Mic Archive

Figure-8

Figure-8

A pattern that picks up equally from the front and the back but not from the sides. Ribbons are naturally figure-8, and the sides' dead zone helps keep out other instruments. The polar patterns, with drawings Wikipedia (Microphone › Bi-directional)

Measured

The 54 figure-8 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 figure-8. Rings at 0, −10 and −20 dB.

AEA N22, front, 0° (2013 cut sheet)AEA N8AEA R44, on axisAEA R88, on axisAEA R92, on axisAKG C 12 VR, figure-8AKG C414 B-ULS, figure-8AKG C414 XLS, figure-8AKG P420, figure-8Audio-Technica AT2050, figure-8Audio-Technica AT4050, figure-8Audio-Technica AT4080Austrian Audio OC818, figure-8beyerdynamic M 130Blue Cactus, figure-8Blue Kiwi, figure-8CAD M179, figure-8Cascade Fat Head II, stock transformerLawson L47MP Mk II, figure-8Neumann M 149 Tube, figure-8, low cut 20 HzNeumann M 49 V, figure-8 (far field)Neumann TLM 107, figure-8Neumann TLM 127, figure-8Neumann TLM 170 R, figure-8Neumann TLM 67, figure-8Neumann U 67, figure-8Neumann U 87 (U 87 i), figure-8Neumann U 87 Ai, figure-8Neumann U 89 i, figure-8Neumann USM 69 i, figure-8RØDE NT2-A, figure-8RØDE NTR, figure-8 (2023 datasheet)Royer R-10Royer R-101Royer R-121Royer R-122Royer R-122 MKII, bass cut offRoyer SF-2Schoeps MK 8sE RNR1, low cut offsE4400, figure-8sE VR2sE VR1Sennheiser MK 8, figure-8Sennheiser MKH 30 P48, flatSennheiser MKH 800, figure-8Shure Beta 181, bidirectional capsuleShure KSM313Shure KSM353Shure KSM44, figure-8 (60 cm)Shure KSM44A, figure-8Superlux R102
1 kHz: 52 mics
AEA N22, front, 0° (2013 cut sheet)AEA N8AEA R44, on axisAEA R88, on axisAEA R92, on axisAKG C 12 VR, figure-8AKG C414 B-ULS, figure-8AKG C414 XLS, figure-8AKG P420, figure-8Audio-Technica AT2050, figure-8Audio-Technica AT4050, figure-8Audio-Technica AT4080Austrian Audio OC818, figure-8beyerdynamic M 130Blue Cactus, figure-8Blue Kiwi, figure-8CAD M179, figure-8Coles 4038Lawson L47MP Mk II, figure-8Neumann M 149 Tube, figure-8, low cut 20 HzNeumann M 49 V, figure-8 (far field)Neumann TLM 107, figure-8Neumann TLM 127, figure-8Neumann TLM 170 R, figure-8Neumann TLM 67, figure-8Neumann U 67, figure-8Neumann U 87 (U 87 i), figure-8Neumann U 87 Ai, figure-8Neumann U 89 i, figure-8Neumann USM 69 i, figure-8Royer R-10Royer R-101Royer R-121Royer R-122Royer R-122 MKII, bass cut offRoyer SF-2Schoeps MK 8sE RNR1, low cut offsE4400, figure-8sE VR2sE VR1Sennheiser MK 8, figure-8Sennheiser MKH 30 P48, flatSennheiser MKH 800, figure-8Shure Beta 181, bidirectional capsuleShure KSM313Shure KSM353Shure KSM44A, figure-8Superlux R102
10 kHz: 49 mics

Recommended for

The instruments sources name the most figure-8 mics for, with how many: Drum kit (9), Violin (8), Voice (7), Acoustic guitar (6), Bansuri (6), Electric guitar (6), Resonator guitar (6), Trumpet (6), Hammond organ and Leslie speaker (5), Trombone (5).

The figure-8 mics sources recommend most: Neumann U 87 (U 87 i), Royer R-121, Royer R-122, Royer SF-12, Audio-Technica AT4050, Neumann U 67, AKG C414 XLII, Coles 4038.

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