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What Is A Bidirectional Microphone? The Dual User Mic!
ByAnna Bonilla- Read Time5 mins
What Is A Bidirectional Microphone?
A bidirectional microphone is a microphone that picks up sound from only two directions. The two directions are direct to the left or right of the microphone but not to the front or back. Bidirectional microphones do not pick up sound in all directions as omnidirectional microphones do.
However, bidirectional microphones do have a pickup pattern, which is an area of space around the microphone where it records at the same level. This means that the pickup pattern is symmetrical in shape and size.
Because bidirectional microphones have such precise pickup patterns and because they reject some frequencies so easily, they are often used for recording vocals for music. This makes the microphone an excellent option for those looking to create high-quality recordings of their voice or instruments.
In addition to being used in this capacity, bidirectional microphones are also often used to record sound effects, podcasts, and voiceovers because of their ability to pick up sounds from all directions equally well.
How Does A Bidirectional Microphone Work?
A bidirectional microphone works by picking up sound in two directions. It is placed in the center of an area, such as a conference room table or your desk. The microphones pick up sounds from two directions, including where they are placed and directly behind them (the rear of the device). This means that you should set it at least 1 foot away from walls or solid objects because they can reduce sound quality by reflecting it back into the device.
Suppose you’re using a wireless bidirectional microphone system. In that case, there’s also an option to have wireless transmitters installed at each location in order to avoid having cables running across floors or through walls/doors, etc., so no wires are visible except for those connecting microphones together on specific clusters such as desks; otherwise, these would connect through one single cable running along edge surfaces throughout rooms instead. This helps create less clutter which makes spaces look better overall.
Features Of A Bidirectional Microphone
A bidirectional microphone has a figure-8 pickup pattern and is used to record two vocals or spoken words in an interview situation. Bidirectional microphones are also known as end-address microphones because you mount them at one end of your subject. A third way of mounting these types of mics is to point them at each other from opposite sides of your subject, forming an X shape when viewed from above.
Bidirectional microphones are directional. This means that they can record audio from two directions at once and not just one direction like unidirectional microphones do. This makes them ideal for recording in situations where there are multiple speakers or musicians playing at once since they’ll all be heard clearly with no distortion or interference from any nearby sounds or instruments getting picked up by other people’s microphones too loudly than others.
Uses Of A Bidirectional Microphone
The possibilities with a bidirectional microphone are endless. Bidirectional microphones can be used for recording vocals, live performances, podcasting, and more.
When producing a podcast, you will need to record both the interviewer and interviewee during the recording process. Because of this, it is imperative that you have a quality microphone available that can capture both sides of your conversation with clarity. While there are several different types of microphones that can be used for this purpose, it’s important to note that not all are created equal.
In addition to being useful for interviews and podcasts, bidirectional mics are great for live performances because they can clearly capture both vocalists and musicians playing together on stage or in front of an audience without mixing or bleeding into each other’s signals too much — which can happen with omnidirectional microphones due their broader pickup patterns (although this isn’t always a bad thing).
By pointing two cardioid mics toward each other instead of outward toward their respective performers/audience members like traditional directional models do. You’ll get cleaner-sounding audio during live shows while still having plenty of flexibility when it comes time to mix things later down the road after post-production editing has been completed.
Average Price For A Bidirectional Microphone
The average price of a bidirectional microphone is $100-$150. A lower price doesn’t necessarily mean that the microphone is terrible, but it may not have all the necessary features. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to microphones. You can find them for less than $100; however, they might not have all of the features your current needs require (or vice versa).
However, if you’re looking for something cheaper or more expensive than that, there are still options out there for you. You can find an entry-level bidirectional microphone for less than $50 or even up to $300 if your budget allows it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap Up
So there you have it. Bidirectional microphones are great for getting the best quality audio out of your voice and are pretty simple to use. You can use them in recording studios, at home with your own computer setup, or even on stage if you’re a musician and need clear sound quality without any background noise interfering with your performance (which is especially helpful when playing live).
