Just like SNR, AOP is a crucial factor for audio/video quality.
There are many smartphone videos online, filmed at popular/rock concerts, where the audio is severely distorted and renders the video unwatchable due to low AOP.
If the incoming sound pressure level is very high, a microphone capsule with a high AOP can significantly improve sound quality.
High AOP helps the microphone system handle extremely high signal peaks, even when the average sound pressure level isn't very high.
Microphone Capsule Acoustic Overload Point (AOP) Use Case Examples
- Pop/Rock Concerts: Concerts are typically very loud, and high-quality sound is crucial for achieving a good, natural sound recording.
- Sports Events: Events like racing or crowds can be very loud, requiring a high AOP to capture clear audio.
- Traffic: Many low-frequency noises can overwhelm microphones without a high AOP.
- Wind Noise: Wind is a common cause of poor sound quality in outdoor audio/video recordings.
Until a few years ago, the standard AOP for consumer electronic device microphone capsules was between 110 to 120 dBSPL. Recently, the requirements for AOP have risen.
To ensure the required sound quality and speech recognition performance, device designers should select microphone capsules with an AOP of around 130 dBSPL or higher.
