NOT the same! Microphone Gain vs Sensitivity

[@ngocehgayabebas2118]

Gain does affect background noise. With a low gain, a lot of high and some other frequencies background noise doesnt recorded. We just need to find the sweetspot for the amp and the recording environment. Try it yourself.

[@caesaredouard]

This was an awesome video! I always sort of knew intuitively that "sensitivity" had a more meaningful definition. As for audio myths that grind my gears, where do we even begin!? Hearing tone from cables, DAWs sounding different, don't use shotgun mics in a recording booth, dynamic mics pick up less noise (which you've already addressed), and the list just goes on. Recently I heard that placing a microphone at about hairline level with the capsule pointing down to your desk or lap will reduce the amount of mouth noise (clicks and smacks) it picks up, what do you think of that?

[@randyrektor]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Ooooo these are some good ones! I might have to do the shotgun in a vocal booth one because I have access to both of those :) As for that last one, there's a bit of truth there. I think less to do with the specific positioning, and more to do with getting the mic off-axis. Because high frequencies move in straight lines and generally have less force than lower frequencies, they have trouble moving the diaphragm if it's at an angle and because a lot of mouth noises are generally high frequencies, there's actually some truth to that one!

[@caesaredouard]

How about that! I kinda figured the off-axis bit was what made it work. But wouldn't having the mic off-axis but at mouth level work just as well for that purpose? You know, signal to noise ratio and all that.

[@randyrektor]

Yeah, I’m not sure what the placement would do, that parts a bit lost on me lol! 😂

[@caesaredouard]

I guess all that's left to do at this point is try them both out. 😂

[@tabodee]

Great job! Love Lauten Audio! Also, loved the way you informed about residue and junk accumulating on the capsule over time!!! Makes me think about all those folks who crave an old vintage mic without checking the capsule… I have built some DIY mic kits. As I placed and connected the capsule all I could think of was, “Gee, there’s not a lot to keep this Mylar diaphragm from getting coated with junk over time.” Anyhow, great video as always!

[@randyrektor]

Hey thanks so much for the kindness. Lauten is killer eh? This is my first experience with them but I’ve heard nothing but great things. I’m curious what you’d even look for on an old mic. I guess dust buildup? I’d love to build out a kit someday

[@BenDurham]

Love this all. Always great bits of info and knowledge! Like donated. The clicks in your bg music track were a bit distracting in this case and almost sounded like lip-smacking to my ears throughout the video, though 😅

[@randyrektor]

Ayy thanks man. Noted thanks for the feedback

[@jakeprrt]

Explained really nicely, thanks for this!

[@randyrektor]

Thanks for the kind words 🙏🏻

[@JasonLorette]

Thank you for a very clear explanation of this, it’s definitely somewhat confusing! 😎🎙️📸

[@randyrektor]

Thanks buddy! 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Chelitosuav]

There is contradiction with what you said Im genuinely curious cause I have never heard anyone separate the two. If gain can increase the polarity of a mic that is also making it more sensitive. Everywhere I look it says that gain is a sensitivity level. You can increase it by gaining up. If mic is hotter than another and you can gain it up to match you literally just increased the sensitivity of one to match the other. Or Am I missing something? I think what you're referring to is the difference in how much gain something needs to produce sound. And the problem with that being considered the only term for sensitivity is it can be increased by gain. I think that's why we typically say this mice runs hot. Meaning it doesn't need much gain. But it's hard to separate the two because gain literally changes sensitivity. If you gain up it's more prone to pick up noise. I think the problem is we shouldn't be using sensitivity as the term for how hot a mic runs. For the lack of increased gain it needs. It just you undo the fact that you match sensitivity with gain and then say there different. I don't know it still doesn't make sense with all the information to separate them. If we want to nitty gritty gain is a sensitivity level. Other wise you wouldn't be able to match mic sensitivity?

[@randyrektor]

The difference is that one is before the output and one is after. Sensitivity is how effortlessly the diaphragm can physically react to pressure in the air. If the mic isn’t sensitive enough, no amount of gain will make it better at picking up things that just can’t stimulate the diaphragm. Gain happens downstream after the mic has done all of the work. Gain does not affect a microphone in anyway. It only amplifies what the mic dished out.

[@Chelitosuav]

@@randyrektor So you mean tell me that when I gain mic. And it picks up more it was already there to begin with before I gained up?

[@randyrektor]

Yes the mic pics up the same amount of things regardless of the gain. The gain then brings up everything proportionately. The gain has no affect over the microphones ability to ‘hear’ sound

[@Chelitosuav]

@@randyrektor The only reason I am asking is doesn't matter how I ask an AI it always gives the same answer that gain is sensitivity level. And I tried googling it and only you and one more person fights this ideology of gain and sensitivity. I couldn't get AI to agree with you Im at a loss even at my audio school they told us it increases sensitivity. And in all my years of Audio it made sense but now you tell me no And I can't wrap my head around how gain isn't sensitivity at this point. Because I thought the pick up zone of mic isn't the diaphragm it's the polarity pattern and if you gain up that increases doesn't it?

[@randyrektor]

Haha I get this. AI just uses information it finds online and people commonly refer to gain as sensitivity. You have to consider how gain works from an electrical standpoint. It only increases voltage within the console, it doesn’t change the ability of the diaphragm to move, or anything to do with the mic itself. The mic is the mic, nothing changes that. If you speak to people who manufacture microphones they will dispel this myth

[@alexbaerg]

Omg yes louder for the people at the back please

[@randyrektor]

Should I turn.. up.. the gain?

[@alexbaerg]

@@randyrektorno no then the mic will be too sensitive