The Best USB Microphones

What Are Microphone Polar Patterns and Gain?

Mics have what’s called polar patterns, which is a fancy way of saying directions of sound that they pick up and reject. Most microphones use what’s called a cardioid pattern, where it picks up what is in front of the microphone, but little to the back and sides. This is great for a single person. Higher-end mics have options to switch to modes for Figure 8, where the mic picks up the front and back (perfect for two-person interviews), or omnidirectional, where it picks up all directions (good for if you need to pick up a whole room’s conversation). There is usually a switch on the microphone that tells you which mode it is in, but for most folks, we recommend sticking to cardioid, except in specific instances like those above.

Another knob you might see on most mics is gain. This is the knob that adjusts the microphone’s sensitivity. More gain works better for picking up quieter sounds, and you’ll want less gain for louder sounds. Adjust this setting using recording software and compare results to see what sounds bests. (Some mics also have an auto-gain feature in their software, where the mic listens and adjusts to loudness automatically.)