The microphone, a device used to augment the sound, was first invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone in the year 1827. Initially, microphones were used only as radio transmitters and telephones. In 1876, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone to be used with telephone. She was inspired by the Bell Company telephone demonstration at US Centennial Exposition. Eventually, Bell telephone Company bought the Berliner’s microphone for $50,000. Two years later David Edward Hughes came up with carbon microphone, which was lighter in weight and more durable. Hughes’ model became the base model for others to work on. By the year 1920, Hughes’ model took and advanced form. Broadcasting microphones came into being after the development of radio. One such microphone was ribbon microphone, invented in 1942. In 1964, research wing of Bell laboratories led by James West and Gerhard Sessler invented an electrets microphone. It was smaller in size and offered lower cost and higher reliability. During 1970s, the microphone took the form of mic which offered clearer sound and better sound level sensitivity.
Microphone
