Apparatus (301) for switchable attenuation of a differential input signal from a microphone includes positive and negative non-attenuating paths (406, 410) have n- and p-type MOSFETs (421, 422, 423, 424) in back-to-back configurations; positive and negative attenuating paths (405, 409) have n- and p-type MOSFETs (415, 416, 418, 419) in back-to-back configurations in combination with resistors; a gate driver (425) applies a drive signal of one polarity (QNEG) to gates of the n-type MOSFETs in the attenuating paths and the p-type MOSFETs in the non-attenuating paths, and a drive signal of opposite polarity (QPOS) to the gates of the p-type MOSFETs in the attenuating paths and the n-type MOSFETs in the non-attenuating paths; and the state of the MOSFETs depends on the drive signals at their gates, and thus the input signal may be routed via either the non-attenuating paths or the attenuating paths by controlling the drive signals.

A novel phantom-powered JFET gain circuit that improves audio clarity and linearity, while reducing a high-gain burden, noise, and distortion from a sole usage of a conventional preamplifier, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the novel phantom-powered JFET gain circuit is encased as a standalone box that connects to a microphone on one end and a conventional preamplifier unit or another conventional audio processing unit on another end. In another embodiment, the novel phantom-powered JFET gain circuit is integrated into a portable electronic device or another consumer electronic device with a microphone to provide an earliest-stage gain in a microphone-captured audio signal processing pathway. Yet in another embodiment, the novel phantom-powered JFET gain circuit is integrated into a preamplifier unit and provides the earliest-stage gain in a microphone-captured audio signal processing pathway, prior to additional and conventional signal amplification by the preamplifier unit.

An amplifier includes two input terminals to receive a differential, two-tone transmission signal; two output terminals; a coil having terminals connected with the input terminals respectively, and a center tap; a first transistor having the gate connected with one terminal of the coil, and the output terminal connected with one output terminal; a second transistor having the gate connected with the other terminal of the coil, and the output terminal connected with the other output terminal; a diode having a terminal connected with the center tap; and a bias circuit connected with the other terminal of the diode to output a gate voltage to turn on the first and second transistors. The diode adjusts the terminal voltage depending on a signal level of a double harmonic wave of the transmission signal supplied to the terminal of the diode from the center tap.

A variable capacitor circuit is disclosed. The variable capacitor circuit includes a plurality of MOS capacitors, each MOS capacitor being implemented by a MOS transistor with the gate terminal connected to a first voltage signal and with the drain terminal shorted with the source terminal and connected to a second voltage signal, said MOS capacitors being connected in parallel through the gate terminal connected to the first voltage signal, and being operated in a cut-off region in which the equivalent capacitance of each MOS capacitor remains substantially constant for variations of the first voltage signal.

Apparatus (301) for switchable attenuation of a differential input signal from a microphone includes positive and negative non-attenuating paths (406, 410) have n- and p-type MOSFETs (421, 422, 423, 424) in back-to-back configurations; positive and negative attenuating paths (405, 409) have n- and p-type MOSFETs (415, 416, 418, 419) in back-to-back configurations in combination with resistors; a gate driver (425) applies a drive signal of one polarity (QNEG) to gates of the n-type MOSFETs in the attenuating paths and the p-type MOSFETs in the non-attenuating paths, and a drive signal of opposite polarity (QPOS) to the gates of the p-type MOSFETs in the attenuating paths and the n-type MOSFETs in the non-attenuating paths; and the state of the MOSFETs depends on the drive signals at their gates, and thus the input signal may be routed via either the non-attenuating paths or the attenuating paths by controlling the drive signals.