Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site


In the Forum: Playback Listening
In the Thread: A playback and wrong notes.
Post Subject: Why is it not common practice?Posted by Andy Simpson on: 10/18/2009
fiogf49gjkf0d
 Romy the Cat wrote:
Andy, I do not know how accurate what you say. I do not think in the terms bandwidth reduction and intermediation distortions but if what you propose is accurate (and I do not see why it would not be so) then why is it not a common practice and understanding of anyone?

The Cat


This seemingly fundamental aspect of transducer design/operation should certainly be understood by those designing audio equipment, especially microphones.

However, in reality, the concept of intermodulation distortion (sum/difference products of a nonlinear system) has only been around since (I think) the mid-70s and unlikely though it might appear, the significance of the distortion has been, and is, massively under-estimated and misunderstood.

That microphones have been increasing in nonlinear distortion since the 40s (or earlier) at a rate that even the loudspeaker industry can't compete with is simply a sign that the industry has spent almost no money on fundamental research for the last 40 years.

Today we reach the point where, in the pursuit of useless 100kHz bandwidth, whose only motivation is marketing to match the digital converter bandwidth (!), microphones have become so distorted that the recording industry is forced to rely on 50 year old microphones. Not only that but as a result of this the scientific side of the industry has lost all credibility, having introduced worse and worse sounding microphones whilst claiming that each one is more perfect than the previous.

Try this file: http://www.simpsonmicrophonesarchives.com/switchAB.WAV

It illustrates (among other things) the contrast between a very nonlinear (popular) modern condenser microphone (TLM50) and a very much more linear design (of mine).

It will be interesting to see if you hear significant differences in tuning/intonation.

Andy

Rerurn to Romy the Cat's Site