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In this article I will explain what a cardioid microphone is, how it works, its most common purposes, and compare it to the other types of microphones. I’ll include diagrams, easy to understand descriptions, and explain clearly the difference between each microphone type.
A cardioid microphone has a unidirectional cardioid polar/pickup pattern. It is most sensitive to on-axis sounds (where the mic “points”). It's generally 6 dB less sensitive to the sides with a null point to its rear. Cardioid mics are revered for their directionality and rejection of rear sounds.
Definition and Principle. A cardioid microphone gets its name from its unique polar pattern, which resembles the heart-shaped (cardioide) curve of a sound wave. When sound waves reach the microphone’s diaphragm, they cause a physical movement that activates an electrical signal.
A cardioid mic pattern refers to a polar pattern that resembles the shape of a heart, hence the name “cardioid.” It is designed to pick up sound primarily from the front and reject sound from the sides and rear of the microphone.
The cardioid mic is one of the most versatile in audio. It picks up sound only in front of the capsule. Know more about how to use it at you home studio.
Imagine a cardioid mic pattern as your mic’s selective ear – it focuses on what’s right in front of it, reducing noise from the sides and rear. But wait, there’s more! We’ve got omnidirectional mics, which are like friendly listeners that embrace sound from all around.
The ideal cardioid microphone polar pattern is a directional pattern that is most sensitive in the mic’s on-axis direction with a null point in the exact opposite direction, and a gradual attenuation in between that reaches -6 dB at 90° and 270°.
The cardioid polar pattern is one of the most commonly used microphone polar patterns. It gets its name from its heart-shaped pickup pattern, which is why it is often referred to as a cardioid microphone.
What are Cardioid Microphones? Cardioid Microphones are microphones that pick up sounds with high gain from the front and sides but poorly from the rear. Cardioid microphones are named for the fact that their directional sound pick-up is roughly heart-shaped in nature.
The key difference between a cardioid and supercardioid mic is simply the polar pattern (i.e., the degree of sensitivity relative to the direction or angle of sound arriving at the microphone). A cardioid microphone is most sensitive to sounds coming in front of the mic and least sensitive to sound coming at the back.