Microphone

Article

A microphone converts sound into an electrical signal. It responds to variations in acoustic pressure or particle motion and represents them as changes in voltage, current, capacitance, resistance, or digital data.

Dynamic microphones use electromagnetic induction, condenser microphones use a variable capacitor, and ribbon microphones move a thin conductor in a magnetic field. Other designs include piezoelectric, carbon, optical, and microelectromechanical microphones.

Important characteristics include sensitivity, frequency response, noise, distortion, maximum sound-pressure level, impedance, and polar pattern. Directional patterns such as cardioid, figure-eight, and omnidirectional describe sensitivity to sounds arriving from different angles.

Microphones are used in recording, broadcasting, telephony, measurement, hearing aids, speech recognition, surveillance, and scientific instruments. Placement and the surrounding acoustic environment strongly affect the captured signal.

Source details and credits

• Source / publisher: Wikipedia
• URL type: WWW
• Credits: Wikipedia
• URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microphone