High-Quality USB-C Microphone

Click here to visit the official forum thread for help/further development.

Microphones are ubiquitous in modern life; they can be found everywhere from your smartphone to your TV remote. However, the audio quality on offer varies wildly depending on their intended use, with studio microphones unsurprisingly being highly tuned to provide pleasant and detailed sound capture... but at a significant cost.

This is fair enough... all that R&D needs rewarding, right? Absolutely, but purchasing a $500 microphone only to find that it uses about $20 of easily-sourced core components is a bit of a painful discovery. This price disparity is one of the key reasons that building a microphone yourself can make a lot of sense. Not only can you customise its design to your specific use requirements, but it can cost significantly less than purchasing one pre-made. It's fun too!

This project covers everything from sourcing a good-sounding microphone capsule to building a frame for it and even including a USB interface so it can be used on any modern device whether that be a laptop or a smartphone.

Project resources:
Schematic, PCB Template

Components and Parts List

Disclosure: These are affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase from the various merchants they link to, DIY Perks may earn a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates.
If any links are 'dead' please post a note on the project's forum thread.

Microphone capsule UK/EU/Global: https://micbooster.com/jli-microphones/262-jli2555.html
Micropone USA: https://www.jlielectronics.com/microphone-capsules/jli-2555bxz3-gp/
eBay UK: https://ebay.us/AZW5xw

Transistor US: https://ebay.us/3m3kyV

Transistor UK: https://ebay.us/KYIbZB

THAT1512: https://ebay.us/wvJUzJ

USB Audio interface: https://amzn.to/3k43hy7

USB C breakout board: https://amzn.to/3EJa0Fs

7mm brass tube Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BFJ086
7mm brass tube eBay: https://ebay.us/pZfjF7

6mm brass rod Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mEPDDr
6mm brass rod eBay: https://ebay.us/LAdYfs

3mm brass rods Amazon: https://amzn.to/3bCP9Hu
3mm brass rods eBay: https://ebay.us/32ofym

72mm 1.5mm nitrile o-rings Amazon: https://amzn.to/3q6fvtV
72mm 1.5mm nitrile o-rings eBay: https://ebay.us/y37Lmz

Brass mesh: https://amzn.to/3mG1Zet

15v +- isolator: https://ebay.us/YIIMNe
Cheaper version (but should work): https://ebay.us/Bwgafo or https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/isolated-dc-dc-converters/2233683

USB C info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-vFtiDYiIw