When choosing the right microphone for themselves, most people are not sure what the differences are between all of the available devices on the market and which one will suit their needs.
You will probably struggle a lot with making the decision between a cardioid vs supercardioid mic is the best choice for you, but we have decided to make it a bit easier.
If you want to find out which one will suit you the best, make sure to read our guide carefully!
Table of Contents
Cardioid vs Supercardioid Mic
These are some of the most important things you need to consider when choosing between a cardioid and supercardioid mic.
The difference between these two is actually that they are based on either a cardioid polar pattern or a supercardioid polar pattern which are two completely opposite things.
This makes them produce a slightly different sound and also makes them suitable for different industries and niches.
Sensitivity
The main difference between a cardioid mic and supercardioid mic is in terms of sensitivity.
Cardioid microphones are the most sensitive to all sorts of sound waves, and their reception pattern is everywhere from +90 to -90 degrees, and their pickup angle tends to be around 130 degrees, which means they are great at handling ambient noise.
This makes it a great option for people who are using it to record their acoustic guitars, vocals, guitar amps and need to make sure the ambient sound is not dominating and that room noise is 100% eliminated.
I would always use it when I wanted to focus on a single source of sound and eliminate all the other sound sources.
It will reject sound quite well, and it is good for creating on axis sounds from every pickup angle you can think of.
Also, its feedback rejection is quite good, which will make your whole filming process a lot easier and more enjoyable.
The rear lobe of sensitivity is also quite good, but you need to make sure the microphone is well-positioned and that you are never too close to the mic because it picks up the side sounds a lot better.
It will be able to pick up sound from two people at the same time, so this polar pattern cardioid mics will definitely allow you to record your music perfectly.
This is also the most common unidirectional pattern among microphones, and most condenser microphones are based on this polar pattern, unlike the polar pattern omnidirectional microphones have.
I believe you will be able to use them anywhere, and drum overheads and guitar amp will all sound amazing, which will really make your recording sound professional.
On the other hand, a supercardioid mic has a tight pickup angle and is most sensitive to sound waves that are somewhere between 130 and 227 degrees.
However, it is only sensitive to sound sources that are directly in front of your supercardioid microphone.
Its rear lobe sensitivity is also much higher, so it can be a better option if you are recording some sort of a short movie or video.
Unfortunately, you will need to make sure you have always positioned the right way in front of the microphone; otherwise, the sound waves won’t transfer well.
This is probably the biggest disadvantage to a supercardioid microphone and the reason why so many people are opting for cardioid condenser mics.
It basically rejects the side sounds perfect, so you will really need to be careful while using it because you won’t have the freedom of movement as you would with a cardioid mic.
Supercardioid microphones are usually used to pick up sound on film and videos and for live performances and solo vocals.
A supercardioid mic is a better option for detailed filming, but if you are prone to using your microphone outdoors, then I would definitely recommend you stick with cardioid mics.
What Is The Right Choice For Streamers?
If you are a streamer, then you definitely don’t know what the right way to go is and what kind of microphone you should be investing in.
Most people tend to struggle with making the right decision, but I believe cardioid microphones are always a better choice.
You will be able to move around and move your cardioid microphone left and right, and that won’t impact the quality of your sound too much.
With a supercardioid microphone, this is not possible, and it can really limit your movement and overall the quality of your stream and sound.
It requires you to sit straight in one position throughout the whole live stream, and supercardioid microphones will react to even the slightest wrong move, so I wouldn’t recommend it to gamers.
The game can get quite exciting and challenging, and there is no way you can sit in one place all the time, so a cardioid microphone is definitely a safe option.
