directivity
Quick Summary
A microphone is an electroacoustic device that converts acoustic power into electric power with similar wave characteristics. Sound waves cause a flexible diaphragm to move, which in turn alters an electric circuit's property. This process creates corresponding variations in electric current.1
Microphones can be designed with specific directional characteristics. They can be:
* Omnidirectional: picking up sound uniformly from all directions.2
* Unidirectional: primarily capturing sound from a single direction. A common example is the cardioid microphone, which has a heart-shaped directional pattern.12
* Bidirectional: picking up sound equally from two directions, as seen in ribbon microphones.2
Different types of microphones utilize various methods for this conversion, including electromagnetic (dynamic, ribbon) and electrostatic (condenser, crystal) techniques.12
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