Microphone performance variation rivals or exceeds loudspeaker variation

Evidence

It explains that loudspeakers produce sounds allowing us to form opinions of microphones that are used in making the recordings we use to evaluate the microphones by listening through loudspeakers. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 134 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Most practical microphones do not have an even response at all angles as a function of frequency. In general, they become more directional as the frequency increases. As most microphones are designed to give a specified on-axis frequency response in order to capture the direct sound accurately, this results in a response to the reverberant sound that falls with frequency. For recording contexts in which the direct sound dominates, for example close miking, this effect is not important. However, in recordings in which the reverberant field dominates, for example classical music recording, the effect is significant. Applying some high-frequency boost to the microphone signal can compensate for this. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2430 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Microphone choice in recordings biases subjective loudspeaker ratings — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 134; Popular recording microphones vary significantly in high-frequency and directivity performance; Microphones become more directional at higher frequencies, darkening off-axis reverberant sound — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2430 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Popular recording microphones vary significantly in high-frequency and directivity performance #corroborates (0.90)
• Microphone choice in recordings biases subjective loudspeaker ratings #corroborates (0.85) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 134
• Microphones become more directional at higher frequencies, darkening off-axis reverberant sound #expands (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 2430