How To Use Microphone On Earbuds

Earbuds or earphones, they are actually the same. The only difference is how it is positioned in your ear. Earbuds are placed on the hollow part of the next to the ear canal, called the concha. While on the other hand, earphones are placed in the ear canal. Do you know that earbuds and earphones can be used as microphones? Here's how to use microphone on earbuds.

Earbuds As Microphone

Earbuds or earphones and microphones rely on vibration of the diaphragms to turn sound waves to electrical signals and the other way around. With this similarity, it means that earbuds can be used as a microphone. Here's how to use microphone on earbuds.

Step 1. Connect your earbud into the microphone jack of your computer. Make sure that it's the microphone jack and not the headphone jack. This will ensure that the computer will read the device as a mic.

Step 2. Next is proceed in locating the Control Panel of your computer. Go to Sound and then Manage audio devices. You will see a dialog box. Look for the Recording tab, which should be found on the upper part of the dialog box, just right beside Playback. Next is you will see a device list of everything that's connected to your computer. Choose your earbud and enable it.

Step 3. After enabling your earbuds, click on the Playback tab for you to set the sound levels. In case you want to configure other sound parameters just like microphone boost, bass enhancements, etc. go click on advance settings.

Step 4. Do a quick microphone check. Try to speak something on your earbud, and you will see green lines waving up and down on the screen as a response to the sound you made. This will be the indication that your earbuds have been successfully enabled and ready to use.

Step 5. Set your earbuds as your default setting if you plan to use it as a mic for a long time. This will let you skip the hassle of going over the enabling the device every time.

How To Choose Your Earbuds With Mic

Here's how to make you decide when choosing earbuds with a microphone.

1. Quality of the Sound - Of course, you have to consider the sound quality. If you get earbuds with low sound quality, you will have a hard time listening with the audio.
2. Active Noise or Passive Noise Cancellation - Active noise cancellation earbuds have a microphone on each bud, which is actually useful in canceling external noises. On the other hand, passive noise cancelation depends on its materials that cover the ear canal to isolate the noise.
3. Waterproof - This is not mandatory, but it would be nice to have your earbuds waterproof just in case you have to use it on activities with close contact with water.
4. Wired or Wireless - What's good with wired is you don't need batteries to use. You can plug it to your device, and it's ready to use. Wireless may require a battery to operate, but you have wires to worry about. Both are great, so choose which one you think is best for you.

Conclusion

It's incredible how you can make use of your earbuds as a microphone. It may not produce good quality output, but it does the job.