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how to wire an electret microphone

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bbradburry(at)bellsouth.n
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:05 pm Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

I am considering trying to build a headphone for my plane.  Can someone tell me how to wire an electret microphone like the one below so that it can be plugged into the planes jack?  

   

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062216  

   

You can safely assume that I am dumb enough to try this with absolutely no knowledge of how to do it and would need a very good explanation.  

Something like, “just use a condenser.”, will not help me much…  :>)  

   

Bill B  

   

       [quote][b]

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skywagon

Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 184

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 5:49 pm Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

Bill,

 With good headphones so cheap, especially 2nd hand, I  don't know why you would want to do this.  Especially since all the deep  pocket guys have tossed over their faithful ANR headsets for the Bose and Zulu  models.  

  

 However,... the first thing is to probably consider is the  type of mike element.  It has to deal with cancelling most of the back  ground noise.  I am guessing the RS mike element may not qualify as a noise  cancelling mike....

 David

  

   

 [quote]   ---

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Bob McC

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 258
Location: Toronto, ON

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

Bill;

  

 Trying to build headphones for the exercise of doing could certainly be part of the learning experience if you have the time available, however, you might want to check the product reviews found on the link you provided. The description says this is an "Electret Mic" but one of the reviews points out that in fact it is actually a "Condenser Mic". I don't know the significance of that discrepancy, but it is something you might want to note.

  

 Bob McC

  

 Bill,

 With good headphones so cheap, especially 2nd hand, I don't know why you would want to do this.  Especially since all the deep pocket guys have tossed over their faithful ANR headsets for the Bose and Zulu models.  

  

 However,... the first thing is to probably consider is the type of mike element.  It has to deal with cancelling most of the back ground noise.  I am guessing the RS mike element may not qualify as a noise cancelling mike....

 David

  

   

 [quote] ---

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_________________
Bob McC
Falco #908
(just starting)

rjquillin(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 7:35 pm Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

At 19:34 4/18/2010, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		   The description says this is an "Electret Mic" but one of the reviews points out that in fact it is actually a "Condenser Mic". I don't know the significance of that discrepancy, but it is something you might want to note. 	


 An electret mic is nothing more than internally polarized condenser mic that only needs an external low voltage applied to make the innards (amplifier) work.  Most inexpensive ones are omni-directional, and any response pattern is achieved in how it is mounted and packaged.



 Ron Q.    [quote][b]

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bakerocb

Joined: 15 Jan 2006
Posts: 727
Location: FAIRFAX VA

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:04 am Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

4/19/2010



Hello Ron Quillen, Thanks for your input.



You wrote: "Most inexpensive ones are omni-directional,......."



Yes, but some mics are not omni-directional and I don't know what bearing 

cost has on that.



I learned that the hard way when I could not get one to work and fussed 

around buying a new one and calling the manufacturer only to learn that all 

I had to do was swap the leads to the mic to get it to work.



'OC' Says: "The best investment we can make is the effort to gather and 

understand knowledge."



===================================================



Time: 08:35:20 PM PST US

From: Ron Quillin <rjquillin(at)cox.net>

Subject: Re: how to wire an electret microphone



At 19:34 4/18/2010, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  The description says this is an "Electret Mic" but one of the

reviews points out that in fact it is actually a "Condenser Mic". I

don't know the significance of that discrepancy, but it is something

you might want to note.


	


An electret mic is nothing more than internally polarized condenser

mic that only needs an external low voltage applied to make the

innards (amplifier) work.  Most inexpensive ones are

omni-directional, and any response pattern is achieved in how it is

mounted and packaged.



Ron Q.

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:35 am Post subject: how to wire an electret microphone

 	  Quote: 	
		  

 However,... the first thing is to probably consider is the type of mike element.  It has to deal with cancelling most of the back ground noise.  I am guessing the RS mike element may not qualify as a noise cancelling mike.... 	


   Excellent point. Noise canceling microphones not only

   have special microphone cartridges (openings on BOTH

   side of diaphragm) the housing that mounts them is

   also tailored to the task. The idea is that far field

   stimulus (cabin noise) gets applied equally to both

   sides of the diaphragm while near field stimulus

   (voice) concentrates on one side.



   Optimizing the noise cancelling qualities is not

   a trivial task. In fact, some of big names in

   aircraft headsets have stubbed their toes from

   time to time.



   The most effective microphones I've ever encountered

   were the military headset dynamic devices (very low

   impedance . . . . about 5 ohms as I recall) and

   very small useful signal output but with stellar

   noise cancelling characteristics. Their electrical

   characteristics demanded some real talent for handling

   micro-volt level signals of interest in an electrically

   noisy environment.



   These microphone signals were always processed in

   the ship's intercom panel before being applied to

   radio's as 1 volt rms signals.



   The original carbon mics used general aviation

   aircraft had HUGE output signals and not very

   hot noise cancelling characteristics.  They

   were relatively cheap to build, rugged and 

   VERY easy to integrate into the electronics.



   Then there's issues of wind noise. You didn't say

   if your application was in a closed cabin or an

   ultra-light style environment . . . but being

   able to perform in the wind adds a whole new dimension

   to the design task. The folks who do motorcycle 

   intercoms have done a pretty good job in the

   low-cost systems markets.



   I fiddled with them just enough about 30 years

   ago to decide that it was a discipline that I

   wasn't going to add to my bag of tricks. Poor

   return on investment for the $time$ needed to

   achieve useful results. Some of the best microphones

   I've run across were on the least expensive

   headsets. The last set I bought for the airport

   were only about $150 as I recall . . . don't

   remember the brand/model right now . . . but

   they worked really well in our C-150's.



   Bob . . .    [quote][b]

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