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Wired Microphones

Wired microphones connect by cable to a mixer, amplifier, computer, PA system or camera, with no radio link or receiver. This collection holds microphones such as handheld dynamic vocal mics from Citronic, QTX and Chord, USB desktop and podcast mics, QTX shotguns, a Citronic ECM20 condenser pair, ceiling and boundary mics, paging call stations and microphones made to add audio to CCTV cameras.

Choosing Wired Microphones

Choose a wired microphone by where it will sit: in the hand, on a desk or camera, in the ceiling or on a paging desk.

Handheld vocal microphones

Dynamic handhelds such as the Citronic 173.865UK are built for vocals on stage, the QTX 173.853UK suits vocals and general PA, and Citronic packs its handhelds with an XLR to 6.3mm jack lead, an on/off switch and an ABS case. The Chord 173.607UK DM02 is hypercardioid and handles 144dB SPL, while the Chord 173.857UK is voiced for percussion and acoustic instruments as well as vocals.

USB, shotgun and condenser

USB mics plug straight into a PC or Mac: the Citronic 173.634UK suits podcasting and the QTX 173.637UK web conferencing over USB-C. The QTX 173.638UK and 173.639UK shotguns carry their own battery, switch between cardioid and hypercardioid and fit a camera hot shoe. The Citronic ECM20 pair needs 9-52V phantom power.

Paging, ceiling and camera audio

Paging stations belong to their PA system: the Bosch F.01U.512.629 calls zones on a Plena voice alarm system, and the CIE Group RM8000 works with the Inter-M PX8000 matrix. The Adastra CBM20 mounts in a ceiling for induction loop and CCTV audio, and the Dahua HAP100 and i-PRO WV-PM500 add sound to cameras.

ModelTypePickupConnection
Citronic 173.865UKHandheld dynamic vocalCardioid4.0m XLR to 6.3mm jack lead
Chord 173.855UKHandheld dynamic vocalHypercardioid5 metre XLR to 6.3mm lead
QTX 173.637UKDesktop USBCardioidUSB-C, 1.5m cable
QTX 173.638UKShort shotgunCardioid or hypercardioidXLRM, internal battery
Citronic ECM20Condenser pairCardioid9-52V phantom
Adastra CBM20Ceiling boundaryOmnidirectionalPhantom powered

Brands we stock in Wired Microphones

Adastra, Bosch, Bose Professional, C-TEC, Chord, CIE Group, Citronic, Clever Acoustics, Dahua Technology, Hanwha Vision, Hikvision, i-PRO, Penton and QTX.

Citronic and QTX make most of the handheld, USB and shotgun microphones, with Chord adding three microphones.

Related categories

This page is part of our microphones range. Compare wireless microphones, add microphone stands, and connect to mixers or mixer amplifiers.

Frequently asked questions

What are wired microphones?

Wired microphones send their signal along a cable to a mixer, amplifier, PA system, computer or camera instead of using a radio transmitter. With no radio link there are no dropouts or channel clashes, and a dynamic model needs no battery or power supply. Condenser and boundary types usually need phantom power from the mixer. The range here includes handheld, USB, shotgun and boundary microphones.

What wire does a microphone use?

A wired microphone usually uses a screened cable with an XLR plug at the microphone end. A balanced XLR-to-XLR lead suits mixers and longer runs because it helps reject interference, while an XLR-to-jack lead is often unbalanced and suits shorter runs. USB microphones use a USB cable straight into a computer. The range here includes XLR handheld microphones and USB microphones.

Can you make a wired microphone wireless?

Yes, a plug-on transmitter can fit onto the XLR connector of a wired microphone and send its signal to a matching wireless receiver at the mixer. The transmitter needs batteries and a clear radio channel, and a condenser microphone usually needs a transmitter that supplies phantom power. For regular use, a dedicated wireless microphone system is often simpler.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
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Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

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