What microphone should I use?
Get a clean audio signal before anything else: what to check, and which microphones work well chairside.
Applies to: Web app
Get a clean audio signal before you worry about anything else. Every problem downstream (a missed finding, a garbled tooth number, a note that needed heavy editing) is easier to prevent at the microphone than to fix afterwards. This guide covers what to check before you rely on a setup, and what to use if your built-in mic isn’t cutting it.
What to check
Proximity to the mic
Distance is the single biggest factor in transcription quality. The closer and more consistent the mic’s position relative to your mouth, the more reliable the input. A mic that moves around, or sits too far away, produces a noisier signal even before any background noise is added.
Surgery noise, especially suction
Surgeries have their own sound interruptions, and suction is the main one. A few things to check:
- Make sure noise cancelling isn’t affecting the sound input. Noise cancelling is meant to remove background noise, not your voice. At higher settings it can distort or quieten your voice at the same time it filters the suction. If your mic offers levels, start on the lowest setting rather than turning it off entirely; some noise reduction with minimal distortion usually beats none at all.
- Check the waveform is changing. If you can see a live waveform while recording, confirm it is actually responding to your voice and to sound in the room. A flat or unresponsive waveform is a sign the mic isn’t picking anything up, regardless of what the recording indicator says.
Recommended microphones
A dedicated mic isn’t mandatory. Your device’s built-in microphone can work fine, depending on its quality and how noisy the surgery is. If proximity and noise are still a problem with it, a dedicated microphone solves most of it.
Lavalier (lapel) mics
A lavalier microphone (also called a lapel mic, lav, clip mic, body mic, collar mic, or neck mic) is a miniature microphone worn on the body, usually clipped near the collar. Because it stays in a fixed position close to your mouth, it solves the proximity problem directly and is a good default choice for chairside use.
Suggested options:
If your device supports it, connect via the wired receiver (3.5mm / USB-C) rather than Bluetooth. Bluetooth is more convenient to pair, but reviewers consistently find it introduces more distortion and thinness than a wired connection.
Conference mics
An alternative if you’d rather not wear a mic. Worth considering for a fixed setup in a single surgery.
Beware of proprietary lock-in
Some scribe products bundle their own branded microphone, tied to their own software. It won’t work as a general-purpose mic with anything else.
Tips for success
Do
- Check the waveform is responding before you rely on a recording.
- Keep the mic in a consistent position, close to your mouth.
- Choose a mic that works with any software, not just one vendor’s app.
Avoid
- Don’t assume noise cancelling is always helping. Check it isn’t muting your voice along with the suction.
- Don’t buy into a proprietary microphone ecosystem for no reason.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Lavalier mic | A small clip-on microphone worn on the body, close to the mouth. |
| Noise cancelling | Processing that removes background sound; it should not affect voice clarity. |
| Waveform | The live visual representation of audio being picked up by the mic. |