How to pick a right microphone

The pick-up direction impacts microphone performance

Directionality refers to the direction in which the microphone picks up sound. There are four main types of microphone orientation: omnidirectional, figure-8 directional, cardioid, and hyper-cardioid. Which is a very important point when you select your microphone.

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Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound from all directions and are typically used to capture the overall sound of a room. However, they cannot effectively reduce or cancel out unwanted noise and may not pick up the user's voice as loudly as desired. They are mainly used for simple sound collection during meetings or performances with multiple people.

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Figure-8 directional microphones, also known as bidirectional microphones, are sensitive to sound from both sides of the microphone. They are ideal for recording two people speaking face-to-face or two instruments playing facing each other, as they can capture both sounds independently.

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Cardioid microphones are the most widely used and are ideal for recording speech or singing. They pick up sound mainly from directly in front of the microphone while reducing pick-up from the sides and back. However, if placed too far away, they may pick up unwanted sound reflections from the walls.

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Supercardioid microphones are more directional than cardioid microphones and can pick up sound from a greater distance. They are ideal for stage performances, as they effectively suppress off-axis noise when pointed at a target sound.

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The directivity of a microphone is an important technical parameter that affects the sound quality of the microphone. Whether for personal or professional use, understanding and making reasonable use of the directivity of the microphone can help achieve the best results and allow our voice and information to be heard clearly in various settings.

 

 

By JETECH team