[TenTec] TenTec Digest, Vol 37, Issue 43

[Mike Gorniak]

Right you are, Bob. The "dirty little secret" in the audio world is that 
transducers, ie, microphones, speakers, and yes, even (I hate to use 
this word now) headphones are highly variable compared to the 
electronics that they connect to. I know recording engineers that will 
go through and test a distributor's entire stock of a particular 
microphone before  selecting the one or two deemed best for a particular 
recording session. Variations in temperature,  humidity and barometric 
pressure also affect these devices in various measurable ways. These 
differences can vary from "barely detectable to a very well trained 
ear", to "wow, I can't believe that's the same make and model of 
(whatever)". Complicating matters even further, our ears are also 
affected by these environmental variables, as well as having frequency 
response and sensitivity profiles that are as unique to individual 
humans as fingerprints are. That's what makes all of this so much Fun!

73,
Mike NM7X


From: Robert & Linda McGraw K4TAX

Case and point:  for one of my sound applications I purchased 5 
professional
mikes of the same brand, same model, from the same place at the same time.
They are not consecutive serial numbers but for all practical purposes, the
same.  In a critical listening test with these 5 mikes they all sound
different.  Oh, not much but to the trained and critical ear, different.
All of this has to do with the tension or pressure on the diaphragm during
manufacture of the elements.

So how does one get a good sounding mike?  Unless one is willing to 
purchase
several and do critical listening tests under controlled environments it
becomes a chance of the draw situation.  You get a good one or you get one
that doesn't sound so good.  That then depends on the listener and their
evaluation of "what sounds good".