Headset Buying Guide: Headsets and Microphones

Headsets and Microphones

The quality of the microphone in your headset determines how clear your voice is carried, and how the customer experiences you.

The microphone is a device used to convert voice into electrical signals.

These acoustic electric transducers convert voice to electric signals at one end and reproduce it on a speaker at the other end.

This device is used in many diverse fields like Voice over Internet Protocol, telephone, in television and radio broadcasting, movie productions etc.

How does it work?

When a sound is generated it is captured by a diaphragm, a thin flexible device or in case of ribbon microphones a ribbon.

An analog of the original sound is produced when it is converted to electrical signals. Modern microphones use various methods like piezoelectric generation, capacitance change or electromagnetic generation to produce these signals.

Types of Standard Headset Microphones

In microphones you find the following methods of signal generation:

Piezo microphones – These microphones are used as contact microphones, i.e. they amplify sounds made by musical instruments. This is done by using some materials that convert vibrations into electric signals. This principle is called piezoelectricity.
Ribbon microphones – These microphones are used for high quality sound reproduction. These microphones use a thin ribbon suspended in a magnetic field and connected to the microphones output.
Dynamic microphones – These are cheap and robust microphones often used during live performances. These microphones use an induction coil attached to a diaphragm and suspended in a magnetic field.
Carbon Microphones – These were used in early model telephones. The workings of carbon microphones involve placing carbon granules between electric plates and passing a voltage through them.
Speaker microphones – These are poor quality mikes which are normally used in walkie-talkies or intercoms.

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