ian lucero
Well-known member
Looking at the Senn G2's on EVS and saw there are 2 types. One comes with an Omni Lav and the other with a Cardioid Lav. Could someone explain the differences?
thanks
thanks
difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
- Thread starter ian lucero
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Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
The difference is in the "pickup pattern", the directions where the mic can hear sound. An omni is ostensibly "omnidirectional", meaning that it can hear sound equally well in all directions. A cardioid is directional, only hearing sound in a specific direction. Cardioids can reject background noise and focus on only the speaker. However, if the speaker turns their head while speaking, there can be dramatic and noticeable falloff in the recorded signal.
I prefer Omni in my lavalieres. But I'm sure other posters will have more details and opinions...
The difference is in the "pickup pattern", the directions where the mic can hear sound. An omni is ostensibly "omnidirectional", meaning that it can hear sound equally well in all directions. A cardioid is directional, only hearing sound in a specific direction. Cardioids can reject background noise and focus on only the speaker. However, if the speaker turns their head while speaking, there can be dramatic and noticeable falloff in the recorded signal.
I prefer Omni in my lavalieres. But I'm sure other posters will have more details and opinions...
Re: difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
I prefer omni's as well for several reasons. They're better with inexperienced "talent" that may turn their heads away from the mic, an omni on one person can be used to pick up audio from a second nearby person (not as good as 2 lavs, but workable sometimes), and an omni makes a good "plant" mic to hide on a set. A cardioid mic is great with experienced talent--like a reporter and is obviously superior when you have to deal with a lot of ambient noise.
I prefer omni's as well for several reasons. They're better with inexperienced "talent" that may turn their heads away from the mic, an omni on one person can be used to pick up audio from a second nearby person (not as good as 2 lavs, but workable sometimes), and an omni makes a good "plant" mic to hide on a set. A cardioid mic is great with experienced talent--like a reporter and is obviously superior when you have to deal with a lot of ambient noise.
ian lucero
Well-known member
Re: difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
I can see Omni being useful in like a wedding situation. Where you'd mic the groom and that same mic could be shared between the bride and groom. What other applications could it be used for? Interviews where it is possible that the person being interviewed like move their head all over the place?
Will the Omni pick up too much other noise in this case? Where a Cardioid would focus better? What are some scenarios to consider for both mics?
thanks for the reply too!
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oops... ok you answered the question before i could post this. Any other scenarios though?
I can see Omni being useful in like a wedding situation. Where you'd mic the groom and that same mic could be shared between the bride and groom. What other applications could it be used for? Interviews where it is possible that the person being interviewed like move their head all over the place?
Will the Omni pick up too much other noise in this case? Where a Cardioid would focus better? What are some scenarios to consider for both mics?
thanks for the reply too!
--------
oops... ok you answered the question before i could post this. Any other scenarios though?
ian lucero
Well-known member
Re: difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
Seems like i can get the most out of using the omni
thanks for the input
Seems like i can get the most out of using the omni
thanks for the input
Re: difference between Cardioid and Omni Lavs
Omnidirectional mics don't have the pronounced "proximity effect" that cardiod mics do.
Proximity effect basically means this: as you get the mic closer to the source, the aount of bass frequencies are enhanced. With Cardioid mics, the closer to the source the more of a bump you're going to get in the low-end (70-120hz depending on the mic).
With Omni mics you don't get this effect. Which means if you like that LOW, Barry White, dulcet tone you're going to have to position the mic closer to the chest cavity and/or add some low EQ in the mix.
Also, with Omni mics, there is less off axis rejection. With cardiod you can position the mic so that it rejects sound coming from behind-to-the-left-and-right of it. This is advantageous in live settings where you position the monitor speakers in the dead spots so they don't feed back. So a lot of lavs used with a PA use cardioid.
It's also nice because you can reject other, directional noises that you don't want leaking in.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I use both omni and cardioid for various applications depending on what I need. If I've got a particularly low-register speaker, or if I need to position a mic lower on the chest (below frame) i'll use an Omni to reduce proximity.
Omnidirectional mics don't have the pronounced "proximity effect" that cardiod mics do.
Proximity effect basically means this: as you get the mic closer to the source, the aount of bass frequencies are enhanced. With Cardioid mics, the closer to the source the more of a bump you're going to get in the low-end (70-120hz depending on the mic).
With Omni mics you don't get this effect. Which means if you like that LOW, Barry White, dulcet tone you're going to have to position the mic closer to the chest cavity and/or add some low EQ in the mix.
Also, with Omni mics, there is less off axis rejection. With cardiod you can position the mic so that it rejects sound coming from behind-to-the-left-and-right of it. This is advantageous in live settings where you position the monitor speakers in the dead spots so they don't feed back. So a lot of lavs used with a PA use cardioid.
It's also nice because you can reject other, directional noises that you don't want leaking in.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I use both omni and cardioid for various applications depending on what I need. If I've got a particularly low-register speaker, or if I need to position a mic lower on the chest (below frame) i'll use an Omni to reduce proximity.
