Condenser Microphone:Condenser microphones, also referred to as 'capacitor microphones’, typically pick up more detail than dynamic microphones and are popular for recording vocals and more subtle sounds. The capsule diaphragm follows the movement of sound waves and creates a change in capacitance between the diaphragm & backplate. This converts the movement into an electrical signal ready for amplification.
A condenser microphone can be the right choice for somebody who is looking to start recording high-quality vocals and acoustic instruments/sounds with their studio set-up.Dynamic Microphones:Dynamic mics are one of the most common types of microphone and are less sensitive at capturing sounds compared to condenser mics and can work well at recording high sound pressure levels (SPL). The moving coil design of dynamic mics helps to make them robust and they work well at rejecting ‘off-axis’ sound, which is sound that doesn’t enter directly into the front of the microphone. What’s more, dynamic microphones do not require any Phantom Power (48V) to work.
Interesting Fact: Alan Blumlein, a celebrated EMI engineer, designed and patented the iconic EMI HB1E microphone in May 1931, which was one of the finest ‘moving-coil’ microphones of its time – read more about the HB1E here.Ribbon Microphones:Ribbon microphones are quite expensive, particularly fragile, and much less common than dynamic and condenser microphones. They work in a similar fashion to moving-coil dynamic mics, but use a thin metal ribbon (typically aluminium) suspended in a magnetic field that detects sound pressure and converts the movement into an electrical signal. The ribbon is lighter than the moving-coil design and therefore works well at capturing the nuances of sound waves more accurately.
Ribbon mics generally have a figure-8 polar pattern, meaning they pick up sound from both sides of the microphone, and usually these mics are passive (no phantom power needed).
Microphone Directivity & Polar Patterns:Picking the right type of microphone is one thing, but understanding the directivity characteristics is also an important factor to bear in mind. Microphone directivity can be explained as a microphone’s sensitivity to sound arriving from different directions. For example, microphones used at live events are designed to be sensitive to sound entering directly in front of the mic (from the singer) whilst being less sensitive to sound coming from behind the mic (crowd noise).
Understanding microphone directivity can help to avoid unwanted ‘spill’ or ‘leakage’ of sound and feedback during recording.