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Crystal Microphone

Crystals which demonstrate the piezoelectric


effect produce voltages when they are
deformed. The crystal microphone uses a thin
strip of piezoelectric material attached to a
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diaphragm. The two sides of the crystal acquire
opposite charges when the crystal is deflected
Sound
by the diaphragm. The charges are proportional
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to the amount of deformation and disappear
concepts
when the stress on the crystal disappears. Early
crystal microphones used Rochelle salt because
Reference
of its high output, but it was sensitive to
White &
moisture and somewhat fragile. Later
White
microphones used ceramic materials such as
p299.
barium titanate and lead zirconate. The electric
output of crystal microphones is comparatively
large, but the frequency response is not
comparable to a good dynamic microphone, so
they are not serious contenders for the music
market.

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Directional Patterns of Microphones

Characteristic
Pickup arc
3 dB down
Pickup arc

Omnidirectional Cardioid Supercardioid Hypercardioid Bidirectional


...

131

115

105

90
Index

6 dB down

...

180

156

141

120

Relative output at
90 in dB

-6

-8.5

-12

-inf

Relative output at
180 in dB

-inf

-12

-6

Angle at which
output = 0

...

180

127

110

90

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concepts
Reference
Huber &
Runstein

The variety of directional patterns are often characterized by the arc within which they pick
up at least half the peak value. In decibels, a drop of 3 dB represents half the power and 6 dB
down is one fourth the power.
With any of the microphone mechanisms, different directional patterns of response can be
produced. Common directional patterns are called cardiod (for heart shaped) and
omnidirectional. There are also "figure-eight" patterns which accept sound from front and
rear. The parabolic microphone is unidirectional in the extreme!
One directional technique used is the "stereo microphone" which may be constructed from
two condenser microphones attached to each other so that their peak response directions are
90 apart. Although stereo effects may be obtained with two separate microphones, the stereo
pair offers a way to get some stereo effect with a single microphone placement.

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Parabolic Microphone

Index

For recording distant bird or animal


sounds, or for just plain eavesdropping,
it is hard to beat the directionality and
sensitivity of the parabolic microphone.

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reproduction
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