How does a dynamic microphone work?

How does a Dynamic Microphone work? Microphones are the general need for any live concert, podcasts, recordings, etc. Thus it is important to use the best microphone which suits your needs. Though there are a lot of microphones that are currently used, one of the most common and efficient microphones that we commonly see is the dynamic microphone. Dynamic microphones are best suited for live concerts or to record loud music. Want to learn more about how the dynamic microphone works? Read the given article and find out how and where you can use dynamic microphones. 

What is a dynamic microphone?

Dynamic microphones are the ones that are used to record loud sounds. It helps to convert the sound into electrical signals through electromagnetic induction. The sound waves hit the diaphragm in the microphone and the diaphragm produces vibrations which help to get transformed into electrical signals which help to produce the sound.

Types of Dynamic Microphones

There are 2 types of dynamic microphones-

Moving coil Dynamic Microphones

These are microphones that are not costly and are resistant to moisture. They are used for relatively high-pitch sounds like close-up vocals, certain musical instruments, amplifiers, etc. In general, they do not require any amplifier or external battery.

Moving ribbon Dynamic Microphone

These microphones are generally more delicate than the moving coil Dynamic Microphone. Just like the condenser microphone, it is also commonly found in studios. It has a smooth voice and is generally used with instruments that have aggressive sounds like the guitar cabinets.

How does a dynamic microphone work?

Just like the speakers work, the dynamic microphone also works in the same way but in the reverse process. The sound waves hit on the diaphragm and the change in the pressure of the sound, makes the diaphragm move. Moving the diaphragm makes the coil move. Due to this, the current flows from the area where the magnets are cut out in the lines of the flux. Electrical energy instead of getting into the coil is produced.

How does the moving coil dynamic microphone work?

Current is generated due to the movement of the wires within the magnetic field. The microphone uses the coil, magnet, and diaphragm to record the sound. When the sound hits the diaphragm, it makes it vibrate and due to the vibrations, the coil starts moving forward and backward. This is because the coil is attached to the diaphragm. The coil moves around the magnet which causes the electricity within the coil. This electricity helps to produce sound.

For more such education-related articles, you may also glance through, What is a Condenser Microphone? – How does the Condenser Microphone work?

How does the moving ribbon dynamic microphone work?

This also works like a moving coil dynamic microphone. The only difference is that instead of the thin wire of the coil, a thin shape of the aluminum ribbon is used in the magnetic field. When the ribbons vibrate it gives an impact on the sound, an electrical current occurs in the ribbon. And then that current is used to produce the sound similar to the moving coil microphone.

What is a dynamic microphone good for?

The dynamic microphones are good for concerts or you need a lot of volumes and you don’t have the audio feedback. You can also use it when there is a lot of sound pressure. They are used in underwater recordings as there is no need for power to use these microphones. Dynamic microphones are also used to record loud music. No other type of microphone is used to record the loud music.

These are a great choice for the Plosives, fricatives, etc. You must only use the dynamic microphone at a place where there are chances that the microphone may feel down. This means that the dynamic microphones are phones which will not be destroyed even if they fell, unlike the condenser microphones. 

What are the condenser microphones?

Condenser microphones are the ones that are used to record low volume and are generally found within the recording studios. They are the one that helps to give the higher frequency range and pick up the lower sounds. You can use them in your home recording studios and your music recording studios.

Benefits of Dynamic microphones

• It has omnidirectional properties in itself which most of the other microphones don’t have. 
• Unlike other microphones, it is not that expensive. 
• The dynamic microphones can handle the high music level.
• You will not need any power source for using the dynamic microphone.
• It uses the sound between 5 -10 Khs and adds clarity to it. 

Drawbacks of using the dynamic microphones

• Dynamic microphones do not work with high frequencies. 
• It may not involve all the sounds as they need sound to move the coil. 
• This is not as sensitive as other microphones are.
• Dynamic microphones are not for high-frequency instruments. 

Conclusion

Dynamic microphones are generally used to record high volume. It uses a diaphragm, coil, and magnet. The diaphragm is like a small speaker which is coated with gold so that it vibrates the input sound waves and produces the required sound. The diaphragm moves the coil within the magnetic field to produce the desired sound. These are the microphones that are used to capture loud music and you can commonly find them in concerts or underwater recordings as they do not need a power source to work on.