Topic: Michael Williams “More on Microphones” Fr’ebook

[Thelonius]

I have read the stereo zoom paper 3 or so times at this point, and I’m sure that number will grow with time. I was very interested in the basis for PAS as it has critical importance to what we do. As a result, I set out to purchase Michael Williams book.

A circa 2023 article in Sound on Sound mentioned that two previous books had been replaced with a new volume and that the remaining portion on microphones had been moved to an ebook.

I sent an email to the email address listed in the article and, sure enough, Michael responded. I have ordered the book but he emailed me yesterday and said the Eboni is now a “fr’ebook” listed on his website. He just put it up yesterday and is still proofreading etc. I have only read half as I have some work travel this week but wanted to share with the group in case anyone is interested. It reads very much like an audio engineering text but, after reading the first half, I understand why omnis of certain sizes have more directionality than others, what drives that variability, why cardioids have some “bass roll off” and other characteristics based on first principles.

I thought I’d share in case anyone is interested in going deeper into the subject.

One caveat is the “fr’ebook” itself is in web pages that must be navigated (not a pdf) and the navigation currently does not support mobile devices, though I understand there is a plan to support this in the future. Tablets and computers should be no problem.

The website has been shared before but here it is for ease of use. https://www.williamsmmad.com . Just scroll down to “the new Fr’ebook, More on Microphones”.

Here is the sound on sound article. https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/multichannel-microphone-array-design

[voltronic]

This is amazing! Thanks for sharing.

[Gutbucket]

Yes thanks!

I've been meaning to contact Mr. Williams myself for years.. and purchase his book on multi-microphone array design, especially now that his new book is out that replaces the earlier two.  So big thanks for the reminder that I still need to do that.

I've made extensive use of the section of hyperlinked array design PDFs on his website over the years and have posted about that in other TS threads.  I've long hoped that hyperlinked design section will be more fully flushed out, as much of it was never completed originally and it has remained that way for many years (maybe he can get a few student interns to do it), and have additionally hoped it will eventually include a path to designing arrays which use a combination of polar patterns, in addition to those using multiple microphones of all the same pattern.

[Gutbucket]

I also look forward to reading his Fr’ebook, "More on Microphones”, hosted on that website.

Here is a direct link to it: https://www.williamsmmad.com/Fr_ebook/Preface.html
..which, as Thelonius notes, is also linked on the main page of his website: https://www.williamsmmad.com/index.html