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In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: Simpson Microphones thread.
Post Subject: ....questions of clarity....Posted by Andy Simpson on: 10/22/2007
 Romy the Cat wrote:

Andy 

1)    Actually the most interest was in the fact that I was not asking two questions but one question at the same time as I see both of the questions are inner-related. I was under presumption that in my asking I automatically eliminate the visual contribution of audible image as it would make the answers too easy.

2)    In most of recordings the requirement for tremendous transient capacity and instantaneousness of dynamic change is substituted with artificial proximity and insultingly-extended HF

3)    “Clarity is not in 'frequency response' but in information, which is primarily time-domain.” – Good bless you – you know already about loudspeakers more then 99% of people who build them. However, the “clarity” is way more complex quality then just time-domain perfection. I have writhen an article about “audio clarity” a month ago but I did not post it as do not feel that it will be properly understood. Prior to posting it I am planning to post another one-two articles – about the nature of my inters in audio subjects. Sometimes when I have time I will do it…

4)    I do not “get” your association between dynamic freedom of direct-radiating speakers and horn-loaded speakers. There are very dynamic performing low-sensitivity direct-radiating speakers and there are anti- dynamic horns – it is all upon implementation and various “contingent upon”…

5)    Might I ask: what would be if an active element of a microphone were loaded to active load? What would be if the load would wary according to some kind of algorithm? Purely hypothetically: we have a source of signal and 3 microphones – one at 1 meter, another at 5 meter and the third at 10 meters. The second microphone actually record but the first and third used to subtract the signal of first microphone, to analyze relationship between volume and harmonics and to modify the loading/magnetizing characteristics of the second microphone. Perhaps it all has no sense but my interests to see if a microphone, or the microphone/preamp interface can be taught to react to loud, soft, close or far signals differently, similar to what human ears/mind does.

Rgs,
Romy the Cat


Romy,

Of course your questions are related but I felt it better to break it down a little bit.

Answers

(1) Yes, the visual part of the equation should be removed but also understood that it is quite critical to clarity in bad acoustic spaces. - Perhaps a photograph from the microphone perspective would serve.....(but this is beside the point)

(2) Yes, in most recordings - which are unlistenable - multiple microphones are used in close proximity in order to artificially generate 'clarity'. The side effects (as you noted) are massively exagerated (but uncontrolled) dynamics, confusion, etc and these problems are much worse simply because the microphones used are bad enough at distance but terrible close.
Almost as bad is where a single pair of the same usual condenser microphones are situated at 'audiophile' distance, where there is no dynamcs or clarity and recorded at the highest possible bandwidth. At least there is less distortion but still the same class of problem.

(3) I would be interested to read your post on 'clarity'. However, I again restate that clarity is information and in sound information is time-domain (perfection). However, from my research, this 'perfection' comes partly from a place which you have not considered yet - at least not directly - which I will get to later.

(4) Regarding my association between dynamic freedom and horn-loading - this will be addressed (as mentioned above) in due course. There is no direct radiator which can match the best horn-loaded - but you know this. Of course, implementation is everything.....

(5) To my way of thinking, it would make little sense creating a microphone whose transfer function depends on source loudness. If we are talking about the non-linearities of the ear (which I think we are) then I aim to make the microphone (& speaker) linear and let the ear be non-linear at playback (ie. playback at performance SPL, where the ear will react properly to the SPL).

Best regards,

Andy

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