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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: setboy on November 20, 2005, 03:42:05 PM

Title: Magnets and mics
Post by: setboy on November 20, 2005, 03:42:05 PM
can Magnets harm mics in any way? i dont see way Magnets would, but i had to ask

Raphael
Title: Re: Magnets and mics
Post by: Brian on November 20, 2005, 04:29:06 PM
huge magnets from say a subwoofer can pull the diaphragm one way on a ribbon microphone and severely damage it.  not sure about condensers though.  I say just keep them away from all microphones for good measure.
Title: Re: Magnets and mics
Post by: setboy on November 20, 2005, 04:40:05 PM
huge magnets from say a subwoofer can pull the diaphragm one way on a ribbon microphone and severely damage it.  not sure about condensers though.  I say just keep them away from all microphones for good measure.

i had my bag right next to my cravin stack, and it kind of freak me out, when i thought about the big ass Magnets in it :-\  hopefully  i didn't do any harm to them


 im not going to do that again

Title: Re: Magnets and mics
Post by: MattD on November 20, 2005, 05:02:25 PM
Condenser mic diaphragms are generally non-conductive material coated on one side with a very thin conductive material. I think most of the materials used are not ferromagnetic, so I don't see damage occurring from a magnetic field short of MRI strength.

However, if the magnet is moving (most speakers I know of used fixed magnets, so this generally is not a problem), the moving magnetic field could induce a small current in the mic capsule/cables. This would affect your recording signal in some way.
Title: Re: Magnets and mics
Post by: setboy on November 20, 2005, 05:03:48 PM
Condenser mic diaphragms are generally non-conductive material coated on one side with a very thin conductive material. I think most of the materials used are not ferromagnetic, so I don't see damage occurring from a magnetic field short of MRI strength.

However, if the magnet is moving (most speakers I know of used fixed magnets, so this generally is not a problem), the moving magnetic field could induce a small current in the mic capsule/cables. This would affect your recording signal in some way.

Thanks for the info T+


Raphael