supercardiod vs. hypercardiod

C

Cedric Akins

Well-known member
Why is it that some microphone manufacturers use the terms supercardiod as opposed to hypercardiod? Is there a huge difference in the polar patterns?
 
Here are a couple of super cardiod mics:

http://cgi.ebay.com/CROWN-MICROPHONE-LM-200-SUPERCARDIOD-LECTERN-MIC_W0QQitemZ7424613589QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41466QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/SHURE-BETA-57A-SUPERCARDIOD-DYNAMIC-MICROPHONE-BETA-57A_W0QQitemZ280118806897QQihZ018QQcategoryZ41465QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And here are a couple hypercardiod mics:

http://cgi.ebay.com/AUDIO-TECHNICA-MICROPHONE-HYPER-CARDIOD-CONDENSER-UNI_W0QQitemZ270124536169QQihZ017QQcategoryZ133009QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audix-OM5-Dynamic-Hypercardioid-Microphone-OM-5-Mic_W0QQitemZ110132454186QQihZ001QQcategoryZ41464QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD7VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250119369560&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=015


I do understand that these are different microphone manufactureres and each mic would be used for a varying different circumstances, Some are better than others and more expensive than another.
 
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none of those mics would be used on a boom to capture dialogue (except the oktava)

Generally people use..

Oktava mk012 hyper $200
AKG Blueline w/ CK93 hyper cap $400
AKG ULS w/ CK63 hyper cap $900
Sennheiser MKH50 hyper $1300
Schopes CMC6U w/ MK41 super cap $1700

http://taperssection.com/index.php?...cad9866ad29&topic=69574.msg1045512#msg1045512

http://taperssection.com/index.php?...6b832cad9866ad29&topic=2739.msg20830#msg20830

Cardioid
Cardioid microphones have a heart-shaped pickup pattern. Probably the most common microphones in use today, They reject sound coming from the back of a microphone and are progressively more sensitive to sounds as the direction approaches the front of the microphone. They are favoured for stage use as they do not pick up the sound from on stage speakers or monitors so readily, thus preventing feedback. There are versions of the Cardioid pattern called Supercardioid and Hypercardioid, which represent increasingly limited ranges of pickup. As the pattern narrows, feedback rejection improves even more, but due to limitations of construction, a narrowing of the pattern does add a little sensitivity directly behind the microphone. The narrowing does cause the sound recorded to be more pinched and less flattering, but in a stage situation with many speakers placed in unsuitable places, a hypercardioid microphone can be a highly effective feedback prevention measure.
 
I already knowthat the mics that I posted are no boom ready, but my question was what was the DIFFERENCE between SUPERCARDIOD and HYPERCARDIOD.
 
The technical difference between a super and a hyper cardioid is the pickup pattern. Shotgun mics are typically super cardioids. The problem with this is there isn't really any set standard so what one manufactuer calls a hyper or super can be different from another. Most mic tech sheets have the pickup pattern displayed on a polar graph.
 
cardioid pickup pattern... think of a cherry shape
hypercardioid... think narrow cherry with short fat stem
supercardioid... grab the stem and cherry and stretch

cardioid cuts down amount of sound in "stem" area

hyper has some back pickup but narrower front. very useful "zoning in" on a subject

super has larger back pickup and more perceived reach.
 
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