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This guide is about Cardioid vs Condenser – What’s the Difference?. So read this free guide, Cardioid vs Condenser – What’s the Difference?. If you have query related to same article you may contact us.
Cardioid vs Condenser – What’s the Difference? – Guide
The term “cardioid microphone” generally refers to a two-piece microphone that uses electromagnetic coupling between its microphones and the sound source. A cardioid microphone chooses up sound from a source and transmits it to your ears. When the sound has energy, the signal also has energy, which means your voice will reverberate in your mouth. In addition to their two-piece construction, cardioid microphones are generally more expensive than condenser microphones. This is because a cardioid needs to be much closer to the sound source to up the reflected sound, making it much larger and heavier than other types of microphones. They also tend to be less flexible as they may need to be held at a certain angle or direction to avoid picking. up lots of unwanted interference from other noise sources.
However, if you are recording in a noisy environment or need to move the microphone frequently from place to place, a cardioid polar pattern may be the best option for you. Condenser microphones use a diaphragm to separate the electrical signal from the internal noise in the microphone. Because the membrane needs to be very thin, they are much less flexible and much heavier than a typical kidney. Also, they generally don’t handle very loud or distant sounds very well, as their sensitivity can be increased by the distortion inherent in their design. However, these microphones produce very clear and consistent sound with a well-defined quality.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones are much more sensitive than dynamic ones. Its diaphragm consists of a solid plate of metal and a thinner piece of conductive material – this forms a capacitor. When the sound hits the diaphragm, the distance between the two capacitor plates fluctuates, creating an electrical signal. Capacitors require +48V phantom power supplied by a preamp or interface.
Condenser microphones are more sensitive and detailed when recording sound compared to dynamic microphones. That’s because it’s easier for sound waves to vibrate a thin strip of metal than it is to move a dense coil. Engineers use condensers in everything: vocals, acoustic instruments, drum overheads, ensembles, room and ambient mics – you name it. Each microphone has its own characteristics, but generally the condenser sound is “hi-fi” and clearer in the highs than a dynamic microphone.
Cardioid vs Condenser
You may have already noticed that “cardioid” is not a type of microphone. Cardioid is yet another type of polar pattern used by many microphones; that is, the directionality with which a microphone picks up up sound. Cardioid is the most common polar pattern, so named because it resembles a heart. It captures sound directly in front of the microphone and rejects sound 180° behind the capsule.
Other common polar patterns are bidirectional and omnidirectional. Bidirectional captures sound at both ends of the microphone but rejects the sides, while omnidirectional captures sound in 360° around the microphone capsule. High-quality condenser microphones often have switchable polar patterns for different recording purposes, including cardioid, bidirectional, and omnidirectional. So the cardioid and condenser thing is an unfair comparison. A microphone can be either cardioid or condenser, as cardioid refers to its polar pattern – not its type.
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