Looking for compact microphone on a budget

Hello everyone,

I’m building a compact Picroft and I am having a rough time trying to find a microphone and speaker that is the right form factor and works well.

I’m looking for:

  • Takes up less than 2 inches inches square (~60mm). I’m okay with hacking it up with a Dremel to make it smaller if I have to. It will be in a 3D printed case.
  • Can hear well from at least 2 (preferably 3) meters away in any direction
  • Is under USD$ 30

The little tiny microphone that keeps coming up here is certainly cheap and certainly small but from the reviews it’s clear it doesn’t have the range.

I am toying with an omni-directional lavalier microphone.

I’m also not opposed to some soldering or custom PCBs.

If anyone has any ideas or stuff they tried that works I’d love to hear it!

This is the best mic for me wihout array and low cost. https://www.sunfounder.com/product-usb-mini-microphone-1876.html . You can talk with mycroft over 4 meters.I think you can destroy the case if you have less space. you just have to turn on auto gain control.

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@gras64 Thanks. That’s the one I keep seeing everywhere. It’s certainly small enough but the Amazon reviews are pretty brutal. They say it barely works at all. I guess for the price I can try it with auto gain control and see how it goes. Good to hear someone got it working.

:+1:That is the same one i have been using for two years without issue.