STC 4032 moving coil microphone with handle, c.1955.

This microphone was used by commentators and interviewers, with a handle to make it easier to use. These were often issued with the EMI Midget tape recorder and could work in all weathers including marine and tropical conditions. This microphone was used extensively by the BBC.

Like the STC 4017 that came before it, this microphone is a moving coil type. In moving coil microphones, a coil wire surrounds a magnet and is connected to a diaphragm which vibrates in response to sound waves. When the diaphragm moves in response to sound, the attached coil vibrates back and forth, generating an electrical current, which produces the audio signal.