Broadcast Engineer's Reference Book

M Talbot-Smith BSc, C Phys, M InstP Formerly BBC Engineering Training Department

3.1 Sound Origination Equipment

 

 

Equipment for sound origination can conveniently be divided into two categories: primary sources and secondary sources. Primary sources are those which are, as it were, right at the start of the chain and convert acoustic signals electrical signals. Microphones are, of course, primary devices. Secondary sources are essentiaintolly devices which store the outputs of the primary sources, i.e. recording and reproducing equipment.

 

3.1.1 Primary Sources

There are a number of basic features that should be present in any professional microphone. While compromises may be necessary in practice, the following items form a basic checklist: ...