Current microphone designs are still using concepts developed in the early 20th century. A transducer followed by a simple buffer with high impedance, low power, and low gain. Even when tubes were replaced by solid state devices the same practice continued, with the low gain triode being replaced by an even smaller power, lower current FET buffer. The invention offers a microphone system intended for professional audio applications that dispenses with these, low power concepts and incorporates elements of a microphone, microphone pre amplifier, and high power mixing console/pre amp line drivers into a single housing. By combining transducer, high fidelity pre amp circuit, and high power line driving stage with a high voltage, high current external power supply, the capabilities of microphones can be greatly increased in many ways. Our approach can be implemented in a variety of circuit topologies including discrete transistors, tubes and integrated circuits, our concept allows microphones to connect directly to analog or digital recording devices without the need for external mixers or pre amplifiers. The design not only allows for unprecedented simplicity in the work flow of the modern recording studio, which combines the use of stand-alone analog records, standalone digital recorder, and computer workstation based recording options, but also eliminates redundant circuits that are present in microphones, microphone pre amps, and mixing consoles, while offering the customer increased value.

A magnetoresistive-based signal shaping circuit for audio applications includes: a field emitting device configured for receiving an input current signal from an audio signal source and for generating a magnetic field in accordance with the input current signal, and a first magnetoresistive element having a first electrical resistance and electrically connected in series to a second magnetoresistive element having a second electrical resistance. The magnetoresistive-based signal shaping device provides an output signal across the second magnetoresistive element when an input voltage is applied across the first and second magnetoresistive element in series. The output signal is a function of the electrical resistance and yields a dynamic range compression effect. The first and second electrical resistance vary with the magnetic field in an opposite fashion.

An audio control circuit is provided in the present disclosure. The audio control circuit includes an input module, a volume signal detecting module and a volume adjusting module. The input module is used for receiving an audio signal. The volume signal detecting module is used for receiving a volume control signal and generates a volume adjusting signal according to the volume control signal. The volume adjusting module is used for receiving the audio signal and the volume adjusting signals and generates an amplified audio signal according to the audio signal and the volume adjusting signal. The volume control signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

A magnetoresistive-based signal shaping circuit for audio applications includes: a field emitting device configured for receiving an input current signal from an audio signal source and for generating a magnetic field in accordance with the input current signal, and a first magnetoresistive element having a first electrical resistance and electrically connected in series to a second magnetoresistive element having a second electrical resistance. The magnetoresistive-based signal shaping device provides an output signal across the second magnetoresistive element when an input voltage is applied across the first and second magnetoresistive element in series. The output signal is a function of the electrical resistance and yields a dynamic range compression effect. The first and second electrical resistance vary with the magnetic field in an opposite fashion.

A circuit and a method for maintaining the desired tone, harmonic relationship and dynamic response of a musical instrument amplifier throughout the complete master volume power attenuation range.

A volume controller may maintain a volume mapping including a plurality of zones of volume level, each zone defined according to a range of included volume levels and specifying a volume ramp up control rate and a volume ramp down control rate for adjustment of volume levels within the range, determine, according to the volume mapping based on a current volume level and a direction of a requested volume change, a step value for adjusting the current volume level, and adjust the current volume level according to the step value.

An audio control circuit is provided in the present disclosure. The audio control circuit includes an input module, a volume signal detecting module and a volume adjusting module. The input module is used for receiving an audio signal. The volume signal detecting module is used for receiving a volume control signal and generates a volume adjusting signal according to the volume control signal. The volume adjusting module is used for receiving the audio signal and the volume adjusting signals and generates an amplified audio signal according to the audio signal and the volume adjusting signal. The volume control signal is a pulse width modulation signal.

Current microphone designs are still using concepts developed in the early 20th century. A transducer followed by a simple buffer with high impedance, low power, and low gain. Even when tubes were replaced by solid state devices the same practice continued, with the low gain triode being replaced by an even smaller power, lower current FET buffer. The invention offers a microphone system intended for professional audio applications that dispenses with these, low power concepts and incorporates elements of a microphone, microphone pre amplifier, and high power mixing console/pre amp line drivers into a single housing. By combining transducer, high fidelity pre amp circuit, and high power line driving stage with a high voltage, high current external power supply, the capabilities of microphones can be greatly increased in many ways. Our approach can be implemented in a variety of circuit topologies including discrete transistors, tubes and integrated circuits, our concept allows microphones to connect directly to analog or digital recording devices without the need for external mixers or pre amplifiers. The design not only allows for unprecedented simplicity in the work flow of the modern recording studio, which combines the use of stand-alone analog records, standalone digital recorder, and computer workstation based recording options, but also eliminates redundant circuits that are present in microphones, microphone pre amps, and mixing consoles, while offering the customer increased value.

A method of controlling an audio system includes generating a situation response model for a situation parameter, determining a situation parameter value, and at least one of (1) providing an audio system output as a function of the situation response model and the situation parameter value and (2) receiving an audio system input as a function of the situation response model and the situation parameter value.

A fast response time, self-activating, adjustable threshold limiter including a limiting element LE, a first coupling element CE.sub.1 electrically connected from a signal node of LE to a control input of LE, and a second coupling element CE.sub.2 electrically connected from the control input of LE to a nominal node of LE. An initial bias (control) voltage is also supplied to the control input of LE to dynamically control the limiting threshold for the limiter. Embodiments include usage of self-activating adjustable power limiters in combination with series switch components in a switch circuit in lieu of conventional shunt switches.