Microphones - Working - Types | Dynamic

Characteristics of Computer

Device use to convert sound waves into electrical signals.
Consists of diaphragm located at the head of microphone and other components.
Commonly used in day-today life in telephones, tape recorders, radio and television broadcasting.

Diaphragm is made up of thin piece of material such as paper, plastic or aluminium.
Diaphragm vibrates when it is strucked by sound waves.
This causes other components in microphone to vibrate.
These vibrations are converted into electric current which becomes audio signals.

Dynamic Microphones

Consists of induction coil, magnet and a plastic diaphragm.
It uses electromagnetic principle to convert sound energy into electrical energy.
Diaphragm is attached to the coil, between two magnets which makes it enclose in magnetic field.
When sound hits the diaphragm it vibrates and creates an electric current.
This electric current is too little to make a sound so it is passed to sound amplifier to increase the strength.
Less expensive and not efficient quality of recording.
Used in recording of drum, guitar and other musical instruments.

Condenser Microphones

Capacitor is used in it to convert acoustical energy to electrical energy.
Capacitor consists of two conducting plates inside the microphone, one is fixed and other is free to move made up of very light material that acts as a diaphragm.
Diaphragm vibrates when it is struck by sound waves, this changes the distance between two plates and creates a change in the capacitance which produces electric current.
Expensive than dynamic microphones since quality of sound is better.
Used in studio recording.

Microphones are also classified depending upon the audio capturing patterns as

Omni directional:

Captures sound from all the directions.
Best suited for group discussion and for good quality sound, mic should be held near.

Unidirectional:

Cardioid: