• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Behind The Mixer

Behind The Mixer

Learn Church Audio Artistry | Church Sound

  • ABOUT
  • CHURCH AUDIO 101
  • BLOG
  • PODCAST
  • GUIDES
  • CONTACT
  • START HERE

A Myth of the Microphone

Topics: Equipment Usage, technical By: Chris Huff December 11, 2009

A question commonly asked when picking microphones is "Which microphone has the best reach?"  The problem is that a microphone doesn't reach for anything.

A microphone responds to sound waves that travel to its location. The microphone measures variations in air pressure and provides an electrical output that mirrors those variations.  The air pressure variations can be sensed as long as they are within the hearing frequency of 20 – 20,000 Hertz.

I think part of the myth of reach comes from microphone sensitivity.  Sensitivity tells how much electrical output, in millivolts, a microphone produces for a certain sound pressure input (in dB SPL). If two microphones are subjected to the same sound pressure level and one puts out a stronger signal (higher voltage), that microphone is said to have higher sensitivity.  Therefore, if two people are using two different microphones and singing at the same level and holding the microphone at the same distance, BUT one singer is louder in the speakers, it's not because the microphone has reached out further than the other.  It's because that microphone produces a higher electrical output.

Bonus: It's good to note the amount of background noise in a situation can effect the ability to clearly pick up a sound.  The reason is the background noise level can be significantly high enough that it either overpowers your source or is high enough to muddy the sound or remove the clarity of the sound. 

Filed Under: Gear Tagged With: Equipment Usage, technical

Reader Interactions

Thought? Questions? Comments? Cancel reply

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

Primary Sidebar

35,000+ Members

Get the Guides

Audio Essentials for Church Sound
Audio Essentials for Mixing Vocals
Equipping Your Small Church for Audio

Talk with Chris

Audio Essentials for Church Sound

Article Directory

  • Visit the Directory

Featured In…

  • church production magazine
  • live sound magazine
  • pro sound web
  • technology for worship magazine
  • worship leader magazine

Footer

Resources

About Chris
Blog
Podcast
Guides
Toolbox
Talk with Chris
Contact
Academy Sign In

Article Categories

Mixing Skills
Monitor Mixing
Equipment Usage
Gear Reviews
Leading a Team
Your Health

SEARCH

  • Email
  • Twitter

Behind The Mixer · Church Sound | Disclosure and Privacy
Copyright © 2023 Tiger Green Productions, LLC. - All Rights Reserved.