Abstract: An automatic microphone retriever arranged to be detachably mounted on a fixed microphone holding element and including a member arranged to hold a microphone and connected by a flexible cord to a spring-loaded reel rotatably mounted within the retriever to enable the microphone, while attached to the member, to be pulled away from the retriever by a force sufficient to rotate the reel against its spring loading and to enable the microphone and its holding member to be drawn back to the retriever by the force applied to the reel by its spring loading when the external withdrawal force exerted on the microphone is reduced.