The Basics

(Without any math, just bare minimum basic physics)

Why I Obsess Over Microphones

Microphones are everywhere—on stages, in studios, clipped to shirts—but most people don’t think twice about how they actually work. Turns out, it’s not magic. It’s physics, engineering, and a bit of personality. Each mic type does its thing differently, and knowing how (and why) makes a big difference when you’re chasing clean vocals or maybe, crisp dialogue. So, I totally intend on geeking out without any filters.

The Core Idea: Turning Sound Into Electricity

Here’s the deal—every microphone’s hustle is basically the same: they grab sound waves and turn them into electrical signals your gear can understand. The hero here is a tiny piece called the diaphragm. When sound hits it, the diaphragm vibrates. From there, depending on the mic type, these vibrations become electric signals through different ways.

That’s how we get different flavours of microphones: dynamic, condenser, ribbon, shotgun, lavalier, contact, tube — each built for a different vibe/purpose.

Polar Patterns: What’s That All About?

Polar patterns tell you where the mic listens from:

Omnidirectional: Hears everything all around—great for capturing room vibes.
Cardioid: The most popular, hears mostly from the front and sides, ignoring the back.
Supercardioid/Hypercardioid: Even more front-focused with some rear pickup, perfect for noisy spots.
Figure-8: Picks front and back but ignores sides—common in ribbon mics.
Lobar: Crazy directional, like shotgun mics.

Some mics let you switch these patterns on the fly for versatility.

Dynamic Mics: The Tough Guys of Audio

Dynamic microphones are like the sturdy sneakers of the mic world. Using electromagnetic induction (fancy words for diaphragm moves a coil in a magnetic field), they:

Are bulletproof and budget-friendly (hello, Shure SM57 under £100 (~ ₹10,000) [cuz other quality mics cost waaay more]
Handle loud sounds—like guitar amps or drum kits—without breaking a sweat.
Don’t freak out over noisy backgrounds because they’re less sensitive.

Perfect for live shows or when you want a no-drama, reliable mic.

Condenser Mics: The Detail Junkies

If dynamic mics are tough, condensers are the fancy artists. They use a capacitor setup where sound changes the distance between plates, creating a signal. They need external juice (phantom power, usually 48V) but reward you with:

Crystal-clear, sensitive sound—catching even the tiniest vocal nuances.
Not great for super loud stuff (they can distort).
More fragile and pricier but worth it for studio magic.

Two main flavors here:

Large Diaphragm: Smooth, rich, low noise — best for vocals and acoustic vibes.
Small Diaphragm: Ultra-precise and detailed — ideal for orchestras and delicate sounds.

More about these are going to be talked about in the next section. Because condenser microphones are going to be the main focus (I. love. them.)

The Rest of the Crew: Ribbon, Shotgun, Lavalier & Friends

Ribbon Mics: Like dynamic mics but with a thin metal ribbon. They’re warm and smooth but delicate. Figure-8 pickup pattern makes them cool for certain studio tricks. (There’s a link in the sidebar of a guy making a ribbon mic very cinematically. Check it out)
Shotgun Mics: Super focused and directional. The go-to for filmmakers and YouTubers who want to isolate voices from noisy places.
Lavalier Mics: Tiny clip-on buddies that let you move hands-free. Powered like condensers, these are used a lot in interviews and videos.
Contact Mics: Stick ’em on objects to grab vibrations directly—think guitars or drums.
Tube Mics: Use vacuum tubes to give your sound that warm, vintage glow, like classic guitar amps.

Extras That Actually Matter

Good mics come with:

Pad switches: Stop distortion when things get loud.
Low-cut filters: Cut out annoying rumble and hum.

And don’t sleep on accessories:

Shock mounts: Keep your mic steady and block vibrations.
Pop filters: Stop those pesky “P” and “B” pops (They’re called Plosives) that mess with your recording.
Mic Stand / Boom Arm
- Floor stand = good for performances.
- Desk boom arm = perfect for streamers, podcasters, vocalists at a desk.
- Avoid cheap tripods. They fall. They break. They ruin lives.

Other stuff you usually have to own to properly operate the mics:

XLR Cables
- If your mic is XLR, don’t cheap out here. Bad cables = noise, hum, sadness.
- Look for Neutrik connectors or something solid.
Audio Interface / Mixer
- Needed for XLR mics. Converts analog to digital. Adds phantom power.
- Popular options: Focusrite Scarlett (I own one and it’s quite good), Behringer UMC, GoXLR, etc.
Headphones
- Closed-back = best for tracking vocals without bleed.
- Get something neutral, like the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x / M50x or Beyerdynamic DT series.
Reflection Filter / Vocal Booth
- For untreated rooms: it wraps around the mic and absorbs reflections.
- Makes your vocals less “bathroom reverb, more studio crisp.”
- You could definitely go for a DIY blanket fort too, it absorbs sound equally.

Condenser Microphones

(Might have a bit of mathy-y electronics)

1. Capsule – The Mic’s “Lens”

Think of this as the camera lens—but for sound. It’s pretty much the most important component.

How it works: A tensioned membrane (like a drumhead) hovers above a holed backplate—together they form a capacitor. When sound hits, it vibrates the membrane, changing the capacitor’s gap and spitting out voltage. Boom: acoustic → electric.
Size matters: Large diaphragms (roughly quarter-size) = big, lush tones. Small ones = tight, precise picks.
Diaphragm Coating: Gold vs Aluminum vs Others
- Gold Sputtering:
  - Most common in studio condenser mics.
  - Why gold? It’s inert (doesn’t oxidize) and conductive, making it ideal for super-thin diaphragm films (like Mylar or PET).
  - Often used in large diaphragm capsules for warmth and smooth highs.
  - Think Neumann, Telefunken—those lush vocal tones? Thank the gold.
- Aluminum Coating:
  - More common in measurement mics or SDCs that need flatter responses.
  - Can be cheaper and lighter, but oxidizes over time unless protected.
  - Found in some Sennheiser and DPA capsules.
- Titanium / Nickel coatings:
  - Rare, rugged. Found in some measurement or specialty mics. Can sound a bit “hard” or “metallic.”
Backplate Material and Design
- Often made of brass or plastic. Material affects capacitance stability and resonance behavior.
- Hole pattern on backplate impacts polar pattern accuracy and HF response.
- Some high-end mics use precision laser-drilled backplates for consistent off-axis response.
Wiring drama:
- Edge‑terminated: Wires or leads come off the side or edge. AKG vibes—airy highs, but proximity effect (fancy way to say that you are way too close to the mic and it boosts the bass, due to uninterrupted surface area) can make the bass go wild. Austrian sound Vibes.
- Center‑terminated: Wires or leads come off the centre. Think Neumann—midrange clarity and more voice-friendly. German sound Vibes.
- Others hybridise edge + centre (Sennheiser K67, Neumann K47).
Pattern flex:
- Dual‑sided: Two membranes = switchable :
  - Cardioid (when only the front membrane is charged)
  - Omni (when both the front and back are charged)
  - Figure‑8 (when both the front and back are charged, but phase is inverted)
- Single‑sided: Plain cardioid—simpler, always focused front.
Thickness & tone:
- Thin = lighter, snappier.
- Thick = more mass, different resonance—choose your flavor.
Diaphragm Material
- Usually Mylar (PET) or Kapton (for heat resistance).
- Thickness ranges from 1 micron to 6 microns.
  - Thinner = faster transient response, more sensitivity, but also more fragile.
  - Thicker = rugged, slightly more colored tone.
Polarization Voltage
- Either externally biased (requiring phantom power or dedicated bias voltage) or electret (self-biased using permanently charged material).
- Pro condenser mics = externally biased → better control and stability.
- Electret condensers (e.g., lavaliers) are cheaper, but often less pristine.
Capsule Mounting / Isolation
- Suspension or rubber gaskets used to reduce handling noise.
- Cheap mics skip this—resulting in low-end bumps from handling or stands.
Pad & High-Pass Filter Switches
- These affect usability but not always tone.
- Pads = attenuate loud sources (e.g., drums, brass).
- HPF = cut out low-frequency rumble (traffic, HVAC, stage bumps).
Mic Body & Grill Design
- Body resonance, internal reflection, and mesh density in the grille all affect tone.
- Denser mesh = more internal reflections = slightly darker tone.
- Some boutique mics use open head baskets to reduce reflections and open up highs.

2. Amplifier – Tube vs. FET

This stage sculpts noise, tone, and mojo.

Vacuum Tubes: Expect warm harmonic distortion (not fuzzy, but “pleasantly gritty”). Vacuum tubes have self noise. So, they’re tested, “burned in” 24–48 hrs, then binned for low noise. Tubes are swappable—U47s went steel, C12s/251s went glass.
FETs: Used in TF17, TF11, M60 setups. FETs allow for different levels of harmonic distortion to be tuned into the circuit, affecting how “sterile” or “crunchy/saturated” the sound is. Also, extra info for nerds: the second harmonic is often adjusted to be higher than the third to prevent a sterile sound.
TF11 = clinical clean, TF17 = mild sweet distortion.

3. Transformer – Tone’s Secret Sauce

This part can be overlooked—but big or small transformer = big tonal difference.

Big ones (like U47’s BV8) boost lows and warm mids.
Small ones (T14:1 in C12/251) tame rumble and control bottom end—especially with edge-caps.

4. Resistors & Capacitors – The Silent Shapers

Tiny parts, major impact. Polystyrene film caps = crisp, transparent tone. Every resistor and cap in the mic’s brains shapes how the signal flows and what survives to the output.

So, basically…

Capsule = camera lens of your mic.
Edge vs. Center termination = airy vs. mid-forward.
Tube = warmth + fuzz palette, FET = clean or crunchy on demand.
Transformer size = low-end mood control.
Little passive parts = sonic polish.

Microphone Rabbit Hole