Microphones

[skippydiesel]

ELECTRET V DYNAMIC microphones in aircraft heads set applications

 

Your advice regrading the PRO's V CON'S will be gratefully received

[RFguy]

Much if it is compatibility

Dynamic mics have a low level of output, and can be low or high impedance and must reasonably be matched

Carbon mics somewhat different.

Electret mics are high level output. 

 

Dynamic mics (low output) attached  into high level inputs (which are designed for electret mics) must have pre-amplifiers in the headset, and so need some ship  power or battery.

 

Some NATO stuff I encountered was 2 ohm dynamic (yes, 2 ohm) , really low and needed a transformer and preamp  .

 

 

 

 

 

 

[skippydiesel]

Sooooo Glen - sounds like the electret is the way to go ?

 

I find it a little odd that the same headset can be purchased with either an electret or dynamic mic. Sometimes the only apparent visual change,is that one comes in/with a wire boom and the other a flexi boom.

[RFguy]

I'd defer to Mark on that for a 2nd opinion. My opinion : You'd want electret  unless your intercom is very old, or Mil. I would be buying electret and nothing else.

ALL the civilian  intercoms I have seen in the last 20 years have been high level for electret mic

 

I have only ever seen dynamic mics in old JetRangers and old Cessnas.  Some of those had a 4 pin XLR with power available for the mic preamp for dynamic headset.

 

And I see dynamic in military helicopters in the 1990s.

Edited November 30, 2020 by RFguy

[skippydiesel]

This is what i fitted to my home made/modified Peltor ear muff/head set - works a treat. My mic has Pilot PA-5 only on it dont know what the X is for

[skippydiesel]

Mobile 1 have an informative page: https://www.mobileone.com.au/electro_acoustics/mic_main.html

[RFguy]

Skippy, there is no practical difference between a 5 and 5X. the old microphone capsule used in the 5- is no longer available, so they called it a 5X with the new capsule. (AFAIK)

 

Mics get full of mouth stuff as years go by and one of the two ports of the mic gets junked up, and the noise cancelling ability of the microphone is reduced.

[skippydiesel]

3 hours ago, RFguy said:

Skippy, there is no practical difference between a 5 and 5X. the old microphone capsule used in the 5- is no longer available, so they called it a 5X with the new capsule. (AFAIK)

 

Mics get full of mouth stuff as years go by and one of the two ports of the mic gets junked up, and the noise cancelling ability of the microphone is reduced.

Thanks for that tip Glen - I usually use a Mic Sox and replace when they start to talk back.