but not heard. Ensure that the
THD specification is measured for the complete
microphone (capsule + preamplifier), as many
manufacturers only specify THD measured on the
preamplifier, which distorts much less than the
capsule. The distortion of a circular diaphragm will
double with a 6dB increase of the input level, so
you can calculate other levels of THD by using this
factor.
Example: Type 4004 Hi-SPL Omnidirectional Microphone, 130V

Maximum sound pressure level:

168dB SPL peak

Total harmonic distortion:

142dB SPL peak (<0.5% THD)
148dB SPL peak (<1% THD)

Conclusion
Microphone specifications do not tell the whole
story about a microphone's quality, and are no
substitute for the sonic experience. Although
microphone specifications may not be fully
comparable between manufacturers, when properly
evaluated they do provide useful objectivity and will
help in the search for the optimal microphone.

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