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Re: Infrasound microphone

Subject: Re: Infrasound microphone
From: "Eric Benjamin" ericbenjamin2
Date: Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:30 pm ((PDT))
> James Shatto <> wrote:
> I got the MM-1's to IMPROVE the low end

And I have no doubt that it did that.  My counter-recommendation is based o=
n
incomplete data.  Let me explain.

I know that the MM-1 is spec'd as having flat response +0.1 / -0.5 dB from =
20 Hz
to 20 kHz, and elsewhere it's stated to have 10 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth.  It=
's
also stated that the input and output are transformer coupled. The unit tha=
t I
had experience with was being used for theatre calibration and that system =
was
returning results that were inconsistent with other measurements.  This was=
 in
conjunction with an array of Countryman B3 lavalier microphones.  I measure=
d the
system of preamp and microphones and it was considerably attenuated at 20 H=
z
relative to the midband.  I measured the microphones and they were flat to =
20
Hz.  My conclusion is that it was the preamp that was at fault.  But that c=
ould
be due to a system level problem and not necessarily to either the preamp o=
r the
microphones individually.  Microphones that are capacitively coupled on the=

output have an impedance that rises towards low frequencies.  Preamps that =
are
transformer coupled have an impedance that falls at low frequencies.  The
combination of the two could result in a rapid roll-off of low frequencies,=

depending on exactly what components are being used.


So my recommendation is basically that, if your intention is to record
infrasound then a transformer coupled preamp is not the way to go.  If you=

really want to know how the recording system performs at low frequencies th=
en
it's probably necessary to test the system as a whole.

Eric




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