How to Choose A Recording Microphone?

When you’re new to the audio field, it’s easy to get bewildered by a wide variety of mic types. You may end up by choosing an expensive but not most satisfying microphone. So we will tell you the most important points for finding the right microphone to match your budget and needs.

1.Polar pattern

The polar pattern is the shape of a microphone's field of sensitivity or the directions from which it accepts or ignores incoming sounds. A unidirectional microphone is sensitive to sounds from straight on and from the sides but rejects sounds from 180 degrees opposite the direction the mic is aimed. Less noise would be picked up, and you still can hear some background sound. So it would be the optimal choice for the recording, making the video call, filming home video.

2.Frequency Response

A microphone’s frequency response refers to the different frequency of sound a microphone will pick up. A microphone with a frequency response range of around 80 Hz to 15 kHz would make a good choice for a vocal mic.

3.S/N Ratio

Signal-to-noise ratio (abbreviated SNR or S/N) is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. A ratio higher than 1:1 (greater than 0 dB) indicates more signal than noise. For a recording microphone, the S/N ratio should be >50 at a minimum, and >64 is common.

In the next part, we will talk about the optimal type of microphone for home recording.