A microphone is a device that translates sound vibrations in the air into electronic signals and scribes them to a recording medium or over a loudspeaker. A microphone allows computer users to input audio into their computers. Microphones enable many types of audio recording devices for purposes including communications of many kinds, as well as music vocals, speech, and sound recording. The term ‘microphone’ can be broken into ‘micro’ and ‘phone. ‘ Micro (from Greek micros) means “small,” and phone (from Greek phone) means “sound” or “voice.” Microphone translates to “small sound,” which is accurate, as the microphone deals with small audio signals.
A microphone converts sound to an electrical signal whereas a loudspeaker converts the electrical signal to sound waves. The microphone is used at the transmitting end whereas a loudspeaker or speaker is used at receiving end. The microphone should be close to the mouth whereas the speaker should be close to the ears for better performance.
A microphone is an input device that was developed by Emile Berliner in 1877. It is used to convert sound waves into electric waves or input the audio into computers. It captures audio by converting sound waves into an electrical signal, which may be digital or analog. This process can be implemented by a computer or other digital audio devices. The first electronic microphone was based on a liquid mechanism, which used a diaphragm that was connected to a current-charged needle in a diluted sulfuric acid solution. It was not able to reproduce the intelligible speech.
Regularly, microphones are designed based on directionality, besides the type of device. Such as, Omnidirectional microphones are capable of picking up all sounds in an area, but it is unable to focus on a particular subject with background noise. Bidirectional, directional, and shotgun microphones are beneficial for an interview. However, two unidirectional devices can provide the same effect, as cardioid microphones.
What is the use of a microphone on the computer?
Integrated microphones are often found at the top of the display, especially when there is an embedded webcam directly next to the microphone. Look at the edges of the laptop’s body. Some laptop models have an internal microphone above the keyboard, or just below the hinge.
- It is used for voice recording.
- It offers users the option of voice recognition.
- It allows users to record the sound of musical instruments.
- It enables users to online chatting.
- It allows us for VoIP (Voice over internet protocol).
- It is also used for Computer gaming.
- Furthermore, it can record voices for singing, podcasts, and dictation.
The available user-friendly microphones in present days are given below:
- Ribbon microphones
- Condenser microphones with large and small diaphragms
- Dynamic mics
How does a microphone work?
- Whenever a person speaks, the sound waves enter the microphone; it generates energy.
- The diaphragm is usually made of very thin plastic, and located inside the microphone. When sound waves hit the diaphragm, it moves back and forward.
- The coil is connected to the diaphragm that moves back and forward as well.
- A magnetic field is produced by the permanent magnet. The coil cuts the magnetic field, and when the coil moves back and forward via the magnetic field, an electric current runs through it.
- An electric current run from the microphone to the sound recording device. This current is used to drive the sound recording equipment that allows you to store the sound forevermore. Also, you can magnify the currents and save them into a loudspeaker, which converts the electricity into a high louder sound.
Types of microphone
Below are the types of microphones:
1. Omnidirectional microphone: It is a type of microphone that can pick up sound from all sides of the microphone, as it contains a circular polar plot. For example, if a person speaks into the microphone from the left, right, front, and backside, it will record the signals equally from all sides. These microphones are mainly used in studios to record more than one-person voice or musical instruments. It is opposite to the unidirectional microphones, which receive the sound from a particular direction.
2. Unidirectional microphone: It is a type of microphone that can pick up sound in one direction only. Thus, it can record the voice when you speak in the correct direction. This type of microphone is beneficial when a user wants to record their voice during a podcast or voice-over. Its polar plot shows that it receives maximum sound when the user speaks in front of it. As shown in the below image:
3. Close-talk microphone: It is another type of microphone in which you have to keep your mouth close to the microphone without making any noise or sound that usually happens with other microphones. These microphones are used with the phones, headsets as well as voice-recognition software. It provides excellent voice quality for fixed station applications. Additionally, it includes a feature hum-bucking coil to reduce unnecessary sound and increase the quality of voice communications.
4. Bidirectional microphone: It is also known as a figure-of-eight microphone designed to pick up the sound with high sensitivity from the front and backside of the microphone. It is useful when interviewing a person as you would like to get equally sound from the interviewer and interviewee.
The below image shows the bidirectional microphone sound picks up pattern, which shows that it picks up equally part of the sound of the front and backside.
5. Clip-on microphone: It is also called lavalier, lapel mic, body mic, neck mic, collar mic, or personal mic. It is a small hands-free wireless mic that is used to allow hands-free operations such as theatre, television, and public speaking. These are mainly used by attaching to ties, collars, shirts, or other clothing.
6. Dynamic Microphones – Dynamic microphones input sound waves that cause a movable wire or coil to vibrate in a magnetic field and thus induce a current. Technical jargon aside, this just means that these microphones are tough and durable. They are extremely versatile and can be used with almost anything. Just remember, because of this toughness, they usually won’t sound as pretty as a condenser microphone, which is totally ok because you can usually make up something of that coloration via additive EQ & saturation.
7. Condenser Microphones – Condenser microphones are much more fragile than dynamic mics. They produce a more “colored” sound than other microphones because they are more sensitive to both lower and higher frequencies. In short, if you ever want to pick up room noise or general ambiance, a condenser microphone will be the best bet for the job.
8. Ribbon Microphones – These guys were popular in the 50s and 60s and are the most fragile of the three types of microphones for vocal production. They are also super expensive, so most beginners and even intermediate producers will stay clear of these Ribbons.
How does a microphone input data into a computer?
A microphone is an input device; it sends information to the computer. For example, when it is used to record music or sound, the information (a record) is stored on the computer in response to play in the future. Furthermore, microphones are important for voice recognition technology, which takes your voice as an input and specifies to the computer what operation is to be performed.
Different Parts of a Microphone
You can purchase the below-given components of the microphone independently; therefore, if your microphone gets any issues working, this guide will help you to determine what part you should change through which you can fix your problem instead of purchasing a new microphone.
A microphone contains several parts to work efficiently; such are as follows:
- Wind Screen: It is a mic’s part in which the user speaks. A microphone includes a circular type barrier, which is made with the help of hard metal. The windscreen is located underneath this barrier. Although most of the microphones have a built-in windscreen, it could be an issue of a windscreen for use in the studio or outdoor performance; so, they can use an additional pop filter to remove an issue. A windscreen is a thin layer of foam that helps to provide the best quality sound, as it stops the wind from entering the diaphragm and creating unnecessary noise in the signal.
- Diaphragm: It is most similar to like a person’s eardrum. When a user speaks, and sound waves enter the microphone, they hit the diaphragm and cause it to vibrate. With the help of a microphone, this vibration is converted into an electric signal. Furthermore, it is the most important factor of the entire microphone to provide the best quality of sound.
- Magnetic Core: It is unique to a dynamic microphone, and it also creates a magnetic field for the coil. Thus, the vibration can be converted into an electric signal.
- Coil: It is also unique to dynamic microphones. It is connected to the diaphragm, and when the diaphragm starts to vibrate, the coil also begins to vibrate. Then, the coil moves back and forwards between a magnet; by this movement, the coil gets charged and the magnet generates the electric energy in the signal.
- Capsule: The capsule is that where a sound is transformed from vibration to electric signal in any microphone. Some of the microphones need the capsule to perform their work, and some do not require the capsule. Microphones can draw power from a mixer with the help of a setting called “phantom power.” You are required to check if your microphones need phantom power or not.
- Body: The microphone body describes the quality of sound, and specifies how long the microphone will last. Its body looks like the chassis of a car. The best microphones have a strong body with intelligently placed electronics inside the body; thus, they can protect the microphone from drops, bumps, and other things.
- Output: It is a place in any microphone where a cable will be plugged into the mic. XLR’s the default cable type for the microphones. The work of this three-pronged cable is to send a stereo signal, and it can be purchased at any length as per the requirements. Some of the microphones include outputs for 1/4″ cables, and some lower-price microphones come with a default cable attached.
How to check if a computer has a microphone or not?
There are commonly two types of computer microphones: Internal and External.
Internal Microphones: Although it is difficult to see the internal microphones in the computer, they can be in the form of small holes under the bezel of the computer monitor, or anywhere on the body of the laptop. On the other hand, they commonly have the word ‘Mic’ or a small picture of a microphone to indicate the location of a microphone on the computer or laptop.
External Microphones: These microphones can be purchased separately and plugged into the computer. If you do not have a USB port or sound card to connect the microphone, you cannot use an external microphone. The sound card is where you attach the external speaker, and it is located on the back of the computer.
Top 1o
1. iPhone/Mobile Phone
I bet you didn’t see this one coming! But hey, iPhones are pretty incredible and most importantly, are the size of your hand, fit compactly into your pocket, and can store up to 200x as much data as the first iPod.
On top of that, it captures audio fairly well. Mobile phones in general are perfect for capturing ideas on the go, recording atmospheres to bury deep in your mixes, or even recording demos and first takes. All in all, the iPhone is hands down the most versatile and easy-to-use microphone on this list.
2. Blue Yeti or Rode NT USB
Yes, USB microphones have their shortcomings compared to traditional microphones but they are cheap, easy to set up, don’t require an interface, and if you’re just getting started in production, a perfectly acceptable first microphone.
Plus, if you’re trying to record samples, sometimes it can be nice to use lower-quality microphones to capture a unique, almost dirty flavor to your sounds.
That said, the Blue Yeti sounds quite natural. It is worth noting that some other mics at their price point may sound quite unnatural because of the attempt to add shine or sparkle to a vocal.
The Blue Yeti, on the other hand, adds that brightness subtly, so your voice still sounds natural while showing the mic’s unique sound.
A solid alternative would be the Rode NT, which has low enough self-noise for you to record your voice or any samples you are trying to capture. That said, this microphone is optimized for speech so it is a favorite among podcasters and voice-over specialists.
Tier 2: Basic Microphones
3. Rode NT1A
This Rode mic has a full-body metal build with a nickel satin finish. As you would expect from a rode mic, the frame feels very solid and it’s guaranteed to serve you for a long time.
With the NT1A, you work with what you have, since there are no switches or filters on the mic. This also means fewer options in some cases.
This mic stands out because of its incredibly low self-noise. As one of the world’s quietest studio microphones, this low noise makes it an ideal vocal microphone as well as a perfect fit for recording guitars and percussion.
Rode NT1A is useful for almost any kind of vocal work; both musical and non-musical. Also, in the case of a musical recording, the voice sits well and shines through the rest of the other instruments.
4. Shure SM58
This legendary Shure mic is the only handheld mic that is on this list. If you know this mic, you’ve most likely come across it in a live setting.
Shure SM58 is a handheld dynamic microphone. It is rugged, solid, durable and any other word you can think to describe toughness. The steel mesh grille at the top is very strong. If the mic drops, all you need to do is pick it up and keep using it.
It is suitable for all forms of vocal recording because of its clear and crisp sound. Since it’s designed primarily for live use, it has a near-perfect off-axis sound rejection.
This can be good for you if your recording space is not as quiet as you would want. However, you may need a mic with a wider frequency range if you need room ambiance in your recording.
5. Shure SM7B
When it comes to microphones for vocal production, this is our absolute favorite. If you’re doubting the capabilities of this mic, it might help to know that its older version was used in recording many of Michael Jackson’s songs.
It’s one of the few studio mics that come with a specialized mount. If you want to avoid any issues with mic placement or positioning, the SM7B will be good for you.
This mic has a clean, flat, yet crisp sound. You can make the sound even crispier by adding some mid-range boost — often very necessary, especially when recording vocals or getting creative with sampling.
At the end of the day, we recommend this microphone above all others. And at approximately $400, it’s quite affordable.
6. Neumann TLM 103 or Neumann U87
Neumann mics are really in a class of their own in the world of microphones for vocal production. The TLM 103 was created based on the legendary U87.
The wide frequency range of the TLM 103 covers pretty much everything you need when recording the human voice, and it has a warm characteristic sound with some presence boost that adds clarity to your recording.
You can control the balance between warmth and brightness in your sound by changing the distance between the speaker and the mic. Move closer to the mic if you need a warm sound, and move a bit farther away to have a brighter recording.
7. Mojave MA-200
The MA-200 is the culmination of 20-plus years of custom microphone design from the founder of Mojave, David Royer.
The large-diaphragm MA-200 gives warm, full-bodied reproductions of vocals and instruments without the shrillness and high-frequency grunge so often encountered with modern condenser microphones.
Try the MA-200 on lead and background vocals, voiceovers, piano, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, orchestra, spot miking… anything.
You’ll agree with the engineers who tested this mic that it evokes the characteristics of some of the best-loved vintage European microphones.
8. Telefunkin u47
To be frank, this microphone is expensive, but something to seriously consider if you are a splurging hobbyist or full-time professional.
Its authoritative mid-range and extended low-end response have made it the “go to” standard for any serious recording studio.
This microphone is a recreation of the U47 large diaphragm tube microphone is exact detail, down to the historically accurate BV8 output transformer and M7 capsule.
9. Sony C800-G
If you’ve ever worked with this exceptional mic, you already know this microphone is arguably one of the top microphones ever created. It captures the silky breathiness of vocals without a hint of shrillness.
It’s also a revelation on acoustic guitar. The C-800G’s effectively non-existent noise floor and high sensitivity let you use it on almost anything with astonishing results. The vacuum tube — a hand-selected 6AU6 — has its onboard cooling system.
The large dual-diaphragm capsule features electronically selectable cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns. If you have the budget for an ultra-high-end microphone, the Sony C-800G deserves serious consideration.
10. Manley Reference
The Manley Reference is another microphone in a class of its own. Since its 1990 introduction, the Reference Cardioid has become another industry standard for capturing vocals.
With its lavish tonal balance and liquid midrange, the Cardioid Reference is the first-call mic for guitars, drum overheads, saxophone, and of course, vocals.
Some Basic Accessories
Instead of leaving you high and dry, we thought we’d also run down some basic accessories you’ll need to grab when you invest in any microphone from this list in tier 2 or tier 3.
Pop Filters
When you speak into the mic, there are bursts of air when you pronounce sounds like ‘p’ and ‘b’. This air can make your recording unpleasant.
A pop filter prevents the unpleasant effect of having air hit the mic capsule too strongly.
High-Quality Microphone Cables
Cables are important in the recording chain. High-quality cables last longer and preserve the quality of your recordings. Some cables can introduce noise into your recording after using them for just a few months
Portable Vocal Booths
A vocal booth includes a shield that prevents reflections, the mic, and a pop filter all on a stand. This way, you can have a recording environment that is a bit isolated from your immediate environment.
Mic Stands
Here is where you place your mic, pop filter, and even vocal shield. Your mic stand will depend a lot on what you’re placing on it.
However, it is best to go for a tripod stand with a ¼” screw-in top. This will work with most, if not all mic clips.
Shock Mount
For voice-over artists, podcasters, and even classic vocalists, you need a mic holding system that will prevent movements like touching the table from being captured by the mic.
A shock mount will help you achieve this. This way, the occasional bump does not ruin your recording.
History of microphone
Nowadays, microphones are mainly connected to the music and entertainment fields, but in the 1600s, scientists started to search out how they could magnify the sound.
1665: Until the 19th century, the word microphone was not used. English physicist Robert Hooke was considered a pioneer in the field of broadcasting sound across distance, as they developed the acoustic cup and string phone
1827: Charles Wheatstone was the first person who played a vital role in developing the microphone. Wheatstone was a popular English physicist and creator, who was the best inventor of the telegraph. He had an interest in various fields and gave some of his time to study acoustics in the 1820s. Wheatstone was one of the first scientists to recognize that sound can be transmitted by waves with the help of mediums. This finding made him curious to find out different ways of transmitting sounds from one place to another over long distances. He worked to develop a device, which could amplify low sounds and named this device a microphone.
1876: Emile Berliner may be considered the inventor of the first modern microphone. He was best known for inventing the Gramophone and its records. When Berliner saw a demonstration of the Bell company at the U.S. Centennial presentation, he was inspired to explore ways to enhance the features of the recently invented telephone. The management of Bell company was impressed with the device he launched with the telephone voice transmitter, and Alexander Graham Bell invented the liquid microphone.
1878: After inventing the microphone by Berliner and Edison, British-American music professor David Edward Hughes introduced the first carbon microphone. It was used as a prototype for many carbon microphones, which are still in use.
1915: Vacuum tube amp? er was developed to enhance the volume of many devices, including the microphone.
1916: E.C. Wente invented the condenser microphone at Bell Laboratories, which was also known as a capacitor or an electrostatic microphone. Although he had an assignment to improve the sound quality of telephones, his innovations also affected the microphone.
The 1920s: When radio became the first source in the field of news and entertainment all over the world, the demand for the best quality microphone grew up. Then, the first ribbon microphone, the PB-31/PB-17, for radio was introduced by RCA Company.
1928: Georg Neumann and Corporation was established in Germany and instantly became famous for its microphone. The first commercial condenser microphone was developed by Georg Neumann. It was also known as a ‘bottle’ due to its shape.
1931: In this year, Western Electric marketed its? first dynamic microphone, 618 Electrodynamic.
1957: Raymond A Litke was an electrical engineer of San Jose State College and Educational Media Resources. He invented the first wireless microphone that was designed for multimedia applications as well as radio, television, and higher education. He also applied patent for this microphone this year.
1959: The first unidirectional device, the Unidyne III microphone, was invented to pick up the sound from the top of the microphone, instead of the sides. Additionally, this new enhancement specified the modern design for microphones in the future.
1964: James West and Gerhard Sessler received patent number 3,118,022 for an electret microphone, which provided better reliability and greater precision at a lower price and was small in size. It changed the microphone field by manufacturing approximately one billion units every year.
The 1970s: In this decade, both dynamic and condenser mics were improved more. They offered a clearer sound recording and a lower sound level sensitivity. Furthermore, a large number of mics were also introduced in the 1970s.
1983: In this year, the first clip-on microphone was introduced by Sennheiser, which was designed for the studio (MKE 2), and it was a directional mic (MK# 40). These types of devices are still in use.
1990s: Neumann released a designed condenser model, KMS 105, for live performances that offered a new standard for better quality.
The 2000s: In this decade, MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) microphones were becoming more popular with portable devices as well as headsets, laptops, and cell phones. Also, the trend for small size mics was growing up with applications like automobile technology, wearable devices, smart homes, etc.
2010: The Eigenmike was introduced in the year 2010, which comprised various types of high-quality microphones. These microphones are designed to arrange on the surface of a strong sphere that enables them to pick up the sound from different directions.
Present: Microphone technology is developing continuously.
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