Guide to Microphones

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Kinds of Microphones include the following:

Types according to form

Handheld microphones

• Handheld microphones consist of a handle and a foam or mesh head covering the diaphragm.
• The user holds them upright and speaks into the microphone head.
• They are sometimes mounted on stands or racks to free the hands for other tasks, such as playing instruments.

Lapel microphones

• Lapel microphones, also called lavaliers, have small heads that clip onto the user’s clothes.
• They are used for public speaking, theater, and television recording.
• They reduce voice clarity when placed near the chest. This is usually solved by forming a resonant cavity with high-frequency boost.

Karaoke microphones

• Karaoke microphones are specially designed for singing along to songs on a TV or computer.
• The handle also acts as a remote control for the TV, allowing the user to select songs using number codes.
• They are available in wired and wireless models. Those intended for computers usually connect to the USB port.

Types according to technology

Dynamic microphones

• Dynamic microphones have thin diaphragms held up by suspension wires.
• They are less sensitive and have generally lower pickup.
• They are ideal for live performances and for making recordings sound live.

Carbon microphones

• Carbon microphones have carbon dust pressed into the diaphragm, which converts sound into electric signals as it passes.
• They have relatively low fidelity, limited pickup, and high noise levels.
• They are seldom used in recording and are more common in telephones and communication devices.

Ribbon microphones

• Ribbon microphones have magnetic fields containing thin metal wires. These wires vibrate and create electric signals when hit by sound waves.
• They are highly sensitive to sound and have excellent pickup, They are commonly used in special recordings.
• However, the wires are very delicate and they break easily when dropped.

Condenser microphones

• Condenser microphones also use carbon, but the granules act as capacitors that store electric energy.
• They store converted signals and release them every time sound waves hit the diaphragm.
• They have very accurate pickup, making them ideal for voice and music recordings.

Crystal microphones

• Crystal microphones have quartz or piezoelectric crystals that create electric signals when the diaphragm vibrates.
• They are particularly sensitive to high-frequency sounds.
• They are not designed for sound amplification, but are commonly used as earpieces in telephones.

Types according to pickup

Unidirectional microphones

• Unidirectional microphones pick up sounds only from one direction.
• They are used for recording single voices and interviews in loud public places.
• They are also used for surveillance because they record sound from long distances.

Bi-directional microphones

• Bi-directional microphones pick up sounds from two opposite directions.
• They exclude all sounds coming from the rest of the radius.
• They are commonly used in interviews where the two parties speak into opposite sides of the microphone.

Cardioid microphones

• Cardioid microphones pick up sounds only from the front and exclude sounds from behind.
• They are ideal for talk shows and live performances because they exclude sounds coming from the audience.
• They have a heart-shaped pickup pattern, which is where they get their name

Omni-directional microphones

• Omni-directional microphones pick up sounds from all directions within a fixed radius.
• They are commonly used in group recordings.

Shotgun microphones

• Shotgun microphones are designed for picking up sounds from a distance. They are very sensitive and have a long pickup range.
• They are usually large and require special mounts for handling.
• They are often used to record long shots in commercial film productions.

Frequency response: This refers to the microphone’s reaction to different frequencies. Choose a microphone with a flat frequency response for better reproduction of sound. For voice recording, choose a higher frequency response to eliminate sounds from other sources.

Noise: Choose a microphone with foam padding or suspension over the diaphragm to reduce ambient noise. This will filter the sound so that only the strongest sound waves – those closest to the microphone – make it to the diaphragm.

Impedance: Choose a microphone with an impedance of less than 600 ohms if you use cables more than 10 meters long. High-impedance microphones tend to lose sound quality over long distances.

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