• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

How I made myself a microphone for my headset(56K beware)

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

DaWiper

Image Compare Man
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Location
Norway
Well, I wanted to build myself a mic to attach to my current headset. The goal was simple: no rules but one, zero budget.
First we need a microphone. Hmmm, where do I get something like that with good enough sq? I know! My old Nokia 5110:
phone.jpg

It has a damaged display and there is no way I'm paying for a repair... Most cell phones has decent microphones for the vocal frequencies(IMO).

Let's open it up!!!!
open1.jpg

4 nice torque screws to remove. Damn! I dont have such. Lets try with a good old flat screwdriver.
Success!
open2.jpg

There was two more of those crazy screws to remove... It doesn't show on the picture.

Anyway, Now It's 100% open and I have located the parts needed.
parts.jpg

The microphone and its holder with connectors that I can solder onto without risking to burn up the mic.

The actual parts before going berserk with a sharp knife:
before.jpg


After the sharp knife(and yes, I still have all my fingers...)
after.jpg

The mic and it's holder

Time to make the cable with the 3,5mm stereo jack.
beforesolder.jpg


Done!
aftersolder.jpg


I then soldered the mic to the other end of the cable(sorry, no pics) and attached the microphone and it's cable to a twisted steel string/wire-thingy(don't know the appropriate english name for it).
finished1.jpg


And heres a picture of the mic mounted on my philips headset.
finished2.jpg


All done in a couple of hours. Didn't cost me anything, and the sq was equal to good GSM.

What do you think?
 
wow thats awesome i could do the same just too lazy :) my dad has an old nokia i could use i think exact same model
 
Very cool. I was looking for a way to add a mic to my head phones I just didnt think of stealing the mic from an old cell phone. I too have that same one with a dead screen.. well 1/2 of it works correctly, lol.
 
PLOBBY said:
wow thats awesome i could do the same just too lazy :) my dad has an old nokia i could use i think exact same model
You should go for it. It's a real easy mod to do If you can do some basic soldering, and as I said the sound quality isn't bad at all. Just remeber to mount the mic away from your mouth. It's extremly sensitive. No need to enable the +20dB mic boost in the mixerpanel.

xTrEmEoVrClOcKr said:
You could of gotten some Sennheiser PC150's ;). I like home made stuff, GOOD JOB DUDE!
Thanx!
Buying premade stuff is no fun... If I just could figure out how to build a fx-53 and a 6800ultra... :D
 
SniperXX said:
Very cool. I was looking for a way to add a mic to my head phones I just didnt think of stealing the mic from an old cell phone. I too have that same one with a dead screen.. well 1/2 of it works correctly, lol.

Hmmm... Seems like alot of people had problems with the screen on the 5110. I know a several local people that experienced the same. Maybe we all should join forces and drag those nokia engineers into a dark alley...lol!
Before I forget:
Remember to use a cable with a screen/shield. Connect the shield to ground on the jack and not to the microphone. I first tried to use a unshielded cable. The static noise was exterme....
 
Back