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Microphones Polar Patterns

Also called pickup patterns or directional patterns.

A polar pattern is a graph of a microphone's sensitivity vs. the angle of the incoming sound wave. The farther from center a point on the graph is, the stronger is the mic signal at that angle.

Omnidirectional

Picks up equally in all directions.

Half-omnidirectional or hemispherical

Picks up equally over a 180° spherical angle. This is the pickup pattern of PZMs.

All of the following patterns are considered unidirectional because they pick up mainly in one direction.

Cardioid

Heart-shaped pattern that offers maximum rejection (null) at the rear of the microphone.

Supercardioid

Has a narrower pickup pattern than cardioid, but also has some rear pickup. Note that there are two nulls of maximum sound rejection.

Hypercardioid

Has a narrower pickup pattern than supercardioid, but also has more rear pickup than supercardioid. Note that there are two nulls.

Half-unidirectional

The pickup pattern of PCC microphones.

Bidirectional

Figure-eight or cosine pattern. Picks up mainly in two directions, in front of and behind the microphone, and rejects sound from the sides.

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Frequency Response

The measure of the consistency with which it translates a given sound pressure level into a given audio signal level at different frequencies.

Polar Response / Polar Pattern / Pickup Pattern

The way in which the element responds to sounds coming in from different directions. The several different kinds of patterns include omnidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid and figure eight.

Sensitivity

A measure of the output level at a specific SPL level.

Maximum SPL

The maximum SPL a microphone will accept before distorting.

Impedance

The equivalent total AC resistance to current flow that would be seen looking into the microphone's output. Ideally, a microphone should be connected to a load whose input impedance is roughly ten times the mic's source, or output impedance.

Dynamic

Works like a loudspeaker; a diaphragm is coupled to a coil of fine wire. The coil is mounted in the air gap of a magnet, free to move about within the gap. As the diaphragm moves in response to acoustical energy, the coil moves within the magnetic field, thereby inducing a small electrical current.

Condenser

A gold plated plastic diaphragm, mounted above a conductive back plate, separated by a small volume of air, form an electrical component called a capacitor.

Electret Condenser

Electrets are unique in that the diaphragms are permanently charged in the manufacturing process and retain a static charge indefinitely.

Ribbon

Ribbons employ a transducer system similar to the dynamic microphone, but the diaphragm, a thin, corrugated metal ribbon, is stretched within the air gap of a powerful magnet.