Microphone Processor

To stabilize the voice of the speaker on a constant level, a Microphone Processor is necessary.

This is an audio compressor than can decrease the volume of the voice when it is too loud, or amplify it when it is too low.
Doing so produces a sound that captures all the details of the voice but levels out volume changes.
Too high a volume level could distort the signal; or, if too low, it could make speech incomprehensible.

DBX 286s
Microphone Pre-Amp Processor DBX Harman

What are the main functions of a microphone processor?

Here are some of the reasons why microphone processors are an important element of any radio studio:

Equalization: Microphone processors can adjust the frequency response of the audio signal to enhance or attenuate specific frequency ranges. This helps to balance the tonal quality of the audio signal.
Compression: Microphone processors can reduce the dynamic range of the audio signal by attenuating loud sounds and amplifying soft sounds. This helps to prevent distortion and ensures that the audio signal is consistent in volume.
Limiting: Microphone processors can prevent the audio signal from exceeding a certain level by attenuating any sounds that exceed a specified threshold. This helps to prevent clipping and distortion.
De-essing: Microphone processors can reduce sibilance or harshness in vocal recordings by attenuating high-frequency sounds that are associated with sibilance.
Noise reduction: Microphone processors can reduce unwanted noise in the audio signal by filtering out specific frequency ranges associated with noise.

Concluding

To resume, microphone processors help smooth the audio, minimizing background noise and cleaning the signal.
They help with the mixer control, since it is not necessary to continuously adjust the level of the microphone.
They also allow you to obtain that "radio sound", so that the audio is always at the right level and the speaker can concentrate on performance – rather than worry about being too close or too far from the microphone, or even speaking in too loud or too soft a voice.

Moreover, microphone processors give more presence to the voice and allow to set it at a higher level – because it will contain peaks – and remove hissing noises such as those produced with words that contain an "s". DBX 286 Microphone Preamp or Behringer Ultragain Pro MIC2200 are some of the most popular ones on the market.