Microphone Audio Samples

These audio samples were recorded at the 2006 Association of Personal Historians conference in Portland, Oregon. Each audio sample was recorded using a Tascam HD-P2 digital recorder at 24 bits and 44.1 kHz. The samples on this page were truncated from their full length in order to make the download sizes more manageable. A CD containing the full length raw audio files is available. Post-processing was limited to normalization to make the amplitude consistent across samples. MP3 files were generated from the resulting wav files for the benefit of those with limited bandwidth and those interested in comparing wav and MP3 output quality.

Each microphone was connected directly to the recorder. Unbalanced mics were connected using a phone plug to XLR adapter. Stereo comparisons were taken by connecting one microphone to each channel. Samples include male and female speakers.

These samples are intended to be only one element of a comprehensive microphone selection process which would include analysis of the physical attributes of candidate microphones and the conditions under which the microphone will be used. They do provide a means to evaluate subjective characteristics that may be difficult to determine solely through the analysis of published physical parameters.

Listening To The Samples

The stereo comparisons are best listened to with a pair of headphones. Be sure to orient your headphones so that you are evaluating the correct microphone as you listen to each left and right channel.

Thank You

The microphone comparison could not have been accomplished without the help of the following people who contributed their microphones for testing and their voices for audio samples:

The Samples

Audio Technica 825 Stereo (female speaker) mp3 wav
Audio Technica 825 Stereo (male speaker) mp3 wav
Audio Technica Pro 7a and Audio Technica 803b (female speaker) mp3 wav
Audio Technica Pro 7a and Audio Technica 803b (male speaker)mp3 wav
Crown Sound Grabber 2 (female speaker) mp3 wav
Crown Sound Grabber 2 (male speaker) mp3 wav
Radio Shack Boundary Mic and Audio Technica AT35S (female speaker) mp3 wav
Radio Shack Boundary Mic and Audio Technica AT35S (male speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Audio Technica AT825 (female speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Audio Technica AT825 (male speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Audio Technica AT899 (female speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Audio Technica AT899 (male speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Sony ECM55B (female speaker) mp3 wav
Sanken COS-11 and Sony ECM55B (male speaker) mp3 wav
Sennheiser MKH50 and Sanken COS-11 (female speaker) mp3 wav
Sennheiser MKH50 and Sanken COS-11 (male speaker) mp3 wav

And The Winner Was ...

I had many people ask which microphone "won" the comparison. As you can hear, all of the microphones performed adequately. Some might provide better audio quality in difficult conditions, such as when someone is speaking in a low voice or not speaking clearly. For products where the audio is part of the end product one might listen for subjective criteria such as presence and warmth in addition to clarity. Of all the microphones we tested, my personal favorite was the Sennheiser MKH-50.

Resources

The following resources may be useful:

The Shotgun Microphone Shootout
Location Sound Article
Ty Ford's Site - Mic reviews are under the Online Archive link
Transom.org
Wikipedia Article on Microphones

Submitted Comments

I love my Heil Sound PR-30 but I won't be in Portland. Add it to the list, though.if you're looking for a high-quality stuido mic under $200. It was recommended by a public radio engineer who said he thinks it performs as well as a $600 - $1,000 mic. I'm very pleased with it, as well. - Christine Patronik-Holder

I hope you find these samples useful.

Best Regards,

Jim Michael
Atlanta