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Condenser microphones are often seen as the more refined cousins of dynamic microphones and traditionally they were more expensive than dynamic mics. They have a higher output and better frequency response and are generally regarded as studio recording microphones, though for some recording jobs such as drums, dynamic mics are hard to beat. However as a rule of thumb, for a really detailed, complex sound, vocals and acoustic instruments, a studio engineer will invariably use a condenser microphone. In this design the diaphragm acts as one plate of a capacitor, and sound vibrations produce changes in the distance between the plates creating an electrical current. However, to work, condenser microphones need a power supply to charge the plate, and this is commonly provided as 48 volt phantom power from a mixing desk or from an internal battery. Originally the design was based around a valve or vacuum tube but as transistors appeared in the 60s so companies like Neumann replaced their valve microphones with solid state versions and valve microphones virtually disappeared for a number of years. However with old vintage valve mics exchanging hands for huge sums, in recent years there has been a renewed interest by manufacturers and now even the cheapest Chinese brands have a valve mic in their range. On the down side condenser microphones do suffer from problems with condensation caused by humidity or water vapour in the air which can condense on the diaphragm if you bring a cold microphone into a warm studio. Also a vocalist working very close to a mic can cause condensation from breath producing nasty crackles and fizzing noises. A correctly positioned pop shield usually avoids this in all but the coldest studios, and it is well worth while allowing a condenser microphone to warm up to room temperature before use..

Many condenser microphones are designed to provide several different pickup patterns which may be changed with a built in switch and most multi patterm mics have 3 patterns: omni, cardioid and figure-of-eight though some mics like the Advanced Audio CM47 and the ADK area 51 TT have 9 variable patterns moving gradually from Omni through Cardioid to Figure 8. In all multi pattern microphones the capsule is made with two diaphragms, and by changing the level and polarity of the polarising voltage on one of the diaphragms, every possible pickup pattern can be created. Another approach is to have a modular approach with exchangeable heads with different pick up patterns that screw onto the mic pre amp (body). AKG have produced a lot of mics in this format and their current Blue Line series has 4 different interchangeable heads: a cardioid, a hypercardioid, an omni and a figure of 8. It’s a system that other companies have used and the Reelsound mobile has a pair of Hebden Sound 3000 condenser mics with exchangeable omni and cardioid capsules. There is also a general distinction made on the size of the diaphragm with large diaphragm mics generally seen as vocal mics and small diaphragm mics as instrument mics but again there is a huge cross over and the careful placement of any decent condenser microphone can produce great results.

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