Adafruit Electret Microphone Amplifier - MAX4466 with Adjustable Gain [ADA1063]

The Adafruit Electret Microphone Amplifier - MAX4466 with Adjustable Gain is a versatile microphone amplifier that offers adjustable gain and high sensitivity. With a power requirement of 2.4-5VDC, it can be easily wired to various devices, including Arduino boards. The default gain setting is surprisingly high, delivering more than enough voltage to drive a microphone input. The microphone itself has a diameter of 0.38", making it compact and suitable for various applications. In terms of performance, the microphone amplifier has received mixed reviews from customers. Some have found it to be disappointing, with low amplification at the high end and reduced audio above 2kHz. There are reports of added hiss for no apparent reason. However, others have found it to be a decent microphone, especially when used in speech recognition projects. They have successfully replaced the provided microphone element with a directional element for better results. One common complaint is the lack of protection on the audio output line. If it comes into contact with the bias supply, the MAX4466 preamp chip can be instantly damaged. Therefore, users are advised to avoid wiring it to a TRS connector and opt for mini XLRs instead. Overall, the Adafruit Electret Microphone Amplifier - MAX4466 with Adjustable Gain can be a hit or miss depending on the specific application and individual unit. It may work well for sound detection requirements at the low end but seems to have a dramatic roll-off in output on some units.