What (who) is microphones - definition
![An AKG C214 condenser microphone with [[shock mount]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/AKG C214 condenser microphone with H85 shock mount.jpg?width=200 "An AKG C214 condenser microphone with [[shock mount]]")
![AKG]] C451B small-diaphragm condenser microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/AKG C451B.jpg?width=200 "AKG]] C451B small-diaphragm condenser microphone")
![Astatic]] crystal microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Astatic crystal mic.jpg?width=200 "Astatic]] crystal microphone")
![[[Humphrey Bogart]], Jack Brown, and [[Lauren Bacall]] with RCA Varacoustic MI-6203 ribbon microphones broadcast to troops overseas during World War II.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bogart Bacall AFRS.jpg?width=200 "[[Humphrey Bogart]], Jack Brown, and [[Lauren Bacall]] with RCA Varacoustic MI-6203 ribbon microphones broadcast to troops overseas during World War II.")
![[[David Edward Hughes]] invented a [[carbon microphone]] in the 1870s.](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/David Edward Hughes.jpg?width=200 "[[David Edward Hughes]] invented a [[carbon microphone]] in the 1870s.")
![[[Edmund Lowe]] using a ribbon microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Edmund Lowe fsa 8b06653.jpg?width=200 "[[Edmund Lowe]] using a ribbon microphone")
![Optoacoustics]] 1140 fiber-optic microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Optimic1140 fiber optical microphone for wiki.jpg?width=200 "Optoacoustics]] 1140 fiber-optic microphone")
![[[Patti Smith]] singing into a [[Shure SM58]] (dynamic cardioid type) microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Patti Smith performing in Finland, 2007.jpg?width=200 "[[Patti Smith]] singing into a [[Shure SM58]] (dynamic cardioid type) microphone")
![Singer and disc [[pop filter]] in front of a large-diaphragm condenser mic](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pop filter.jpg?width=200 "Singer and disc [[pop filter]] in front of a large-diaphragm condenser mic")
![[[Western Electric]] double button carbon microphone](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Western Electric double button carbon microphone.jpg?width=200 "[[Western Electric]] double button carbon microphone")
![[[Cardioid]]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Polar pattern cardioid.svg?width=200 "[[Cardioid]]")
Wikipedia
A microphone, colloquially called mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and public events, motion picture production, live and recorded audio engineering, sound recording, two-way radios, megaphones, and radio and television broadcasting. They are also used in computers for recording voice, speech recognition, VoIP, and for other purposes such as ultrasonic sensors or knock sensors.
Several types of microphone are used today, which employ different methods to convert the air pressure variations of a sound wave to an electrical signal. The most common are the dynamic microphone, which uses a coil of wire suspended in a magnetic field; the condenser microphone, which uses the vibrating diaphragm as a capacitor plate; and the contact microphone, which uses a crystal of piezoelectric material. Microphones typically need to be connected to a preamplifier before the signal can be recorded or reproduced.
