The highly anticipated HTC One smartphone contains several interesting hardware choices, and HTC's latest blog post touts the One's dual-membrane microphone.
"We introduced BoomSound, delivered by two front-facing speakers and a powerful built-in amplifier. Have you ever taken a video clip at a concert only to watch it later and find the sound is completely distorted? To solve this we've also added two dual-membrane microphones that deliver distortion-free audio recordings at both high and low volumes."
The latest blog post explains how BoomSound works.
"Today's smartphones are built using a "single-membrane" microphone that determines the overall recording limits; which can focus on:
* High sensitivity, which impacts sound quality at very low volumes (as measured by Sound to Noise Ratio (SNR)).
* Increased capability to capture high audio levels, which impacts recordings at high volume (as measured by Sound Pressure Level (SPL))."
"This single membrane approach means high volume audio cannot be captured clearly (or isn't captured at all) as the audio system will shut down the microphone when the pressure level gets to [sic] high."
"We solve this challenge by delivering two dual-membrane MEMS microphones to record audio. With this design, each membrane serves a specific purpose, one focused on high-sensitivity while the other is focused on high sound pressure. After the two signals have been combined, background noise is greatly reduced, which increases the overall sound quality of the recording."
Pretty much anyone who's ever tried to record something with their phone knows that you can either record something loud and far away, or something quiet and close, but not both at the same time. Turn up the sensitivity on your mic during a class lecture and you get pencil scratching, key taps and breathing in the foreground.
Record a quiet conversation and an errant car horn or shout creates feedback.
Here's hoping HTC has been able to actually solve the issue.