The optical microphone transfers the oscillation of its diaphragm to a beam of light, a process that does not involve any electrical signal. It is only later in the conversion process that a photodetector transforms the light into an electrical current. One of the special advantages of this novel type of microphone is that the actual microphone head and the photodetector (plus the light source) can be placed several hundred meters apart - thanks to low-loss transmission via glass fibres. This makes the optical microphone an ideal choice for use in strong magnetic fields or in locations which are difficult to reach.

SENNHEISER has developed the optical microphone in cooperation with Israeli company PHONE-OR