The variation between the spacing (the increasing and decreasing pressures) produces the electrical signal which represents the sound detected by the condenser microphone. If you pull up on the top of the saran-wrap in the middle you are increasing the potential energy because there is more room. Now if you press down on the saran wrap, you are decreasing the potential energy because there is less space inside. Empty it and then cover it tightly in saran-wrap. Take a standard grocery store tub of whip cream. When the element is charged, an electrical field is created in proportional size to the distance between the backplate and the diaphram. This capsule stores an electrical charge.
Polarizing the microphone’s transducer WHAT ? What’s a Capsule?Ĭondenser microphones are based on an electrically-charged diaphragm/backplate assembly which forms a sound-sensitive capacitor/capsule. In addition to powering the circuitry of a microphone, in traditional (DC-polarized) condenser microphones the phantom powering directly or indirectly supplies the voltage used for polarizing the microphone’s transducer element ("capsule"). Phantom power supplies are often built into mixing desks, microphone preamplifiers and similar equipment.
It is best known as a power source for condenser microphones, though many active DI (direct input) boxes also use it. Phantom power (labeled as +48 V on most audio equipment) is a method that sends DC voltage through microphone cables.