Microphone biasing circuitry and method thereof

A host device for use with a removable peripheral apparatus having a microphone, the host device comprising:

• a device connector capable of forming a mating connection with a respective peripheral connector of the removable peripheral device, the device connector having a device microphone contact and a device ground contact;
• and
• a first integrated circuit comprising biasing circuitry generating an electrical bias for device microphone contact, the first integrated circuit comprising:
• a bias terminal for outputting the electrical bias to the device microphone contact;
• a first ground terminal coupled to a ground reference node to provide an on-chip ground;
• and
• a second ground terminal coupled, in use, to said device ground contact;
• wherein the biasing circuitry is configured to generate said electrical bias with respect to a voltage at the second ground terminal.

An integrated circuit for interfacing with a device connector for connecting to a removable peripheral audio apparatus having a microphone, the integrated circuit comprising:

• biasing circuitry configured to generate an electrical bias at a biasing terminal for biasing said microphone;
• a first ground terminal configured to be coupled, in use, to a ground reference node to provide an on-chip ground;
• input circuitry for receiving an input microphone signal from a microphone terminal;
• a second ground terminal for receiving a voltage from a ground contact of the device connector.