JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Microphone and Vocalist Forum Condenser vs. Dynamic Mics?

That's an interesting description, Mike. I hadn't heard the part about complex waves vs simpler waves. It kind of makes sense when you figure that Lab Measurement mics are almost always small diaphram. Some of the best (most accurate) mics have very small (1/4" or so) diaphrams.

Just to add to what Mike said, larger diaphram mics also tend to have a bigger difference in the tone of the sound that reaches the mic from the sides and back than smaller diaphram mics. It's called "off-axis" coloration, or the change in the tone resulting from pointing the mic slightly away from the source.

Smaller diaphram mics tend to sound better if the source is wide and receiving sound from "off-axis" such as a choir or big band. They will provide less sound coloration.

You might conclude from all of this that smaller diaphram mics would always be preferred, but technical accuracy is not always the most musical sound, or the sound you want captured.

For instance, just because of that effect (off-axis coloration), large diaphram mics often sound more focused. That doesn't necessarily mean more accurate, just different. They have a certain "in-your-face" or larger-than-life type of sound that just isn't there with most smaller diaphram mics.

Larger diaphram mics also are much harder to get to a flat frequency response. Almost all large diaphram mics have a peak in the frequency response somewhere in the range of 8-10khz. This is another reason why small diaphram mics are generally more accurate. They also have a peak in their response, but because of the physics involved, it's usually in the range that only dogs can hear. Therefore, they have a flatter frequency response in the critical range of 20-20Khz.

Large diaphram mics are generally used for lead vocal tracks because they have those two characteristics: 1. that "in-your-face" sound, and 2. a peak in the high frequencies that gives "air" or a sense of presence to vocalists that is often flattering on a recording.