What Makes a Microphone Directional? Part One

What actually makes a microphone directional? In Part One of this seriously nerdy microphone discussion, the team dives into interference tubes, polar patterns, room reflections and the physics behind shotgun microphones. Prompted by a tour of Neumann's anechoic chamber, George, Robert, AP and Robbo examine whether microphones labelled hypercardioid are always what they claim to be. They explore how the Sennheiser MKH 416 achieves its familiar focused sound, why that same microphone can sound horrible in the wrong booth, and what manufacturers such as RØDE and Sennheiser have done differently with newer designs. There is also a surprisingly revealing look at acoustic foam, low frequency room modes, the enormous wavelength of a 20 Hz signal, and how combining microphone capsules creates different polar patterns. Yes, it gets technical. No, the maths does not completely derail the show. Mostly. This is Part One of a two part episode. Thanks to Tri Booth and Austrian Audio for supporting The Pro Audio Suite. Recorded using Source Connect. Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo. Find out more at The Pro Audio Suite.