Sensitivity is one of the key characteristics of any microphone. It can be both high and low. You should familiarize yourself with the difference in order to choose the right device.
Microphone Sensitivity in dB
Sensitivity is the ratio of input pressure and voltage. This indicator characterizes the number of output signals.
The indicator is determined by the following characteristics:
- Sound pressure.
- Signaling
The output signals at the input influences is called sensitivity. It shows the value of the output voltage in volts, as well as how it will change if you increase or decrease the sound pressure indicator.
When a person speaks or plays a musical instrument, the microphone perceives the signal intensity and is able to convert such a wave into electric waves.
Important! The average sensitivity is from 40 to 60 dB. But there are also models over 85 dB.
What is this indicator
This parameter is completely dependent on the maximum value of the acoustic input signals. Therefore, when creating microphones, developers have some limitations, because if they make a mistake with the indicator, there is a risk that the signal will not come or go beyond when a person can perceive signals (too loud) painlessly.
With a high parameter, the signal quality will increase. This indicator also allows the microphone to transmit sounds if its source is far from the device (for example, on stage when the singer moves away from the microphone). But at the same time, too sensitive a microphone is very sensitive to extraneous noise. For example, the sound of air when a singer moves on stage. Therefore, this indicator should not be too small, but a large one is not the best choice.
The parameter depends entirely on the type of product. For example, for studio and desktop microphones, the sensitivity may be low, because during operation the person does not move, the signal source is close to the device, and most models are of good quality. But if the question is about the buttonhole (when the microphone is attached to the clothes with a clothespin), a high indicator is needed here. This is due to the fact that the human head or other sound source is far from the microphone, and extraneous noise can adversely affect the signal quality.
Another parameter in which the indicator is important is where the signal source is located. If sounds come from the side or from the back, it is better to choose a device with good sensitivity.
What sensitivity is better to choose a microphone
A microphone with high parameters does not mean that it is better than one with a low one. And it is an indicator of performance, but does not affect quality. The choice depends on the specific task. But in addition to sensitivity, you should pay attention to the following parameters:
- Limit point.
- The presence of sound distortion.
- The presence of noise.
For microphones with high parameters, less gain is needed in the amplifier, but the margin associated with the limit point is lower.
And if you need to transmit a signal through a cellular one (where a microphone and a source that transmits sounds are in close proximity), microphones with such a high indicator can be limited, so sound distortions will appear. The limitation is due to the maximum level of acoustics.
At the same time, devices with a low parameter are more suitable for transmitting signals over long distances, for example, for surveillance cameras or speakerphones on phones. In such cases, the greater the distance from the microphone to the source, the weaker the sound signal. Each time you double the distance from the microphone to the source, the quality decreases by about half. But thanks to the excellent characteristics of modern models, the difference is almost not felt.
There is also a method to increase the sensitivity of the device. To do this, use digital amplification. If the processor has good bit depth, the sound quality will not deteriorate with increasing, and excess noise will not affect it in any way.
Sensitivity is not a parameter that greatly affects the quality of the product. Therefore, it is necessary to choose its value, breaking away from the operation of the microphone. The developers are trying to make products that have good performance (both high and low).
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