Cardioid vs Omni vs Figure-8: Which Microphone Polar Pattern Should You Use?

9/23/2025 · Microphones · 6 min

TL;DR

'Cardioid' is the most versatile pattern for single-voice recording: it rejects room noise from the rear and gives good focus.
'Omni' picks up sound equally from all directions; excellent for multi-person roundtable mics and natural room ambience, but needs a quiet, treated room.
'Figure-8' captures front and back, rejecting the sides; ideal for two-person interviews and mid-side stereo techniques.
Best practice: match pattern to your room and session type; prioritize placement and gain staging over swapping patterns mid-session.

Polar Patterns & Use Cases

Cardioid: Heart-shaped pickup, strongest at the front and weakest at the back. Great for solo podcasting, streaming, voice-over, and close-miked instruments. Reduces bleed from monitors and room noise.
Omnidirectional: Uniform pickup in all directions. Use it for group conversations, lavalier replacement on a boom, and when you want a natural, less colored sound. Not forgiving in noisy or reflective rooms.
Figure-8: Bi-directional pickup, strong front and back, nulls at the sides. Best for facing interviews, duet vocals, and classic ribbon-style mic tones. Can be used creatively for stereo recording when paired with another mic.

Proximity Effect & Off-Axis Rejection

Proximity effect causes bass boost when you get closer to directional mics. Cardioid and figure-8 show this; omni does not. Use proximity to add warmth to a voice, but watch for muddiness.
Off-axis rejection helps reduce unwanted sound from certain directions. Cardioid gives a useful rear null; figure-8 gives side nulls for isolating sources in narrow setups.

Placement & Distance Guidelines (approx.)

Close-miked vocal (cardioid): 2–6 inches from the capsule to get presence and minimize room.
Omni for roundtables: 12–24 inches above the table or a central placement to capture all participants.
Figure-8 interview setup: Place mic between two speakers, each at 4–12 inches, aiming fronts at each person.

Room Acoustics & Noise Considerations

Room treatment matters more for omni than cardioid. Reflections and reverb are captured equally by omni, so dampening or a quiet location is important.
Cardioid helps mask noisy corners and rear distractions but still hears room tails. Combine cardioid use with absorption behind the mic and reflective suppression off-axis.
Figure-8 will record room ambience from the front and back; put absorbers to control unwanted reflections if you need a dry sound.

Recording Scenarios & Recommendations

Solo podcasting/streaming: Cardioid or a tight cardioid variant is the default choice for tonal focus and noise rejection.
Two-person interview in one room: Figure-8 or two cardioids facing each speaker; figure-8 simplifies setup when you want a single-capsule solution.
Roundtable or choir: Omnidirectional or spaced omnis deliver a natural, blended capture. Consider multiple mics for clarity.
Acoustic instruments: Cardioid for direct capture, omni for room ambience or natural decay, figure-8 for capturing both instrument and room or dual-source setups.

Practical Tips for Better Results

Dial in gain so meters peak well below clipping; room noise becomes obvious with excessive preamp gain.
Use pop filters and wind screens to control plosives when close-miking.
Test patterns during setup; listen back to confirm off-axis noises and proximity effect are acceptable.
If you have a noisy environment, prefer cardioid and tighten placement before changing patterns.

Which Pattern Should You Choose?

Choose cardioid if you need isolation, consistency, and less room influence.
Choose omni when you want natural room sound or need to capture multiple talkers around one microphone in a quiet space.
Choose figure-8 for face-to-face interviews, stereo M-S techniques, and situations where side rejection is useful.

Buying Checklist

'Pattern options': Does the mic offer switchable polar patterns for versatility?
'Connection': XLR for studio-grade preamps, USB for plug-and-play convenience.
'Pad and high-pass': Useful to tame loud sources and proximity bass.
'Stand and mount': Shock mount and adjustable stand improve isolation and positioning.
'Room treatment budget': If choosing omni, allocate more to room treatment.

Bottom Line

Match polar pattern to your recording context: cardioid for focused solo work and noisy rooms, omni for natural group capture in quiet or treated spaces, and figure-8 for interviews and creative stereo techniques. Proper placement and room control usually yield bigger improvements than swapping to a different mic pattern.

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