If you’re building a desktop streaming or podcasting microphone, you’ve probably looked at a lot of 16mm electret capsules. Most look the same: two solder pads on the back, cardioid pattern, similar sensitivity numbers. But the ECM-B1668UL46-320 stands out — not because of the specs on paper, but because of how it mounts.
On the back, instead of just two solder pads, there’s a threaded screw stud right in the middle. The two pads are still there, still handle the electrical connection. The screw stud is something extra: a separate mechanical anchor. You lock it to your microphone chassis with a nut.
Why does that matter? Because in a typical capsule, the solder joints carry both the signal and the mechanical load. If the microphone gets dropped or the PCB flexes, stress goes straight into those joints. With this design, the screw takes all the physical load — drops, vibration, cable pull. The solder pads just handle signal. No stress, no cracked joints over time.
It’s not a radical redesign. It’s just a small mechanical improvement that makes the capsule more secure in real-world use. Assembly is easier too — the screw stud self-aligns to the chassis. No glue, no fiddly brackets.
Quick Specs
- Size: 16mm diameter × 6.8mm height
- Directivity: Unidirectional (cardioid)
- Sensitivity: -46 ± 2 dB (0dB=1V/Pa, RL=680Ω, 1.5V)
- Impedance: 680Ω (max)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 68 dB (A-weighted)
- Max SPL: 110 dB (THD ≤3%)
- Operating voltage: 1.0 – 10 Vdc
- Current consumption: ≤500 μA
- Operating temperature: -35°C to +65°C
Where It Goes
Desktop USB streaming microphones. Podcast mics. Broadcast headsets. Anything that needs a cardioid capsule securely mounted to a chassis.
Tested to Last
Per the datasheet, this capsule survives 100 hours at 80°C and -40°C, 100 hours at 85% humidity, thermal shock cycling, and 1-meter drops onto marble (5 times) with less than ±3dB sensitivity change.
Not the Only Option
This screw-stud design is one variant. See our full range of 16mm electret capsules here. We also supply standard 2-pad and 3-pad electret capsules (no screw) in 6mm, 9.7mm, 14mm, and 16mm sizes — plus MEMS microphones for SMT assembly and dynamic cartridges for industrial use.
