Datasheet CN-0262 Datasheet (ANALOG DEVICES)

Circuit Note

Microphone Preamp with 18 dB
Fixed Gain

Rev.0

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+

+

+

GND

INPUT AVG CAP

BUFOUT

SHUTDOWN

VCA

IN

V

DD

V

DD

R

GATE

R

COMP

OUTPUT

COMPRESSION

RATIO

GATE THRS

OUTPUT

1

2

4

3

5 6

7

9

8

V

DD

V

DD

VDD

VDD

ADMP504

SSM2167

GND

OUTPUT

SHUTDOWN

GND

10µF

0.1µF
GND

10µF

10µF

10µF

0.1µF

500kΩ

100kΩ

10

10475-001

Circuits from the Lab™ reference circuits are engineered and
tested for quick and easy system integration to help solve today’s
analog, mixed-signal, and RF design challenges. For more
information and/or support, visit www.analog.com/CN0262.

Low Noise Analog MEMS Microphone and Preamp

with Compression and Noise Gating

EVALUATION AND DESIGN SUPPORT

Circuit Evaluation Boards

SSM2167 Evaluation Board (SSM2167Z-EVAL)
ADMP504 Evaluation Board (EVAL-ADMP504Z-FLEX)

Design and Integration Files
Schematics, Layout Files, Bill of Materials

CIRCUIT FUNCTION AND BENEFITS

This circuit, shown in Figure 1, interfaces an analog MEMS
microphone to a microphone preamp. The ADMP504 consists
of a MEMS microphone element and an output amplifier.
Analog Devices’ MEMS microphones have a high signal-to­noise ratio (SNR) and a flat wideband frequency response,
making them an excellent choice for high performance,
low power applications.

The SSM2167 is a low voltage, low noise mono microphone
preamp that is a good choice for use in low power audio signal

CN-0262

Devices Connected/Referenced

ADMP504 Ultralow Noise Analog MEMS Microphone

SSM2167

chains. This preamp includes built-in compression and noise
gating, which gives it an advantage for this function over using
just an op amp in the preamp circuit. Compressing the dynamic
range of the microphone signal can reduce the peak signal levels
and add additional gain to low level signals. Noise gating
attenuates the level of signals below a certain threshold, so that
only desired signals, such as speech, are amplified, and noise in
the output signal is reduced. These features help to improve the
intelligibility of the voice signal picked up by the microphone.

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

The ADMP504 analog MEMS microphone is connected to the

SSM2167 INPUT pin through a 0.1 μF capacitor. This coupling

capacitor is necessary because the microphone’s output is biased
at 0.8 V, and the preamp’s input is biased at 0.4 V. The preamp’s
input and the ac coupling capacitor between the microphone
and preamp input form a high-pass filter.

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be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential or punitive damages due to any cause

Figure 1. Analog MEMS Microphone Connection to Preamp

One Technology Way, P.O. Box 9106, Norwood, MA 02062-9106, U.S.A.
Tel: [phone]

www.analog.com

CN-0262 Circuit Note

LIMITING

REGION

ROTATION POINT

1

r

1

1

DOWNWARD

EXPANSION

THRESHOLD

DOWNWARD

EXPANSION

REGION

V

DE

V

RP

OUTPUT (dB)

INPUT (dB)

COMPRESSION

REGION

10475-002

GAT E

COMP

The −3 dB corner frequency of this filter is 1/(2πRC), where C
is the capacitor size, and R is the preamp’s input impedance
(100 kΩ). For a 0.1 μF coupling capacitor, the high-pass filter’s
corner is 16 Hz. Increasing the capacitor size will lower the filter
corner frequency.

The time constant of the SSM2167’s true rms level detector is
controlled by the size of the capacitor connected to AVG CAP
(pin 6). A 10 μF capacitor results in a time constant of about
100 ms, which is a reasonable setting for speech signals. This
time constant controls the rms detector’s averaging, as well as
the compressor’s release time. A smaller capacitor used here will
give a shorter time constant, and a larger capacitor will result in
a longer time constant. The time constant in milliseconds is
calculated by 10 × C

, where C

AVG

is in μF.

AVG

Both the microphone and the preamp can be powered from a
single 2.5 V to 3.3 V supply.

The SSM2167 preamp requires some additional external passive
components for its operation:

• 10 μF capacitor between V

• 10 μF capacitor between pins VCA

and ground

DD

IN

and BUF

OUT

• AC coupling capacitor on OUTPUT pin

• 500 kΩ pull-up resistor on SHUTDOWN pin

• R

• R

: sets the threshold of the noise gate

GATE

: sets the compression ratio

COMP

The ADMP504 has a −38 dBV sensitivity, which means that an
input signal of 94 dB SPL (1 Pascal) will be output from the
microphone at −38 dBV. This microphone’s maximum input
level is 120 dB SPL, at which level its output will be −12 dBV. Its
dynamic range is 91 dB, so the microphone’s noise floor is at

−103 d B V.

Gain is applied to the SSM2167 input signal in three different
regions—downward expansion, compression, and limiting, as
shown in Figure 2. The SSM2167 applies a fixed 18 dB of gain to
input signals and can also apply an additional variable gain to
signals between the downward expansion point and rotation
point.

The downward expansion threshold is the boundary between
the downward expansion and compression regions. This point
is set by the selection of resistor R

(Table 1). The threshold

GATE

can be set at a point for input signals between 77 dB and 92 dB
SPL, or −55 dBV to −40 dBV input to the preamp.

Table 1. Noise Gate Threshold Settings

Preamp Noise Gate
Threshold (dBV)

Microphone
(dB SPL)

R

(kΩ)

−40 92 0 (short to VDD)

−48 84 1

−54 78 2

−55 77 5

The compression region lies between the downward expansion
and limiting regions. In this region, the dynamic range of the
input signal can be reduced, or compressed, so that the output
signal level is more smooth and constant. The SSM2167 can
achieve compression ratios of up to 10:1. This downward
compressor will increase the level of the signal below the
rotation point threshold. The level of compression is controlled
by resistor R

, as detailed in Table 2.

COMP

Table 2. Compression Ratio Settings

Compression Ratio R

Value (kΩ)

1:1 0 (short to VDD)
2:1 15
3:1 35
5:1 75
10:1 175

Figure 2. Gain Regions

The boundary between the compression and limiting regions is
fixed at a −24 dBV preamp input signal level, which
corresponds to a 108 dB SPL acoustic input to the microphone.
Above this point, after the 18

dB of fixed gain, the preamp

output will be limited to a −6 dBV level.

Figure 3 shows the voltage output levels vs. acoustic input levels
of the circuit for a selection of different compression ratios.

Rev. 0 | Page 2 of 4

Circuit Note CN-0262

0

–80

–70

–60

–50

–40

–30

–20

–10

50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120

PREAMP OUTPUT (dBV)

MICROPHONE INPUT (dB SPL)

COMPRESSI ON RATIO 10:1

COMPRESSI ON RATIO 5:1

COMPRESSI ON RATIO 2:1

COMPRESSI ON RATIO 1:1

ROTATION POINT = –24dBV
NOISE GATE SETTING = –54dBV

10475-003

COMMON VARIATIONS

This circuit can also be set up with the SSM2166 instead of the

SSM2167. The SSM2166 is a more flexible, but more expensive,

preamp. The rotation point and VCA gain on the SSM2166 can
be adjusted with external components, while these settings are
fixed on the SSM2167. The SSM2166 also has a lower noise
floor than the SSM2167 and is provided in a larger package
(14-lead SOIC_N).

The ADMP504 could also be replaced with the ADMP401,

ADMP404, or ADMP405. These three MEMS microphones

have a 62 dB SNR, while the SNR of the ADMP504 is 65 dB.
The ADMP401 has a −42 dBV sensitivity, while the ADMP504,

Figure 3. Circuit Output vs. Input Characteristics

The SSM2167 output is biased at 1.4 V. The 10 μF ac-coupling
capacitor in series with the output signal allows the output to be
connected to grounded loads. The 100 kΩ resistor references
the back side of the coupling capacitor to ground to avoid pops
when loads are hot-plugged. This resistor is not necessary in a
design where the load is hardwired to the preamp’s output.

A complete design support documentation package
for this circuit can be found at this address:

www.analog.com/CN0262-DesignSupport.

Noise Performance

Both the ADMP504 and SSM2167 are low noise audio devices.
The ADMP504 SNR is 65 dB, which gives a −103 dBV noise
floor. The noise floor of the SSM2167 with 10:1 compression
(worst-case setting for noise) is −70 dBV. So, the microphone
signal’s noise level can be increased by more than 20 dB before
combining the noise floors of the two devices results in a
degradation of the overall system noise floor. For example, a
loud 100 dB SPL signal output picked up by the microphone
with the preamp set to a 10:1 compression ratio will have about
24 dB of gain added to the system. This will put the microphone
signal’s noise floor at −79 dBV (−103 + 24). Combining a

−79 dBV noise source with the −70 dBV noise floor of the
preamp will result in degradation in the system of only about

0.5 dB, so the noise floor of the output signal in these
conditions is about −69.5 dBV.

When the microphone’s output signal is at a level below the
downward expansion threshold, a fixed 18 dB gain will be
applied to the signal, which will keep the signal’s noise floor
well below the noise floor of the SSM2167.

ADMP404, and ADMP405 have a −38 dBV sensitivity. The
ADMP405 is identical to the ADMP404 except that it has a low

frequency cutoff at 200 Hz vs. the ADMP404’s 100 Hz cutoff.
This higher frequency cutoff makes the ADMP405 attractive for
reducing low frequency wind noise. The ADMP404 and

ADMP405 are also pin-compatible with the ADMP504.

CIRCUIT EVALUATION AND TEST

Evaluation boards for the ADMP504 (EVAL -ADMP504Z-FLEX)
and SSM2167 (SSM2167Z-EVA L ) are available and can easily be
connected as described below.

The E VA L-ADMP504Z-FLEX has three output wires: –VDD
(red), ground (black), and output (white). The VDD wire
should be connected to the +3 V test point of JP3 on the

SSM2167 board; power is also supplied to the preamp board at

this point. The ground wire can be connected to GND of JP3.
The output wire of the ADMP504 board can either be
connected directly to the JP2 pin or to the tip of a mono 3.5 mm
audio plug, with ground connected to the ring. This plug
connects to the SSM2167’s evaluation board input jack J1.

Resistor R4 should be removed from the SSM2167 evaluation
board. This resistor is used to supply power to electret
microphones, but is not needed for MEMS microphones that
are powered through a separate VDD pin.

From this point, follow the documentation for the

SSM2167Z-EVA L in application note AN-583 regarding board

setup and listening tests. The documentation for the SSM2167
evaluation board (SSM2167Z-EVA L ) describes the system setup
and gives a complete schematic of the board. The only external
connections required are the +3 V power and audio input and
output on J1 and J2, respectively.

Rev. 0 | Page 3 of 4

CN-0262 Circuit Note

(Continued from first page ) Circuits from the Lab circuits are intended only for use with Analog Devices products and are the intellectual property of Analog Devices or its lic ensors. While y ou

reserves the right to change any Circuits from the Lab circuits at any time without notic e but is under no obligation to do so.

registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

LEARN MORE

CN0262 Design Support Package:

www.analog.com/CN0262-DesignSupport

Scarlett, Shawn, "Using the SSM2167 Evaluation Board,"

Application Note AN-583, Analog Devices.

Elko, Gary W. and Kieran P. Harney, "A History of Consumer

Microphones: The Electret Condenser Microphone Meets
Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems," Acoustics Today, April

2009.

Nielsen, Jannik Hammel Nielsen and Claus Fürst, “Toward

More Compact Digital Microphones,” Analog Dialogue.
September 2007.

Lewis, Jerad, "Microphone Specs Explained," Application Note

AN-1112, Analog Devices.

Khenkin, Alex. Application Note AN-1003, "Recommendations

for Mounting and Connecting Analog Devices, Inc., Bottom­Ported MEMS Microphones," Analog Devices.

Data Sheets and Evaluation Boards

SSM2167 Data Sheet

SSM2167 Evaluation Board

ADMP504 Data Sheet

ADMP504 Evaluation Board

ADMP401 Data Sheet

ADMP404 Data Sheet

ADMP405 Data Sheet

REVISION HISTORY

1/12—Rev. 0: Initial Version

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CN10475-0-1/12(0)

Rev. 0 | Page 4 of 4