Electrical problem, multi-mic

BassAxe · #1 07-29-2003, 10:01 PM

I have a home-made instrument. I'd like to incorporate dedicated mics into its design. Currently, I'm looking at 14 separate mics.

I know that some mics have impedance of resistance, others are capacitance. I don't know about those crystal types.

I know that resistance in series is additive and the other thing about parellel, for example: two 4ohm resistances in parellel equal 2 ohms(very basic, I know the math on this). I also know that capacitance is just the opposite when it comes to parellel and series.

I just don't know how this would work with audio equipment. If I were to take 14 mics of, say, 4ohms each, and wire them up so that the resulting impedance stays at 4 ohms total, will this cause any problems?

Thanks.

nashvillebill · #2 07-29-2003, 10:27 PM

Yep, big problems. Thar's why mixing boards don't just plug the mics in series or parallel. The mics will interact since they have capacitance and inductance as well as impedance, so mixers have circuitry to keep them isolated from each other. BTW, low Z mic capsules are 200 to 500 ohms typically, hi Z in the 10,000 ohm range.

int · #3 07-30-2003, 02:54 AM

Why so many mics? And why not pickups of some sort?

And exactly what kind of cool instrument is this???

BassAxe · #4 07-30-2003, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by int
Why so many mics? And why not pickups of some sort?

And exactly what kind of cool instrument is this???

It is a combination wind and percussion instrument. It consists of a tangled array of PVC plumbing which the player can sit in/on. Twelve of the open ends are tuned to the 12 notes of a standard scale. These are struck with rubber mallets to make "POOMPF" kinda percussive sounds. The other two are made to be played like didjeridoos.
The openings, or horns, are all over the place, which makes it difficult to mic evenly with just one mic, then there's the feedback issues. It is still a work in progress, several years in the making. The end result may require more than 14 mics. We were hoping to mount tiny discrete mics at each opening, yet require only one 1/4" plug.

How do they usually mic drum kits?

nashvillebill · #5 07-31-2003, 04:25 PM

Sounds like an interesting project. AS far as drums, lots of mics going into a mixer.