Microphone starting to cut due to moisture damage from breathing?

[spoox[501st]]

Now here is my issue. I have the nice little radio shack speaker amp in my chest armor and the wire goes up, under the helmet to my headset with the mic that goes in front of my mouth.

At first everything sounds great but after a little while the sound starts to cut out for some reason. Now I am thinking it is from breathing in the microphone and causing some sort of moisture damage that shorts it out?

Do you guys have issues with this? and is there a solution for it? or am I just a heavy breather? lol am I keeping it too close to my mouth? I mean, my voice isn't very powerful in the first place so I need all the help I can get haha.

 

Any ideas or advice on this?

[Hawkeye[501st]]

Hi Miranda

Sure its not a wire that is snapped somewhere in there? It could be at the end of the point where you insert into the amp or at the end of the microphone.

If not try and add some sponge to cover the microphone like all the other karaoke mic has one.

Thanks

Edited April 24, 2011 by Hawkeye

[JKCHEN]

where did you locate your microphone? right at front your mouth??? I'm usually put the microphone under the lower-lip , at the chin.

one more thing is: do you install a fan in you lid? It is very helpful for increase the air-circulation and make the moisture flow out.

 

It's just mine opinion. Hope some expert will chime in. and Maybe it's nothing wrong with your microphone....good luck!

[spoox[501st]]

I'm sure it's no the wire because when I move it down and don't use it for a while then move it back and click it back on and talk it works again. It's very strange. I do have it directly in front of my mouth though and it has the sponge thingy over it.

[naatsirhc[TK]]

I have had this happen once, last year at comic con. I had been in armor for most of the day and it seamed hotter inside on Sat than Turs and Fri. My Fan cut out while I was trooping at the Hasbro booth, Luckily we were almost done.

I started really sweating and it got in the mic and it did not work til it dried out a short time later.

[dashrazor]

if the mic has internal damage your best option is to replace it. small mic's are dirt cheap . i have managed to fix one years ago, if i can recall i boiled some water and held it above the steam for a few seconds. this was for a pro condenser mic for music recording so i cant say if it will work on yours. the thing with the small mics is the diaphragm inside can become very brittle over time and moisture can cause oxidation inside the mic. this will produce the cutting out you are describing.

 

i would replace the mic. if you have a radio shack amp you should be able to get a replacement mic. if not just about any small condenser type mic should work, like from a phone, gaming headset etc.

[spoox[501st]]

The thing is that it works fine at the beginning, but once I get warm and I begin to sweat inside the helmet and talk a lot in the mic it's when it starts.

[dashrazor]

well. that makes me think it is another component that is failing.. could be a switch or even a faulty wire

 

i would take these steps when troubleshooting something like this

 

going from easiest to hardest

 

1: test with better batteries (low power can cause the symptoms you describe) lithium or industrial

2: check for loose connections

3: replace the mic

4: replace the wire

5: clean or replace and external switches

6: inspect the amp circuit board for cold solder joints

7: replace all electrolytic capacitors

8: replace transistors

9: send it to a technician for repair

10: if none of the above work huck it in the trash lol

 

another tip: if yo buy your parts on ebay. you can get them about 1/2 the price of radio shack even after shipping