Theory and practice
Apr 1, 1999 12:00 PM, Jared Blankenship
In the realm of audio, we often rely on our perception to guide our equipment specification decisions, thereby introducing a degree of subjectivity. Through hearing alone, we can determine that one mic may lend clarity, warmth and depth to a female vocalist's singing while through another, her voice may sound as though she were singing through a tin can connected to the mixing board by twine. Likewise, our ears tell us that one model of loudspeaker closely reproduces a cello's rich, mellow tone while another deprives the listener of the sonic intricacies inherent in that instrument's character. Behind this subjectivity, however, there resides a high degree of objective quantification. From specification sheets, curves and other measurements, we obtain the data that will tell us why a particular mic or loudspeaker works beautifully for a given application yet fails miserably in another. The key lies in knowing both what certain pieces of data are needed and how to decipher them. It then follows that to develop this numerical acuity, you will also need to acquaint yourself with the transducer-the very device that converts sound propagating through air into electrical energy and back again, the very device at the heart of mics and loudspeakers.
A good familiarity with transducer theory starts here, in the following pages. Knowledge of the theory breeds sound practice, a practice that will assuredly manifest itself in the quality of your next installation-from design to installation and testing. This quality will, in turn, instill loyalty in the ultimate benefactor of your labor-your client, who will not only keep you at the top of his list, but will also recommend to others that they do likewise.
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