Listening broadband physical model for microphones: a first step

TL;DR

This paper introduces a broadband physical microphone model that reproduces classical directivity patterns and allows real-time sound field simulation, demonstrating frequency-dependent directivity and proximity effects.

Contribution

It presents the first broadband physical model for microphones that captures classical directivity patterns as special cases and enables real-time sound field listening.

Findings

Directivity varies with frequency and source position.

Model reproduces classical directivity patterns as limit cases.

Proximity effect is effectively modeled.

Abstract

We will present a first step in design of a broadband physical model for microphones. Within the proposed model, classical directivity patterns (omnidirectional, bidirectional and cardioids family) are refound as limit cases: monochromatic excitation, low frequency and far-field approximation. Monophonic pieces of music are used as sources for the model so we can listen the simulation of the associated recorded sound field in realtime thanks to a Max/MSP application. Listening and subbands analysis show that the directivity is a function of frequential subband and source location. This model also exhibits an interesting proximity effect. Audio demonstrations will be given.Paper 6638 presented at the 120th Convention of the Audio Engineering Society, Paris, 2006