Image from Berliner's first microphone patent
Image Source: patents.google.com
Image from Berliner's first loose carbon rod microphone patent.
Detail map of Brooklyn, New York, United States Overview map of Brooklyn, New York, United States

A: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Emile Berliner Invents the Microphone

3/4/1877
photograph of Emile Berliner
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
Emile Berliner

On March 4, 1877 German-American inventor Emile Berliner, working in New York City, invented the microphone. It was first used as a telephone speech transmitter. 

Berliner obtained two microphone patents:

  • U.S. Patent 224,573 Microphone (loose carbon rod), filed September 1879, issued February 1880
  • U.S. Patent 225,790 Microphone (spring carbon rod), filed Nov 1879, issued March 1880
  • UK Patent 15232 filed November 8, 1887

Timeline Themes

Telecommunications
Technology / Engineering
Telephone / Videotelephony
Sound / Video Recording