Meet Talk Series USB Microhones, the newest part of the JLab Family. We decided to take it up a notch and expand our innovation-and-accessibility success in another category in audio devices. 

If you are new to microphones or want to learn more, read our list of terms ranging from A-Z. You will become a pro in no time.

List of Microphone Terms A-Z

• Amplification:  The microphone's sensitivity, whether the mixer it can be called head-amp or pre-amp.
• Amplitude:  The loudness of a sound wave from the audio signal strength.
• Audio:  Sound when it is recorded, transmitted, or reproduced.
• Bidirectional Polar Pattern:  "Figure of Eight", Sound waves which are sensitive from the front and back of the microphone, not the side.
• Bit Depth:  The resolution of the sound data that is captured and stored in an audio file.
• Cardioid Polar Pattern:  Sound waves that are most sensitive from the front of the microphone. 
• Condenser:  The microphone’s capacitor that collects the sound and converts the sound waves to audio files.
• Directional Polar Patterns:  The way the condenser faces in order to capture the best sound from the source. Different modes are better for specific uses.
• Gain Control:  How loud the INPUT of the channel is. It controls the amplitude.
• Omnidirectional Polar Pattern:  "Omni", is the microphone that has equal sensitivity from all directions of the microphone, while having a 360-Degree output.
• Quick Mute:  An easy way to control your sound, when you want to mute your audio fast and easy with the button.
• Resolution:  The microphone's digital recording resolution is the combination of Bit Depth and Sample Rate within the microphone.
• Sample Rate:  The speed of capture and playback.
• Sensitivity:  The microphone's sound pressure level and its diaphragm, given the directional polar patterns.
• Stereo Polar Pattern:  The microphone is most sensitive with the left and right sides of the microphone.
• Sound Wave:  A sound of compression from outside noises. In mics, the sound waves deliver a pressure to their sensitive sides causing a diaphragm for audio.
• Volume Control:  How loud the OUTPUT of the channel is (loudness to you/the recorder).

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Directional Polar Patterns Simplified: