Can I connect an external electret microphone to the iPhone?

i_like_macsi_like_macs
edited December 1969 in SignalScope
Hello,

I'd like to know whether I could connect either a home-made electret microphone made from Panasonic WM-61A capsules or an Audiomatica MIC-01 via an appropriately wired 1/8-inch TRRS plug. Does the iPhone provide sufficient bias voltage for either mic units? Someone else on this forum mentioned that his iPod Touch (2nd gen.) did not recognise a microphone connection unless it was coerced somehow so that the device auto-detected this.

Many thanks in advance.

Comments

  • benfaberbenfaber
    The headset jack of the iPhone and 2G iPod touch provides the proper bias voltage for electret mic in compatible headsets, so you ought to be able to design your own mic that will work. There at least a couple of commercially available microphones that plug right into the headset jack. The bias voltage is around 2.7 VDC and another forum post indicates that a 3.3 k ohm resistor drops that voltage to around 1.9 V.

    Good luck!

    Ben
  • benfaberbenfaber
    Additional information regarding headset input is available here and here on the blog.
Sign In or Register to comment.
Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy
© 2024 Faber Acoustical, LLC

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website. This enables us to enhance your experience, provide certain website features and functions, and to improve the services we offer. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.