recordinghacks

The final piece of the new design is now in place. Please do a search from the microphone database to see our shiny new layout.

As a special bonus feature, the search results table can be sorted; just click on a column heading to rearrange the resulting microphones by manufacturer, price, microphone type, capsule size, etc.

Comments and suggestions are welcome!

The “max SPL” figure for a microphone communicates the loudest sound the microphone can capture without distortion.

However, dynamic mics rarely have a max SPL rating. The reason for this is inherent in their design. As Wikipedia explains, dynamic microphones translate audio into electronic signals via electromagnetic induction: there is a movable induction coil positioned in a magnetic field, and it vibrates due to ambient sound waves. Although it is possible that ambient sound waves can physically move the coil so far that it bangs into its housing, the reality is that any sounds that loud are probably causing much bigger problems.

Compare this to condenser mics, which have onboard electronics (including an amplifier) that can overload. This causes audible distortion, and leads to the inclusion of “max SPL” figures in specification sheets for most condenser microphones.
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A week’s worth of evenings cramming complex data structures into Smarty means the microphone database has a new suit of clothes.

For a limited time you can still see the old look; just do a search. The search-results template isn’t ready yet. Soooooon.

Turns out, sitting on a website idea for two years is no way to get it into the world.

So, here you go. (Click the “Mics” button.)