Very fine (hideable) microphone wire

Jon D wrote in news:Xns98B8E4A6C37B117E53A@127.0.0.1:

Any thin coax will do if you only need it to run a few feet. If you really want it close to invisible, build a balanced line input amp and run it from a twisted pair. That could be made out of fine enamelled wire chosen to match hair colour, it could be damn close to invisible, even in good light at close range.

If I want a length of thin co-ax cable, I chop the video lead from a scrap monitor and strip one out of that. 75ohm and usually good quality too. A bonus is its in multiple colors!

The twisted pair idea seems nice but wouldn't be suitable for my case.

Does the coax have to be specifically "mic coax"?

I would just take two lengths of enamelled copper wire, twist them together, and see if that works OK.

Jon D wrote in news:Xns98B8F19F56D0517E53A@127.0.0.1:

Nope.. Short lengths for audio with limited bandwidth like small electrets have, is one of the least demanding things. Depends how much noise you can tolerate. If that noise is regular you can remove it from recordings with software, but it's still worth trying to reduce at source if it's intrusive.

Try what Baron said, find the cores of an old monitor cable, I never thought of that before, it is probably very good stuff.

Even without the balanced line, the twisted pair might be workable. Worth trying just to see how it goes.

I'll try it but I would half-expect the most awful hum near mains equipment.

Sometimes things just work out better than expected. I've seen it happen many a time.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Jon D wrote in news:Xns98B98D73D09E17E53A@127.0.0.1:

I doubt it, because the pair will be well twisted, and the hum will cancel more than cause bother. Also, the main problem with mains is induction, and an electret mic circuit has a high impedance, so not much current can be induced. Try it. If the noise is unacceptable even over the short distance you're using, use coax from cheap earphones, like I said, or from an old monitor cable, as Baron said. I won't say anymore, I'm repeating myself already now.

for short run ( I am in the UK. I have an electret mic capsule and want to connect it

Can I buy a few feet of "flat copper laminated sheet wire"? I can't find it on Google or Froogle.

Is it something which has to be cannibalised from defunct electronic equipment?

try the surplus houses, silicon surplus, digikey, electronic goldmine, etc

it is also supplied as power distribution bus wire, not as flat though, (.01 inch thik)

yes, cannibalism is a great way to derive this stuff, only the configurations are very limited that way due to short run pieces.