But they are also used in even the highest-end studios when the character of an individual model is a good match for the instrument being recorded.

While condensers require a power source, a high-quality audio interface such as Line 6’s POD Studio™ UX2, POD Studio™ KB37, or TonePort® UX8 will include switchable phantom power on its mic ins.ĭynamic mics are known for their durability (except for ribbon mics), which makes them great for stage and road use. The mic is powered (batteries or 48-volt “phantom power”), and when sound waves cause variations in the distance between plates, the electrical energy output from the mic varies as well. A variation on this concept is the ribbon mic, in which the membrane and coil are replaced with a thin metal ribbon.Ĭondenser mics use a diaphragm as well, but in this case the diaphragm acts as one of two plates in a capacitor. When the diaphragm vibrates in response to sound waves, the movement of the coil converts the waves to electrical energy. The vast majority of mics relevant to home recording fall into one of two types:ĭynamic mics use a thin membrane (diaphragm) attached to a metal coil in an electromagnetic field. To do that, it helps to start by understanding a bit about some basic technical concepts. What we can do is look at the mic choices typically made by professional engineers for various instruments, try to understand why those choices seem to work well most of the time, and apply what we’ve learned to mics that are within our budget. Studio engineers develop their mic-choosing skills by listening to a lot of different mics on a lot of different instruments. In fact, unlike other gear, where frequency response should always be as flat technically possible (what goes in is what comes out), mics are often chosen because of the way they color the sound of what’s being miced. So choosing one isn’t a matter of which is “best” but rather which gives the desired result for a given purpose. Microphones are like people: each has its own distinct personality. Big recording budgets, giant studios and seasoned engineers are becoming increasingly scarce so be sure you’re making the right microphone choices.

This article continues Line 6’s home recording series with an exploration into the most common microphone types, specs and applications. Vocals to drums, the right microphones ensure the best recordings.

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