New Microphone Thread

Posted by: pgrzelak

New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 08:58

Greetings!

Okay. I am looking at the microphone that was recommended as part of the mysterious (still unannounced but highly discussed) AutoEQ feature. While I do not have the software, I assume it will be released into the wild eventually. So, a few questions:

Any particular reason that an ultra compact surfact mount mic was selected? Or was it more that this was what was lying around empeg towers?

Is the AutoEQ something that is really run once, or is it something that is more "session" or autocorrecting?

Basically, I am looking to get a microphone. I know I need something with a flat response curve and good quality going to a mono 3.5mm miniplug. But I am wondering if I should get something small (read this as "easy to loose and attempt to solder a plug onto"), get something that should be permanently mounted in the car (read this as "I will be fiddling with the AutoEQ a lot, not just during an initial setup phase") or get a professional grade mic (read this as "full size, hand held, maybe a better response curve, probably more expensive but indestructable")...
Posted by: bbowman

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 12:31

I'm not certain as to why it would have to have a flat response curve. My impression is that it is only necessary to pick up voice. So if it is tuned (for lack of a better word) to human vocal frequencies, wouldn't that be good enough? My first impression is that it would be better that way so as to "cut out" all of the non-voice frequencies that may confuse the voice recognition system.
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 13:09

Well, I am not thinking voice recognition at the moment. The intent is for Automatic EQ, as per Mark's photograph.
Posted by: elperepat

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 13:14

Doh.. Not fast enough...



Quote:
I'm not certain as to why it would have to have a flat response curve.



That mic is mainly for the Auto-EQ that is announced in the next release. The more flat response it will have, the better the Auto-EQ settings will be.

VR is still not on the horizon. At least, not as I understand from the little info I gathered on the BBS from guys who were at the meet.
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 13:20

By the way, from general discussion I assume that this is extreme overkill. Thoughts / opinions?
Posted by: genixia

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 14:35

That'd do a beautiful job. Shame it needs phantom power.
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 14:44



I have already accounted for that, and for the XLR -> mini-plug converter. I might have the converter in a draw somewhere from my old concert recording days. The phantom power supply is also readily available.
Posted by: tfabris

Re: New Microphone Thread - 15/07/2004 15:46

Quote:
I'm not certain as to why it would have to have a flat response curve. My impression is that it is only necessary to pick up voice.

If it were for Voice Recognition, then your statement would be correct. But feature we're discussing here is automatic equalization, which requires either (a) a flat response, or if it's not flat, then (b) a carefully plotted calibration chart showing exactly where it's not flat so that the discrepancy can be compensated for in the software.
Posted by: FireFox31

Re: New Microphone Thread - 16/07/2004 00:19

I wonder if someone could get an awesome mic like that and we'll just pass it from one person to the next, doing their one-time AutoEQ and passing it on. Because, as I see it, AutoEQ will be a one-time-per-equipment-change thing.

Edit:
Ha, or one person could use it then hide it in a GeoCache somewhere. What do they call those (now disallowed?) GeoCaches that travel around? Hm.......
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: New Microphone Thread - 16/07/2004 08:41



The mic (and associated adapter and phantom power supply) is already on its way to me in NJ. I am not really a GeoCacher, so I have no idea how that would work. But I have no objections to passing it around for people (in the empeg community) to experiment / tune with.

Before anyone sends email or PM - let's wait until it arrives before putting in a request for it.
Posted by: JonnyGee

Re: New Microphone Thread - 16/07/2004 08:44

The ECM8000 with phantom power supply should work just fine.

I suspect that auto-eq will not be a one-off for most people, since there are many variables eg which mic to use, where to place it etc, and any change to your install will require resetting the AutoEQ. Also note my comments on getting the levels right in another thread.

That's why I wanted to suggest an adequate mic that isn't too expensive so everyone who wants to use the feature can get their own. We now have a "europe" and a "US" favourite mic - I should get those details into the FAQ or something.

Also, if we ever do implement VR you'll already have the microphone! It's not on any development schedules though and presents significant technical difficulties.

Cheers, John
Posted by: pgrzelak

Re: New Microphone Thread - 16/07/2004 08:56

?!? Is there actually a "development schedule" for the car player??? Edit: I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything. I always thought car player development was a spare time thing. I did not know there was any formal framework around it.
Posted by: peter

Re: New Microphone Thread - 16/07/2004 10:28

Quote:
?!? Is there actually a "development schedule" for the car player??? Edit: I am not trying to be sarcastic or anything. I always thought car player development was a spare time thing. I did not know there was any formal framework around it.

There isn't a car-player development schedule. (The car-player was only ever released to a quality bar, not to a time schedule. That's why it remains the best product Rio has ever done.) There's only very informally a list of target features. The point is that, being a shared codebase and all that, the car-player often ends up getting "for free" features aimed at other players (Karma, Receiver). But voice recognition isn't on any of those development schedules (that I've seen), so as there's definitely no way such a big feature will get implemented purely during our spare-time car-player maintenance, there's just no prospect of it at all at the moment.

Peter
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: New Microphone Thread - 24/09/2004 00:52

I'm thinking of picking up this mic tomorrow.. If it doesn't work, I can return it.

Link.