Basic questions about microphones and mic preamp design...

From: Jaye Gallagher (msjaye_at_removethis.msjaye.com)
Date: 12/13/04 

Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:16:23 +1100

Hi there,

I'm wanting to be able to connect a microphone to an recording device I'm
thinking of designing based around the AD1871 24/96kHz ADC. The AD1871 is
great in that it's very easy to configure it to accept either single ended
or differential line level input, however, I'd also like to be able to
attach a microphone to this thing, and that seems to be where things get
complicated.

Essentially, I need a microphone pre-amp of some kind, it's just a matter of
what kind I want, and how on earth to scrounge a design for it. My questions
are:

* There seem to be two kinds of microphones in use -- condenser and dynamic.
Can a single pre-amp design support both of these? What is the difference in
a electrical sense?

* There also seem to be two different ways of connecting a microphone to
stuff -- single ended or differential. Again, can a pre-amp support oth of
these, or only one?

* What is phantom power, do all microphones require it, and it is only used
in differential microphone connections?

* All the pre-amp designs I've found seem to require at least +9V and -9V
supplies to operate. I'm hoping to produce a portable device, and so
operation from, say, 2 AA batteries is desirable. Is this impossible? What's
going in things like my little Minidisc player that has a microphone input,
and thus a preamp, but runs from a single AA?

* Are there any IC based solutions to the above, since, as I'm hoping for a
portable device, board space is at a premium.

Any help, opinions or rampant speculation greatly appreciated. Miraculous
delivery of useful schematics may be rewarded with sexual favours ;).

Thanks,
Jaye.

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