When you have multiple microphones, you are introducing the possibility for more problems due to a phenomenon known as phasing. Phasing occurs because of slight delays in capturing sound between microphones, which can lead to interference, resulting in sound quality issues. ## Interference ### Constructive Interference Constructive interference occurs when the peaks (high points) and troughs (low points) of two waveforms align. This alignment causes the amplitudes to add together, creating a stronger, louder signal. For example, if two identical sound waves align perfectly, the result is a wave with twice the amplitude of the original waves.  ### Destructive Interference: Destructive interference happens when the peaks of one waveform align with the troughs of another. This alignment causes the amplitudes to cancel each other out, resulting in a weaker signal or even complete silence. For instance, if two identical sound waves are exactly out of phase (one peak aligns with the other’s trough), they will cancel each other out completely.  ### Practical Acoustical Example Imagine you have two speakers playing the same sound. If you stand at a point where the sound waves from both speakers reach you in phase (constructive interference), the sound will be louder. These points are called **antinodes**, where the waves reinforce each other, creating a stronger sound. Conversely, if you move to a point where the sound waves reach you out of phase (destructive interference), the sound will be quieter or even silent. These points are called **nodes**, where the waves cancel each other out, resulting in no sound.  ## Microphone Phasing When you have two different microphones capturing the same source, the speed of sound creates a slight delay in capturing the sound from one microphone to the other (approximately 1 millisecond of delay for every foot of distance). This delay causes interference when the two sounds are added together. This interference can be either constructive, where the sound waves combine to create a louder sound, or destructive, where the sound waves cancel each other out, leading to a quieter sound or even silence.  ## Curated Resource Watch this InTheMix video on Phasing and Polarity to understand how delays between microphones can cause constructive and destructive interference. The video also covers techniques to manage and correct these issues for better audio quality.