microphone design -speaker driver design

[joe3rp]

I am not familiar with microphone design (and its electronics)...since this is the first transducer that converts sound (accoustic) to an electrical signal...then recorded...why doesn't anybody make the inverse or the same design as a speaker. A speaker is a tranducer that convert electrical to accoustical output.

Are microphone diaphrams..push-pull design...any magnets....piezo...?

I also read that some antique-classic microphones are preferred over new ones. Aren't the lower mass modern design better...lower mass = faster stop/start...higher sensitivity...less coloration?

How close are electrostatic speakers design to microphones?
Ribbons? What about horns?

Why doesn't anyone make a giant microphone...but instead of receiving sound...make it make the sound!

Just a thought!

[JackD201]

With perhaps the exception of planar magnetic drivers which to my knowledge has no Microphone counterpart, that is essentially what all speakers are.

Microphones are transducers just as cartridges and speakers are Joe. They just differ in size and implementation but are identical in principle.

Sorry the reply came late I wasn't a member yet when you posted this

Large Diaphragm Condenser Mics like those of Neumann are actually mini-electrostatics. They are even powered up with 48V of what we now call Phantom Power.

Ribbons like the Royers are well.....Ribbons.

Dynamic Mics like the Shure SM-57s we see everywhere are moving coil transducers just like MC carts and standard dynamic woofers.

That is why when you talk through headphones into a Mic input it works just like a Mic.

Interestingly enough mics share the same strengths and compromises as their speaker relatives of the same type. Part of the fun of multi-track recording engineering is Microphone selection. Condensers for vocals, dynamics for percussions etc matching the transducer with the sound you are after.

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