Abstract

A device for protecting a microphone sensing surface, such as a diaphragm, from the detrimental effects of the ambient environment. The device incorporates a perforated surface to protect the microphone and in conjunction with a chamber volume creates an acoustic resonance in the 1 kHz to 20 kHz spectrum, which improves the microphone signal-to-noise ratio performance. The microphone is acoustically coupled to the chamber volume for sensing pressure of the ambient environment. There is no line of sight to the microphone sensing surface from the ambient environment, so that rain, wind and sand have no direct path to the microphone sensing surface. The perforations of the outer surface are small to prevent objects from contacting the microphone sensing surface via a direct path. Water drains from the chamber volume and does not become trapped if an embodiment of the invention is temporarily submerged so that the microphone returns to normal operation quickly.