Jecklin Disk
Encyclopedia
A Jecklin Disk is a sound-absorbing disk placed between two microphone
s to create an acoustic "shadow" from one microphone to the other. The resulting two signals can possibly produce a pleasing stereo
effect. A matching pair of small-diaphragm omnidirectional microphones is always used with a Jecklin disk.
The technique was invented by Jürg Jecklin, the former chief sound engineer of Swiss Radio now teaching at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He referred to the technique as an "Optimal Stereo Signal" (OSS). In the beginning Jecklin used omnidirectional microphones on either side of a 30.5 cm (1 ft.) disk about 2 cm (3/4") thick, which had a muffling layer of soft plastic foam or wool fleece on each side. The capsules of the microphones were above the surface of the disc, just in the center, 16.5 centimeters (6½") apart from each other and each pointing 20 degrees outside. Jecklin found the 16.5 cm (6½") ear spacing between the microphones too narrow. In his own paper, he notes that the disk has to be 35 cm (13¾") in diameter and the distance between the microphones should be 36 cm (14 3/16"). The concept is to make use of the baffle to recreate some of the frequency-response, time and amplitude variations human listeners experience, but in such a way that the recording also produces a useful stereo image through loudspeakers. Conventional binaural or dummy head recordings are not as convincing when played back over speakers; headphone playback is needed.
The Jecklin Disk is a refinement of the baffled microphone technique for stereo initially described by Alan Blumlein
in his 1931 patent on binaural sound.
Jecklin's German from his script: "Zwei Kugelmikrofone sind mit einem gegenseitigen Abstand von 36 cm angeordnet und durch eine mit Schaumstoff belegte Scheibe von 35 cm Durchmesser akustisch getrennt." That means: Two parallel omnidirectional microphones having a distance between them of 36 cm (14 3/16") pointing toward the front, separated by a foam-covered disk having a diameter of 35 cm (13¾").
Microphone
A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
s to create an acoustic "shadow" from one microphone to the other. The resulting two signals can possibly produce a pleasing stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
effect. A matching pair of small-diaphragm omnidirectional microphones is always used with a Jecklin disk.
The technique was invented by Jürg Jecklin, the former chief sound engineer of Swiss Radio now teaching at the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He referred to the technique as an "Optimal Stereo Signal" (OSS). In the beginning Jecklin used omnidirectional microphones on either side of a 30.5 cm (1 ft.) disk about 2 cm (3/4") thick, which had a muffling layer of soft plastic foam or wool fleece on each side. The capsules of the microphones were above the surface of the disc, just in the center, 16.5 centimeters (6½") apart from each other and each pointing 20 degrees outside. Jecklin found the 16.5 cm (6½") ear spacing between the microphones too narrow. In his own paper, he notes that the disk has to be 35 cm (13¾") in diameter and the distance between the microphones should be 36 cm (14 3/16"). The concept is to make use of the baffle to recreate some of the frequency-response, time and amplitude variations human listeners experience, but in such a way that the recording also produces a useful stereo image through loudspeakers. Conventional binaural or dummy head recordings are not as convincing when played back over speakers; headphone playback is needed.
The Jecklin Disk is a refinement of the baffled microphone technique for stereo initially described by Alan Blumlein
Alan Blumlein
Alan Dower Blumlein was a British electronics engineer, notable for his many inventions in telecommunications, sound recording, stereo, television and radar...
in his 1931 patent on binaural sound.
Jecklin's German from his script: "Zwei Kugelmikrofone sind mit einem gegenseitigen Abstand von 36 cm angeordnet und durch eine mit Schaumstoff belegte Scheibe von 35 cm Durchmesser akustisch getrennt." That means: Two parallel omnidirectional microphones having a distance between them of 36 cm (14 3/16") pointing toward the front, separated by a foam-covered disk having a diameter of 35 cm (13¾").
External links
- Josephson Engineering - This page has a picture of a variant of the Jecklin Disk
- Core Sound - This page has a picture of a Jecklin Disk and another variant, the Schneider Disk