Hi,
I'd like to acquire an accurate, but affordable microphone for measurements on loudspeakers. Which one would you recommend?
Best regards!
I'd like to acquire an accurate, but affordable microphone for measurements on loudspeakers. Which one would you recommend?
Best regards!
ALWAYS get a calibrated mic! Do not trust an unknown mic to be "flat". One might be, but the next might not be. How will you know? It's going to be your frequency response measurement tool, so it should have known response behavior.
In the US we have some options around $60 like the Behringer UCM8000 and its clone from Parts-Express, the EMM-6. I think there are some USB mics that include a preamp, or you can buy a "blue icicle" mic to usb converter that includes the phantom power source.
For a cheap but good option, for US$15 there is this mic from PE that works with the Apple iPhone and iPad:, as well as with Android devices:
Dayton Audio iMM-6 Calibrated Measurement Microphone for Tablets iPhone iPad and Android
You also need to buy the "app" for it for $8.
No matter what you buy you will still need to set up the mic correctly, not just plugged directly into your phone or computer for instance. A mic stand and cable is helpful, since you will want to make measurements with the mic near the speaker, or out in space in front of the speaker, with nothing else directly next to it.
In the US we have some options around $60 like the Behringer UCM8000 and its clone from Parts-Express, the EMM-6. I think there are some USB mics that include a preamp, or you can buy a "blue icicle" mic to usb converter that includes the phantom power source.
For a cheap but good option, for US$15 there is this mic from PE that works with the Apple iPhone and iPad:, as well as with Android devices:
Dayton Audio iMM-6 Calibrated Measurement Microphone for Tablets iPhone iPad and Android
You also need to buy the "app" for it for $8.
No matter what you buy you will still need to set up the mic correctly, not just plugged directly into your phone or computer for instance. A mic stand and cable is helpful, since you will want to make measurements with the mic near the speaker, or out in space in front of the speaker, with nothing else directly next to it.
Wow, MFG states +/- 1dB on the FR between 20 and 20k. Seems hard to believe, but if that is correct that is pretty incredible. Cost is not "affordable" at 1098 SEK = US $975.
But how do you know if it is not calibrated and compared to a reference mic? The MFG can say virtually anything in their marketing literature... sorry, I am somewhat skeptical!
Last edited:
It is just a cheap 10mm capsule, you would be surprised at how consistent they can be. They tend to have a resonant bump at the high end and a simple EQ might make the average come into 1dB 20 to 20k, I doubt it's 100%. Until self resonance there is not much that can effect the flatness on a (properly designed) condensor mic.
Like those old Panasonic capsules that many DIYers built up into a mic back in the late 1990s?
If this is a "cheap 10mm capsule" then there is one hell of a markup. The price I originally spooted, at the bottom of the page, is actually just for the mounting clip add-on. The actual price is 1098 SEK, which converted to about $975!
Face it, no one man shop can make these the tooling for miniature work like this costs a fortune. The manufacturing is tuned for extreme consistency. At worst you design for the middle of the distribution and throw out the flyers, yielded out it's the most economical way.
AFAIK Earthworks makes a mic around cheap capsules for much more. NASA uses them too.
This is a respected mfr and no fake, i have also seened test to earthworks m30 and they were spot on
If you want one that lasts, start saving money. Otherwise you can just get a cheap one and hope for the best.
I started with a Behringer 8000, but the frequency response started drifting a lot after a year or two. I replaced it with another Behringer, which did the same again. Then I went with a Beyerdynamic MM1, which came with a calibration file. That calibration data turned out to be wrong (I figured this out from a comparison with a super-duper B&K mic), and the sensitivity of the MM1 started drifting uncontrollably after a bit more than a year. Then came the EMX-7150 microphone, which was a bit more expensive, and it also came with a calibration file. This was a bit more promising until it died in a "mic-stand tip over accident". Since a few months I have an EarthWorks, which is holding up ok so far. You could use it as a hammer.
Who said it was fake? It's well known many commercial microphones are based on selected mass produced cheap capsules.
Hi, if you need a microphone to build a filter for one or two speakers, then Alctron M6 is quite suitable - I bought one for 50 euros on Aliexpress.
Alctron, like other cheap microphones, has a 6 mm plastic membrane - perhaps it stretches during long-term storage, but Ali showed me the same frequency response as my expensive microphones with a metal capsule membrane.
You can check for yourself the JLI Microphone site sells in single quantities, there are several small capsules for a few dollars in onesies that claim essentially flat response.
Even with a perfect microphone, getting flat response at high frequencies isn't an easy thing. Physical test conditions will create all sorts of anomalies. There are some tweeters with very good high frequency response, and I'd be content with using one of those as a check on the microphone response if it saved me a bunch.
Anomalies may occur only when measuring the woofer in the far field. The tweeter has a narrow dispersion and is easier to measure in a regular room.
Our (Soviet) standards allowed us to measure at -10 dB with the number of reflections entering the microphone. This is true and verified.
Our (Soviet) standards allowed us to measure at -10 dB with the number of reflections entering the microphone. This is true and verified.
I would also like to recommend the OM1. Get 2 and start your music recording career venture 🙂
I own both products.
//
I own both products.
//
FWIW, there is a SMPTE paper where they compare a number of mics for measurement against a B&K measurement mic at differing angles. The 1/4" capsules mics are quite good - consistent with what Scott has to say. Mostly it's the top end that varies a bit, the measurement mics showing a little less amplitude than the reference mic. On the order of 0.5-1dB.
i have 10-15 home built mics with panasonic capsules, both modified and unmodified, only few has a flat response.
Line audio rejects bad mics, mics that passes are getting a small circuit to compensate for that slight recessed mounting. 10 mm capsule is choosed for lower self noise
Not flat in what regions? And is that lack of flatness consistent? The should all have a roll off top and bottom and a slight top end bump when used on axis.
FWIW, I compared my cardioid AT220 to a calibrated mic. My calibration file was almost identical to the published specs.
FWIW, I compared my cardioid AT220 to a calibrated mic. My calibration file was almost identical to the published specs.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.