Ive made many mics but always used speakers or actual mic elements but I always wanted to build one completely from scratch. a thick paper cone is suspended by hair bands in the center two neodymium magnets are inside a xformer with the EI core removed,the output is good only 3 db less than an sm58 but poor response, flat to 1khz then drops off very rapidly over that. the cone doesn't matter I've tried many different materials and sizes and the response is the same I'm assuming its being limited by the coil.I havent used it so im curious how it sounds.
or by the weight of diaphragm plus magnet (i suppose the magnet is attached to the cone?).
i 'm curious as well!
The diaphram is too large. Try to copy the human ear or any other mammal ears. The diaphram is always a very small thin skin membrane. You have also to find an efficient way of mounting a very light coil on the diaphram or use capacitance as a sensor. A capacitor like this, has to be subjected to an electric field to respond to changes in the diaphram position.
When I was 15 to 16 years old, I remember having the urge to build a microphone, which I built using carbon rods from dry cells and a small tuna tin with both ends removed. On one end, I fixed a diaphram that was made from thin school cardboard. This microphone when it was placed in contact with a mechanical alarm clock, could sense the ringing of the tortional pendulum hairspring. I did not need to use an amplifier for the signal.
When I was 15 to 16 years old, I remember having the urge to build a microphone, which I built using carbon rods from dry cells and a small tuna tin with both ends removed. On one end, I fixed a diaphram that was made from thin school cardboard. This microphone when it was placed in contact with a mechanical alarm clock, could sense the ringing of the tortional pendulum hairspring. I did not need to use an amplifier for the signal.