# CM-15, Teenage Engineering
#from-idea-to-mp
- **Description**: portable studio-grade condenser microphone
- **Role**: Lead EE & Product Owner
- **Shipped**: May 2023
- **Main Page**: https://teenage.engineering/products/cm-15
This is me introducing the product to the world:
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# Remarkable appearances
![[trumpet.jpeg]]
![[youtube_mic.png]]
![[casey_mic.png]]
# Reviews
<iframe width="100%" height="auto" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dHMaT1wVITQ?si=i81ZxgG1-cqZIfO5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="100%" height="auto" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OIA8HQWVIUg?si=IbwgD69pWthYmI6g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="100%" height="auto" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eeRC8_Wyc_Q?si=Kh_sIz3TIaCcjTt_" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
## Extract from behind the scenes:
What were some of the biggest challenges you had to overcome when bridging the design with functionality?
> alberto: it's a long list! but first of all, power and power consumption. we had to deal with an externally provided 48V input that is considered "high" in consumer electronics, which has a limited current available. implementing the automatic power switching between this voltage and much smaller voltages like 5V from usb and 3.7V from the battery, and doing it efficiently enough, was the first challenge.
> the second challenge was size: we had to deal with huge resistances up to 500MOhm to provide a stable polarization voltage of 80V to the capsule, on a very dense pcb and with the aluminum enclosure in proximity. when your circuit functionality depends on such a big resistance, you have to consider elements like moisture, dust and residue. proximity can totally disrupt the system. another size-related issue was the limited space on the pcb that required a sophisticated high-density design with digital and analog sections separated from each other on a 55x20mm pcb, while keeping the noise level at 11dbA.
> last but not least, acoustics: the sides of the CM–15 are quite thick, and that created some acoustic imperfections that we had to compensate for both with electronics equalization at the preamp stage, and at a mechanical level. the parallel sides of the case created a standing wave at around 7 kHz that we reduced by introducing a custom foam. this is part of how the sound of CM–15 came to be, from design limitations.
read the full interview [here]( https://teenage.engineering/now#cm-15-bts).