MICROPHONE SENSITIVITY
One of the most common questions people ask is: "What does "Microphone Sensitivity" really mean?"
This spec is crucial for choosing the right microphone for your project. You'll find it on the spec sheet (data sheet) of any microphone on the market. But those sheets rarely explain what it means or whether a higher or lower number is better for different uses.
This spec is crucial for choosing the right microphone for your project. You'll find it on the spec sheet (data sheet) of any microphone on the market. But those sheets rarely explain what it means or whether a higher or lower number is better for different uses.
|
Simple Q&A Question: Which microphone picks up quieter sounds better: one with "-54dB" or "-36dB" sensitivity? Answer: The microphone with "-36dB" sensitivity is better for picking up quieter sounds. Here's the catch: some people might think "-54dB" means it picks up much quieter sounds because the number is lower, but that's not quite right! |
Microphone sensitivity refers to how well a microphone picks up sound. In simpler terms, it's a measure of how efficiently the microphone converts sound waves into electrical signals.
There are two key things to remember about microphone sensitivity:
Here's a breakdown of how sensitivity affects microphones:
- Higher sensitivity means the microphone produces a stronger electrical signal for a given sound level. This can be helpful in quiet recording situations where you need to capture faint sounds.
- Microphone sensitivity is specified in various ways, with millivolts per pascal (mV/Pa) and decibels (dB) being the most common.
Here's a breakdown of how sensitivity affects microphones:
- High sensitivity mics: These pick up quieter sounds well but may also be more prone to picking up background noise. They might require less gain adjustment on the recording device.
- Low sensitivity mics: These need louder sounds to produce a strong signal and may not be ideal for quiet environments. They might require more gain to boost the signal.
Pros |
Cons |
Suitable Applications |
|
High Sensitivity |
-Picks up quieter sounds well. -Longer distance can be maintained from the sound source. -Requires less gain boost adjustment. |
-Picks up more background noise. -Audio feedback is more likely to occur. |
-Quiet recordings (e.g. professional voice recording) -Ambient sound monitoring and/or recordings (e.g. Team conferencing or security monitoring) |
Low Sensitivity |
-Picks up less background noise. -Audio feedback is less likely to occur. |
-Requires more gain to boost the signal. -Needs to be close to the sound source (like your mouth). |
-Speech, presentations or paging announcements where the microphone can be positioned close to the speaker's mouth. |
Understanding microphone sensitivity is important when choosing a mic for a specific use case. It's one of several factors to consider alongside factors like polar pattern and frequency response.
Ready to Dive Deeper into Microphone Type?
There's a general relationship between microphone type and sensitivity. Microphones designed to be positioned close to the sound source, like handheld and lavalier microphones, typically have lower sensitivity to focus on the primary audio without picking up too much background noise. On the other hand, boundary microphones, which need to capture sound across a wider area, generally have higher sensitivity.
Check out this article for a more in-depth exploration of a variety of different types of microphones!
Check out this article for microphone directivities (polar patterns) such as omnidirectional, cardioid or bidirectional.
Check out this article for a more in-depth exploration of a variety of different types of microphones!
Check out this article for microphone directivities (polar patterns) such as omnidirectional, cardioid or bidirectional.
