How Do Microphones and Speakers Work? 🔊

Morning Soundwaves!

Microphones and speakers kinda seem like magic when you first look at them.

Like all you gotta do is just talk into a little thing…

And then somehow your voice comes out of this thing:

But, how does that work?

Well, let's start with the microphone.

On the outside you’ve got this:

The windscreen is what you talk into… and the body is just the holding bit.

Now, if you take the windscreen off, it reveals a little section called the capsule:

This capsule is where the magic happens.

See, the capsule has this little “diaphragm” or vibratey thingy:

When you speak into the mic, this thing gets hit by the sound waves, which vibrates it.

(Kinda like a human eardrum)

Now, the diaphragm is attached to a coil and that coil surrounds a magnet.

Lets see how all of these parts work together.

Durd! SPEAK.

This sound wave travels through the windscreen, and vibrates the diaphragm thingy.

So the soundwaves vibrate the diaphragm, but because the diaphragm is attached to the coil, this also vibrates the coil.

Now because the coil surrounds a magnet, something special happens.

Something called Electromagnetism.

The coil vibrating around the magnet, creates a tiny electric current!

Think of this like your voice is being translated into an electrical current that mimics the ups and downs of your soundwave.

This signal is then passed through a wire and eventually into… a speaker.

Ok but how does a speaker work?

Easy, just do everything in reverse!

The signal comes in, which (because of electromagnetism) causes the a magnet to vibrate a coil inside the speaker.

The coil then vibrates a MASSIVE diaphragm…

Creating… a sound wave!

Stay Cute,
Reece, Henry & Dylan 🌈

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