For assistance with the operation of this product,
contact PCB Piezotronics, Inc.
Toll-free: 800-828-8840
24-hour SensorLine: 716-684-0001
Fax: 716-684-0987
E-mail: info@pcb.com
Web: www.pcb.com
Service, Repair, and Return
Policies and Instructions
The information contained in this document supersedes all similar information that
may be found elsewhere in this manual.
Service – Due to the sophisticated
nature of the sensors and associated
instrumentation provided by PCB
Piezotronics, user servicing or repair is
not recommended and, if attempted,
may void the factory warranty. Routine
maintenance, such as the cleaning of
electrical connectors, housings, and
mounting surfaces with solutions and
techniques that will not harm the
physical material of construction, is
acceptable. Caution should be observed
to ensure that liquids are not permitted
to migrate into devices that are not
hermetically sealed. Such devices
should only be wiped with a dampened
cloth and never submerged or have
liquids poured upon them.
Repair – In the event that equipment
becomes damaged or ceases to
operate, arrangements should be made
to return the equipment to PCB
Piezotronics for repair. User servicing or
repair is not recommended and, if
attempted, may void the factory
warranty.
Calibration – Routine calibration of
sensors and associated instrumentation
is recommended as this helps build
confidence in measurement accuracy
and acquired data. Equipment
calibration cycles are typically
established by the users own quality
regimen. When in doubt about a
calibration cycle, a good “rule of thumb”
is to recalibrate on an annual basis. It is
also good practice to recalibrate after
exposure to any severe temperature
extreme, shock, load, or other
environmental influence, or prior to any
critical test.
PCB Piezotronics maintains an ISO9001 certified metrology laboratory and
offers calibration services, which are
accredited by A2LA to ISO/IEC 17025,
with full traceability to SI through
N.I.S.T. In addition to the normally
supplied calibration, special testing is
also available, such as: sensitivity at
elevated or cryogenic temperatures,
phase response, extended high or low
frequency response, extended range,
leak testing, hydrostatic pressure
testing, and others. For information on
standard recalibration services or
special testing, contact your local PCB
Piezotronics distributor, sales
representative, or factory customer
service representative.
Returning Equipment – Following
these procedures will ensure that your
returned materials are handled in the
most expedient manner. Before
returning any equipment to PCB
Piezotronics, contact your local
distributor, sales representative, or
factory customer service representative
to obtain a Return Warranty, Service,
Repair, and Return Policies and
Instructions Materials Authorization
(RMA) Number. This RMA number
should be clearly marked on the outside
of all package(s) and on the packing
list(s) accompanying the shipment. A
detailed account of the nature of the
problem(s) being experienced with the
equipment should also be included
inside the package(s) containing any
returned materials.
A Purchase Order, included with the
returned materials, will expedite the
turn-around of serviced equipment. It is
recommended to include authorization
on the Purchase Order for PCB to
proceed with any repairs, as long as
they do not exceed 50% of the
replacement cost of the returned
item(s). PCB will provide a price
quotation or replacement
recommendation for any item whose
repair costs would exceed 50% of
replacement cost, or any item that is not
economically feasible to repair. For
routine calibration services, the
Purchase Order should include
authorization to proceed and return at
current pricing, which can be obtained
from a factory customer service
representative.
Contact Information – International
customers should direct all inquiries to
their local distributor or sales office. A
complete list of distributors and offices
can be found at www.pcb.com.
Customers within the United States may
contact their local sales representative
or a factory customer service
representative. A complete list of sales
representatives can be found at
www.pcb.com. Toll-free telephone
numbers for a factory customer service
representative, in the division
responsible for this product, can be
found on the title page at the front of this
manual. Our ship to address and
general contact numbers are:
PCB Piezotronics, Inc.
3425 Walden Ave.
Depew, NY14043 USA
Toll-free: (800) 828-8840
24-hour SensorLineSM: (716) 684-0001
Website: www.pcb.com
E-mail: info@pcb.com
PCB工业监视和测量设备 - 中国RoHS2公布表
PCB Industrial Monitoring and Measuring Equipment - China RoHS 2 Disclosure Table
This table is prepared in accordance with the provisions of SJ/T 11364.
O: Indicates that said hazardous substance contained in all of the homogeneous materials for this part is below the limit
requirement of GB/T 26572.
X: Indicates that said hazardous substance contained in at least one of the homogeneous materials for this part is above
the limit requirement of GB/T 26572.
Lead is present due to allowed exemption in Annex III or Annex IV of the European RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU.
DOCUMENT NUMBER: 21354
DOCUMENT REVISION: D
ECN: 46162
8.0 Warranty and Service ................................................................. 5
1.0 Introduction
Thank you for your purchase of a PCB high quality microphone. These microphones offer highly accurate
and reliable acoustic measurements and are typically used in research and design applications. They are
accurate enough for laboratory usage, yet rugged enough for field-testing.
Sound within the typical 20 to 20,000 Hz audible range of a healthy human ear can either be pleasing to
the ear, as in music, or unpleasant (or harmful), as in noise. As a result, many applications, from the development of consumer products to research in acoustics, measure sound, even sound outside the range of
human hearing. The instrument typically used to measure sound is the microphone, which is designed,
like the human ear, to transform pressure oscillations into a corresponding voltage oscillation.
2.0 Standards
Before selecting an acoustical instrument, it is important to identify which acoustical standards are appropriate for the application in which the instrument will be used. Whether for legal purposes or for quality
assurance programs, these standards will help determine the required quality, accuracy and consistency of
the instrument. Standards that correspond to the performance requirements, dimensions and characteristics of acoustical components are established for microphones, sound level meters, calibrators, or other
related components. The most common organizations producing these standards are the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). IEC 1094-4
establishes specifications for the mechanical dimensions and certain electroacoustic characteristics for
standard industrial microphones. The performance specification sheet supplied with each PCB microphone identifies the standards to which the microphone is compliant.
3.0 Setting up a Microphone Measurement System
After the proper microphone has been selected, the corresponding preamplifier, cabling, power supplies,
signal conditioning and data acquisition selections are ready to be installed. Not all of these components
are required for all test set-ups. The figures below show typical set-ups for externally polarized and prepolarized microphone systems.
A prepolarized microphone can be used with a standard Microphone Power Supply designed for externally polarized microphones, and its preamplifier, provided the supply voltage is set to zero.
1
Phantom powered microphone systems use a 3 pin XLR connector. A phantom powered microphone system should use a 48V phantom power supply or signal conditioner for optimum performance; however
these microphone systems may be powered with a 24V or a 12V phantom power supply, but this will limit the maximum output voltage.
Externally Polarized Microphone System
Prepolarized Microphone System
Phantom Powered Microphone System
The phantom powered preamp may be used with either a ¼’’ or a ½’’ microphone cartridge by using the
adapter provided.All IEC 61094-4 compliant microphones can be used with the phantom powered preamp.
Adapters for Phantom Powered Preamp
4.0 Taking Measurements
The following formula is used to calculate the pressure measured by the microphone from the output voltage signal. The sensitivity of a microphone is typically measured at 250 Hz.
Pressure (Pa) = Voltage (mV) / Sensitivity (mV/Pa).
2
The lowest amplitude a healthy human ear can detect is 20 millionths of a Pascal (20Pa). Another scale
dB
PS
V
SPL
ref
rms
Log20
dB
Pressure
Example
0
0.00002 Pa
Threshold of Hearing
60
0.02 Pa
Business Office
80
0.2 Pa
Shop Noise
94
1 Pa
Large Truck
100
2 Pa
Jackhammer
120
20 Pa
Airplane Take-Off
140
200 Pa
Threshold of Pain
more commonly used to describe sound pressure level is the decibel (dB). To convert the output voltage
signal (measured in Vrms) to sound pressure level (measured in decibels), use the following formula:
where S is the sensitivity of the microphone in mV/Pa, and P
is the reference pressure in air, which is
ref
20 x 10-6 Pa. The decibel scale is logarithmic and more closely matches the response reactions of the
human ear to the pressure fluctuations. Some examples of typical sound pressure levels are shown in the
table below.
At very high-pressure amplitudes, the microphone’s diaphragm will start to distort the measured sound
pressure. The maximum rated sound pressure level of a microphone is expressed as the amplitude at
which the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) reaches a specified amount, typically 3% THD. It is important to note that the highest sound pressure level that can be measured with a microphone system may
be limited by other parts of the system, such as the preamplifier, signal conditioner, or instrumentation.
Conversely, the Cartridge Thermal Noise (CTN) specification provides the lowest measurable sound pressure level that can be detected above the electrical noise inherent within the microphone.
Temperature and pressure will affect the sensitivity of a microphone but these effects can be accounted
for by adjusting the recorded microphone values using the coefficients specified for each microphone
model. Simply calculate the difference in temperature and ambient pressure from those recorded during
calibration and multiply this value by the proper coefficient to determine the sensitivity offset. In most
cases, the offset will be very small and is therefore unnecessary.
5.0 Accessories
Transducer Electronics Data Sheet (TEDS)
Preamplifiers can incorporate TEDS devices, which have a built in read/write memory that contains relevant information about the sensor and its use. Information includes manufacturer name, model number,
serial number, sensitivity, etc. The operation of TEDS devices is defined by IEEE P1451.4. A TEDS microphone system includes a microphone mated with a preamplifier that contains the TEDS memory programmed with both the microphone and preamplifier information. This is particularly helpful when using
large channel count systems and array set-up.
A-Weight Inline Filter
The inline filter is used in conjunction with an ICP® preamplifier to provide A-weighting for acoustical
measurements. The filter’s frequency response is weighted according to the A-weighting filter portion of
both ANSI S1.4 and IEC 60651 Type 1 Sound Level Meter Standards. ICP® signal conditioners of 4 mA
or greater are recommended when using inline filters.
Windscreens and Nose cones
Wind induced noise can be reduced by using a windscreen. This can offer some protection against dust
particles and mechanical damage. In the presence of high-speed airflow from a well-defined direction,
such as wind tunnels, a nose cone is recommended. When using windscreens and noise cones, the frequency response of the microphone will be attenuated at higher frequencies.
3
Clamps and stands
When holding a microphone in place, it is important to minimize the influence of the stand on the sound
being measured. This can be accomplished by using low profile stands and clamps available from PCB.
Cables and Electronics
PCB carries LEMO cables as well as coaxial cables with BNC and 10-32 connectors. Traditional externally polarized microphone power supplies along with a variety of ICP® signal conditioners are available
that will fit almost any need.
6.0 Maintenance
Microphones are very stable over long periods of time, provided they are handled and stored properly.
The microphone contains fragile components that can be damaged by misuse, in particular the diaphragm,
which is made up of a very thin proprietary material and should be kept clean of dust, dirt, moisture and
free any type of imperfection (scratch, dent, etc.).
The microphone’s grid cap is designed to let the true sound pressure level through to the diaphragm while
preventing items from coming in contact with it. We do not recommend that you ever remove the grid cap
or clean the microphone. If you take the precautionary measures to keep the microphone clean and dry, it
should not be necessary. Use of accessories, like windscreens, and desiccants will help keep moisture off
the microphone and maintain the specified sensitivity level. Nose cones will help keep turbulence off the
microphone diaphragm and allow the sound pressure to be measured with greater accuracy.
Keep the microphone and preamplifier assembled while preparing for testing. Keep the rubber maintenance caps on the preamplifier’s electrical connector only. Do not place these rubber caps over the microphone. This will create a vacuum and undo pressure on the microphone diaphragm, which can stretch the
diaphragm and cause a change in sensitivity. Store the microphones and preamplifiers in their protective
cases when not in use. With proper maintenance, the microphone and preamplifier should provide stable
and accurate results for years to come.
Dust, rain, oil, moisture or exposure to extreme temperatures may adversely affect the microphone and
preamplifier’s performance. If the microphone or the inside of the connection area of the preamplifier becomes contaminated, use a light pressure rubber bulb to gently blow clean, dry air onto the unit in order to
remove the dust. In the event that you absolutely must take off the grid cap and clean the microphone diaphragm, we recommend using a blow bulb or a light pressure, clean and dry air hose to gently blow contamination off the diaphragm. The direction of the air should be parallel with the diaphragm, not directly
(0 degree incidence) pointed at the diaphragm. Do not touch the microphone’s diaphragm with your fingers or let it come in contact with any sharp or pointed object. Please note that any contact to the microphone’s diaphragm can negatively impact the sensitivity and long term stability of the microphone.
If the microphone is ever dropped or comes into contact with any contamination, or is exposed to extreme
temperatures, we recommend immediate recalibration of the microphone. Please note that heat from your
hands can affect the calibration results. It is always good practice to wait a minimum of 30 seconds after
placing the microphone on a test system before taking a calibration reading in order to minimize the effect
that heat from your hands has on the calibration.
7.0 Calibration
PCB offers recalibration services for our precision microphones, as well as units produced by other A2LA
manufacturers. Our internal metrology laboratory is certified to ISO 9001, accredited by A2LA to ANSI/IEC 17025 and ANSI/NCSL Z540-1, complies with ISO 10012-1 (and former MIL-STD-45662A), and
uses equipment directly traceable to one or more of the following National Labs (NIST, PTB or DFM).
Our investment in equipment, traceability and conformance to industry standards ensures accurate calibration against relevant specifications. We also carry a line of acoustic calibrators that can be used to calibrate microphone sensitivity on site as needed.
4
Hand calibration of sensitivity for most prepolarized microphones may be performed with a Larson Davis
Manual Number: 27042
Manual Revision: E
ECO 46576
Printed in the U.S.A.
CAL250 or CAL200 (or equivalent). The CAL250 produces 114 dB SPL at 251.2 Hz. The CAL 200
produces either 94 dB or 114 dB (user selectable) at 1000 Hz. Note that both the CAL250 and CAL 200
are compliant with ANSI S1.40-2006, Specifications and Verification Procedures for Sound Calibrators,
Class1 and IEC 60942-2003, Class 1, Sound Calibrators.
8.0 Warranty and Service
All equipment and repair services provided by PCB Piezotronics, Inc. are covered by a warranty against
defective material and workmanship under a Total Customer Satisfaction policy. If, at any time, for any
reason, you are not completely satisfied with any PCB product, PCB will repair, replace, or exchange it at
no charge. You may also choose to have your purchase price refunded. See the supplemental sheet, contained with this manual, for information on our service, repair and return policies, procedures and instructions. When unexpected problems arise, call our 24-Hour SensorLineSM (716-684-0001) to speak with an
Application Engineer. Visit www.pcb.com for a complete statement of our warranty.
3425 Walden Avenue, Depew, NY 14043-2495 24-hour SensorLineSM: 716-684-0001
E-Mail: info@pcb.comU.S.A. Fax: 716-684-0987
Website: www.pcb.comToll-free (in the U.S.A.): 800-828-8840
A PCB GROUP COMPANY ISO 9001 CERTIFIED A2LA ACCREDITED to ISO 17025
2014 PCB Group, Inc. In the interest of constant product improvement, specifications are subject to change without notice.
PCB and ICP are registered trademarks of PCB Group, Inc. Sensor Line is a service mark of PCB Group, Inc. All other trademarks are properties of the respective owners.
5
Model Number
HT426E01
MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER
Revision: B
ECN #: 44854
PerformanceENGLISHSI
Nominal Microphone Diameter1/2"1/2"
Gain(re 1 kHz)-0.06 dB-0.06 dB[1][4]
Frequency Response(± 0.1 dB)(re 1 kHz)6.3 to 126,000 Hz6.3 to 126,000 Hz [5][4]
Frequency Response(-3 dB)(re 1 kHz)<1.58 Hz<1.58 Hz[5][4]
Frequency Response(± 0.1 dB)(re 1 kHz)10 to 126,000 Hz10 to 126,000 Hz [6][4]
Temperature Range(Operating)-40 to +257 °F-40 to +125 °C[2]
Temperature Response± 0.1 dB± 0.1 dB[3]
Humidity Range(Non-Condensing)0 to 95 %RH0 to 95 %RH
Humidity Sensitivity± 0.1 dB± 0.1 dB[3]
Electrical
Excitation Voltage20 to 32 VDC20 to 32 VDC
Constant Current Excitation2 to 10 mA2 to 10 mA
Impedance(Input)9.4 GOhm9.4 GOhm[1]
Capacitance(Input)0.06 pF0.06 pF[1]
Output Bias Voltage10 to 14 VDC10 to 14 VDC
Impedance(Output)<55 Ohm<55 Ohm
Output Voltage(Maximum)± 7 Vpk± 7 Vpk
Physical
Housing MaterialStainless SteelStainless Steel
Size (Diameter x Length)0.5 in x 3.5 in13 mm x 89 mm
Weight1.45 oz41 g[1]
Electrical ConnectorBNC JackBNC Jack
Mounting Thread(Microphone to Preamplifier)0.4606 - 60 UNS11.7 mm - 60 UNS
All specifications are at room temperature unless otherwise specified.
In the interest of constant product improvement, we reserve the right to change specifications without notice.
ICP
®
is a registered trademark of PCB Group, Inc.
NOTES:
[1]Typical.
[2]Limited to 120°C if ICP current > 4 mA
[3]Maximum.
[4]Measured with a 12 pF reference microphone.
[5]At 22 °C
[6]At 120 °C
[7]TEDS Capable Digital Memory and Communication, compliant with IEEE P1451.4
[8]See PCB Declaration of Conformance PS065 for details.
SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES:
Model ERC-16 Calibration of microphone preamplifier (1)