The microphone in a micro earpiece kit: built-in or external?
A micro earpiece only receives sound. For the other side to hear you, you need a microphone, and its type and position decide whether they hear your voice or your shirt rustling.
In a micro earpiece kit the microphone is always in the loop or in the phone, never in the earpiece itself. You can choose between three setups, and each works best in different situations.
Three microphone options
| Setup | Where the microphone is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in microphone | in the loop module, usually at breastbone height | ordinary calls when you speak normally |
| External microphone | on a separate thin cable that can be run closer to the mouth | speaking quietly, noisy surroundings |
| No microphone | none: you only listen or speak into the phone | hearing a director, a recorded prompter |
Microphone built into the loop
This is the most convenient option: there is no extra cable and the loop works like an ordinary headset. The module with the microphone usually hangs on your chest under your shirt. When you speak normally, the other person hears you well.
The weak points show when you speak quietly or in noise. The microphone is a dozen or so centimetres from your mouth and under a layer of fabric, so it picks up more of the surroundings and less of your voice.
External microphone on a cable
A small microphone on a thin cable can be run closer to your mouth, for example under the collar, by a shirt button or under a bag strap. Less distance from the mouth means a clearer voice and less background. This is what people who have to speak quietly look for, such as security staff or event coordinators.
The downside: one more cable to hide and to watch when changing clothes.
Clothing rustle: the microphone's worst enemy
A microphone under clothes picks up every rub of fabric. To the other person it sounds like loud noise, especially when you move. A few ways to reduce it:
- Fix the microphone module with a piece of medical tape so it does not move under your shirt.
- Avoid rustling fabrics (nylon, rain jackets) directly over the microphone.
- Do not cover the microphone opening with a thick layer: one thin T-shirt is very different from a T-shirt, a sweater and a jacket.
- Test the sound with a second phone. Call yourself and listen to how you sound while walking and sitting.
How to speak so you are heard
- Speak briefly and clearly. Longer sentences are easier to lose in noise.
- Agree on codes. In a security team or at an event, short agreed words ("check", "repeat", "done") work better than whole sentences.
- Do not shout. A phone microphone has automatic level control, so louder does not always mean clearer.
- Mute the microphone when you are not speaking if the other side is only listening. They will not hear the whole room.
When it is better without a microphone
If you only listen, for example to a director, a prompter or a recording, you do not need a microphone, and it can even be a nuisance: the other person hears their own voice echoing from the stage. Then choose a loop without a microphone or mute the phone's microphone during the call. More on this in Micro earpiece for presenters.
Other people's privacy
The loop microphone hears not only you but also the people around you. Passing on other people's conversations without their knowledge may break the law. More on this in Is a micro earpiece legal.