Mic Archive

Cardioid

Cardioid

The most common directional pattern: most sensitive in front, less from the sides, least from behind. Super- and hypercardioids are narrower, with a small lobe at the back. The polar patterns, with drawings Wikipedia (Microphone › Cardioid, hypercardioid, supercardioid, subcardioid)

Measured

The 194 cardioid mics in the archive with a polar plot, each as a thin line, as its maker or an independent lab measured it; the thick line is the ideal cardioid. Rings at 0, −10 and −20 dB.

AKG C 1000 S, cardioid (on axis)AKG C 12 VR, cardioidAKG C214, flatAKG C3000, flatAKG C 391 BAKG C414 B-ULS, cardioidAKG C414 XLS, cardioidAKG C451 B, flatAKG C519 M, flatAKG C 535 EB, flat (0 dB)AKG D 12, independent measurementAKG D40AKG P170AKG P220, flatAKG P420, cardioidAston OriginAston Spirit, cardioidAston Starlight, Modern voicingAudio-Technica AE2500, flatAudio-Technica AE4100Audio-Technica AE5100, flatAudio-Technica AT2010Audio-Technica AT2020Audio-Technica AT2021Audio-Technica AT2031, flatAudio-Technica AT2035, flatAudio-Technica AT2050, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4021, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4033/CL, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4040, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4041, flatAudio-Technica AT4047/SV, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4050, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4051b, flatAudio-Technica AT4060Audio-Technica AT5045Audio-Technica AT831b, flatAudio-Technica ATM350, flatAudio-Technica ATM450, flatAudio-Technica ES933, cardioid element (ES933C)Audio-Technica PRO 35, flatAudio-Technica PRO 45Audio-Technica U853, cardioid element (U853R)Audix ADX20iAudix D6Audix FireBallAudix i5Audix MB5050Audix MB8450Austrian Audio OC16, low cut offAustrian Audio OC18Austrian Audio OC818, cardioidBehringer C-2beyerdynamic MC 930Blue Baby BottleBluebirdBlue Cactus, cardioidBlue Kiwi, cardioidCAD M179, cardioidDPA 2011DPA 2012DPA 4011ADPA 4088, on axisEarthworks DM20Earthworks SR25, on axis, 5 inchesElectro-Voice ND44, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice ND76, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice ND76S, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice N/D868Electro-Voice RE20, flat, independent measurementElectro-Voice RE27N/D, flatElectro-Voice RE320, kick drum curveElectro-Voice RE410, on axisElectro-Voice RE90HElectro-Voice RE92H, flatGalaxy Audio CBM-5Lawson L47MP Mk II, cardioidLEWITT LCT 440 PURELEWITT LCT 540 S, low cut off (linear)Microtech Gefell M 300Microtech Gefell M 930Neumann BCM 104, low cut offNeumann KM 140Neumann KM 184Neumann KM 184 DNeumann KMS 104, free fieldNeumann M 147 TubeNeumann M 149 Tube, cardioid, low cut 20 HzNeumann M 49 V, cardioid (far field)Neumann TLM 102Neumann TLM 103Neumann TLM 107, cardioidNeumann TLM 127, cardioidNeumann TLM 170 R, cardioidNeumann TLM 193Neumann TLM 49Neumann TLM 67, cardioidNeumann U 47, cardioidNeumann U 47 fet, flatNeumann U 67, cardioidNeumann U 87 (U 87 i), cardioidNeumann U 87 Ai, cardioidNeumann U 89 i, cardioidNeumann USM 69 i, cardioidRØDE Broadcaster, flatRØDE K2, cardioidRØDE M3, flat (filter off, 2023 datasheet)RØDE M5RØDE NT-USBRØDE NT1RØDE NT1-ARØDE NT1 Signature SeriesRØDE NT1000RØDE NT2-A, cardioid (2023 datasheet)RØDE NT3RØDE NT5RØDE NT55, cardioidRØDE NT6, flatRØDE PodMic, on axis, 1 mRØDE ProcasterRØDE TF-5Schoeps CCM 4Schoeps MK 22Schoeps MK 4Schoeps MK 4VSchoeps MK 5, cardioidSchoeps V4 UsE4400, cardioidsE7, flatsE8, low cut offsE X1 S, low cut offSennheiser e 602-II, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 604, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 835Sennheiser e 840Sennheiser e 902Sennheiser e 904Sennheiser e 908 B, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 914, flatSennheiser e 935Sennheiser e 965, cardioidSennheiser MD 421-II, M (music)Sennheiser MK 8, cardioidSennheiser MK 4Sennheiser MKH 40 P48, flatSennheiser MKH 800, cardioidSennheiser MKH 8040Shure 55SH Series IIShure Beta 181, cardioid capsuleShure Beta 98AMPShure Beta 98H/C, on axis, 61 cmShure CVO-B/CShure KSM109Shure KSM137, flat (60 cm)Shure KSM27Shure KSM32, on axis, 60 cmShure KSM42, on axis, 15 cmShure KSM44A, cardioidShure KSM8 DualdyneShure KSM9, cardioidShure MV7Shure MX185Shure MX202, cardioid cartridgeShure PG52, on axis, 60 cmShure PG57Shure PG81Shure PGA181Shure PGA27, flatShure PGA48Shure PGA52Shure PGA58Shure PGA81Shure PGA98HShure SM137Shure SM27Shure SM4Shure SM48Shure SM57Shure SM58Shure SM7B, flatShure SM7dB, on axis, flatShure SM81, flatShure SM86Shure SM94Shure SM98, flatStudio Projects C4, cardioid capsule (CC1)Superlux PRA383t.bone Ovid System CC 100
1 kHz: 188 mics
AKG C 1000 S, cardioid (on axis)AKG C 12 VR, cardioidAKG C214, flatAKG C3000, flatAKG C 391 BAKG C414 B-ULS, cardioidAKG C414 XLS, cardioidAKG C451 B, flatAKG C 535 EB, flat (0 dB)AKG C636AKG D 12, independent measurementAKG D40AKG P170AKG P220, flatAKG P420, cardioidAston OriginAston Spirit, cardioidAston Starlight, Modern voicingAudio-Technica AE2500, flatAudio-Technica AE4100Audio-Technica AE5100, flatAudio-Technica AT2010Audio-Technica AT2020Audio-Technica AT2021Audio-Technica AT2031, flatAudio-Technica AT2035, flatAudio-Technica AT2050, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4021, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4033/CL, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4040, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4041, flatAudio-Technica AT4047/SV, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4050, cardioidAudio-Technica AT4051b, flatAudio-Technica AT4060Audio-Technica AT5045Audio-Technica AT831b, flatAudio-Technica ATM350, flatAudio-Technica ATM450, flatAudio-Technica ES933, cardioid element (ES933C)Audio-Technica PRO 35, flatAudio-Technica PRO 45Audio-Technica U853, cardioid element (U853R)Audix ADX20iAudix D6Audix FireBallAudix i5Audix MB5050Audix MB8450Austrian Audio OC16, low cut offAustrian Audio OC18Austrian Audio OC818, cardioidBehringer C-2beyerdynamic MC 930Blue Baby BottleBluebirdBlue Cactus, cardioidBlue HummingbirdBlue Kiwi, cardioidCAD M179, cardioidDPA 2011DPA 2012DPA 4088, on axisEarthworks SR25, on axis, 5 inchesElectro-Voice ND44, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice ND76, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice ND76S, on axis, 1 mElectro-Voice RE20, flat, independent measurementElectro-Voice RE27N/D, flatElectro-Voice RE320, kick drum curveElectro-Voice RE90HGalaxy Audio CBM-5Lawson L47MP Mk II, cardioidLEWITT LCT 440 PURELEWITT LCT 540 S, low cut off (linear)Microtech Gefell M 300Microtech Gefell M 930Neumann BCM 104, low cut offNeumann KM 140Neumann KM 184Neumann KM 184 DNeumann KMS 104, free fieldNeumann M 147 TubeNeumann M 149 Tube, cardioid, low cut 20 HzNeumann M 49 V, cardioid (far field)Neumann TLM 102Neumann TLM 103Neumann TLM 107, cardioidNeumann TLM 127, cardioidNeumann TLM 170 R, cardioidNeumann TLM 193Neumann TLM 49Neumann TLM 67, cardioidNeumann U 47, cardioidNeumann U 47 fet, flatNeumann U 67, cardioidNeumann U 87 (U 87 i), cardioidNeumann U 87 Ai, cardioidNeumann U 89 i, cardioidNeumann USM 69 i, cardioidRØDE NT1RØDE NT1 Signature SeriesSchoeps CCM 4Schoeps MK 22Schoeps MK 4Schoeps MK 4VSchoeps MK 5, cardioidSchoeps V4 UsE4400, cardioidsE7, flatsE8, low cut offsE X1 S, low cut offSennheiser e 602-II, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 604, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 835Sennheiser e 840Sennheiser e 902Sennheiser e 904Sennheiser e 908 B, on axis, 1 mSennheiser e 914, flatSennheiser e 935Sennheiser e 965, cardioidSennheiser MD 421-II, M (music)Sennheiser MK 8, cardioidSennheiser MK 4Sennheiser MKH 40 P48, flatSennheiser MKH 800, cardioidSennheiser MKH 8040Shure Beta 181, cardioid capsuleShure Beta 98AMPShure Beta 98H/C, on axis, 61 cmShure KSM109Shure KSM137, flat (60 cm)Shure KSM27Shure KSM32, on axis, 60 cmShure KSM42, on axis, 15 cmShure KSM44A, cardioidShure KSM8 DualdyneShure KSM9, cardioidShure MX185Shure MX202, cardioid cartridgeShure SM137Shure SM27Shure SM4Shure SM48Shure SM57Shure SM58Shure SM7B, flatShure SM81, flatShure SM86Shure SM94Shure SM98, flatStudio Projects C4, cardioid capsule (CC1)Superlux PRA383t.bone Ovid System CC 100
10 kHz: 155 mics

Recommended for

The instruments sources name the most cardioid mics for, with how many: Acoustic guitar (29), Mixed choir (SATB) (28), Didgeridoo (24), Voice (20), Kick drum (17), Piano (17), Violin (17), Drum kit (16), Electric guitar (16), String section (16).

The cardioid mics sources recommend most: Shure SM57, Neumann KM 184, Sennheiser MD 421, Neumann U 87 (U 87 i), DPA 4011A, Shure SM81, Shure SM58, AKG D112.

Next: Figure-8