While shopping around for microphones your probably find the terms ‘Dynamic‘ and ‘Condenser’ thrown around a lot.
These are both different types of microphones available on the market and it is important to buy the right one for the job. So, looking at condenser microphones…
The name condenser refers to a mechanism called a capacitor system. Made of two plates the outer plate, called the diaphragm, vibrates as sound waves strike it. This vibration causes the distance between both plates to alter, thereby changing the capacitance. This can only occur if a voltage between the two plates is present, meaning that condenser microphones must be powered. This is the first thing to consider before buying a condenser microphone.
The power needed to power a condenser microphone can be supplied by the ‘phantom power’ on board a mixing desk or another power source. Some condenser microphone models are powered by an on board battery so make sure you check that you can power your microphone before purchasing. The fact that the capacitance process between the two plates is so sensitive to sound makes the condenser microphone extremely sensitive to sound and this is why it performs so excellently in some environments but, not as well in louder environments.
The condenser microphone is almost always the first choice when it comes to recording studio vocals or high quality voice overs. It can also be good in live environments however, due to its sensitive nature it will pick up much of the other sounds within the environment. Condenser microphones are not the best choice when recording loud or amplified instrument as they may distort and if the sounds are two loud you could damage the plates.
More expensive than their dynamic counterparts condensers are also a little more fragile and you most certainly don’t want to drop one. The different shapes sizes and models out there are all individual to themselves but as a rule those with larger diaphragms will produce a warmer sound making them better candidates for recording vocals whereas those with smaller diaphragms give a brighter sound and are perfect for stringed instruments. Also keep an eye out for condensers with different sized diaphragms on both sides, these prove to be versatile and a good investment for a studio on a budget.
Finally some condenser have different Polaroid patterns, Omni directional so they will record in all directions, unidirectional meaning they only record in one specific angle of focus, all interesting points to consider when looking at which condenser microphone would best suit your needs.