My sources of information and inspiration
Books on microphones
Ethan Winer
Highly recommended book, not in the least because of all the downloadable sound samples. And as a musician, sound engineer having a background in electronics and acoustics, he’s got the right to speak.
The Audio Expert, 2nd edition
ISBN 978-0-415-78884-7
www.TheAudioExpertBook.com
Thomas Görne
Microphones in theory and practice, 8th, new, revised and expanded edition. Elektor-Verlag, Aachen 2007
ISBN 978-3-89576-189-8
Thomas Görne
Microfoons in theorie en praktijk (Dutch)
Elektor International Media BV, Postbus 11, 6114 ZG Susteren
ISBN 978-90-5381-230-3
Thomas Görne
Mikrofone in Theorie und Praxis (German)
https://www.amazon.com/Mikrofone-in-Theorie-und-Praxis/dp/3895761893
ISBN 978-3895761898
Distortion measurements
Bruel & Kjaer Application notes: Audio Distortion Measurements
https://www.bksv.com/media/doc/bo0385.pdf
JFETs and Microphone Circuit Theory
Scott Wurcer: Low Noise Microphone Preamplifiers
Published by Linear Audio. Part I was published in Volume 1 and Part II was published in Volume 3.
https://linearaudio.net/articles-volumes
Rod Elliot, Elliot Sound Products: Designing with JFETs.
Dimitri Danyuk: JFET shootouts, published on ElectronicDesign.com and on audioexpress.com, two articles.
https://www.electronicdesign.com/technologies/power/article/21796240/measurements-rate-smt-low-voltage-n-jfets-under-consistent-conditions
https://audioxpress.com/article/measurements-rate-new-smt-low-voltage-jfets-under-consistent-conditions-an-update-using-modern-jfets
Richard Lee: practical FET biasing explanation. You must be a groups.io member to be able to download this document.
Vishay/Siliconix: Application Note AN102 on FET biasing.
onsemi: Application Note AN-6602 Low Noise JFET
Allaboutcircuits.com: JFET Biasing Techniques
Erno Borbely: https://audioxpress.com/article/JFETs-The-New-Frontier-Part-1
JFET noise measurements:
https://www.mvaudiolabs.com/diy/modern-jfet-noise-measurements/
http://tech-blog-en.sblo.jp/article/183391570.html
https://3roomlabs.blogspot.com/2017/02/jfet-low-noise-amplifier-exploration.html
Capacitor Distortion
Cyril Bateman’s series of Capacitor Distortion measurement articles. A must-read.
https://linearaudio.nl/cyril-batemans-capacitor-sound-articles
Another article by Cyril Bateman
https://www.dadaelectronics.eu/uploads/downloads/13_Theoretical-and-practical-Electronics-papers/Capacitor-Sound-C-Bateman.pdf
Here’s another proof of why high-k ceramic capacitors should not be used in audio signal paths. Unlike high-k capacitors, COG/NPO types give exceptionally good performance.
https://www.edn.com/signal-distortion-from-high-k-ceramic-capacitors/
An Application Note by TI on Capacitor Distortion My takeaway from this article is to never-ever use high-k MLCCs or Tantalum caps.
https://www.ti.com/lit/an/slyt796/slyt796.pdf?ts=1638101172050&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.google.com%252F
Nice article by Rod Elliot (Elliot Sound Products) in which he wipes the floor with ‘magic’ condenser B.S. His whole website is good food for thought and inspiration, btw.
https://sound-au.com/articles/capacitors.htm
Other DIY microphone sites
Disclaimer: This list is probably incomplete. If your site isn’t listed here and you want to have it added, drop me a line.
Khron’s Place: https://khronscave.blogspot.com/
Scott Helmke: http://www.scotthelmke.com/ Probably best known for his Alice microphone design.
‘rogs’ / ‘Arjay 1949’: www.amx.jp137.com and www.opic.jp137.com RF condenser microphone and Op-Amp-based condenser microphone projects
Various other microphone tech-related sites and articles
The basics of distortion in microphones by DPA
https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/the-basics-about-distortion-in-mics
Microphones: SPL & Distortion on AudioTechnology.com
https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/microphones-spl-distortion
Volker Meitz: Die Historische Entwicklung von Kondensatormikrofonen (German)
https://www.static.tu.berlin/fileadmin/www/10002020/Dokumente/Abschlussarbeiten/MeitzVolker_MagA.pdf
Two articles by THAT corporation about the destructive discharges of input capacitors of Mic Preamps, which they call “The Phantom Menace”.
https://www.thatcorp.com/datashts/AES5335_48V_Phantom_Menace.pdf
https://www.thatcorp.com/datashts/AES7909_48V_Phantom_Menace_Returns.pdf