Hypercardioids better off-axis than cardioids?

[Dave Largent]

Just read someone's opinion that, generally,
the hypers have better off-axis response than
the cardioids. Was a bit surprised to see
this. I had just assumed cards would be
better. Anyone know anything about this?

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Dave Largent

Just read someone's opinion that, generally,
the hypers have better off-axis response than
the cardioids. Was a bit surprised to see
this. I had just assumed cards would be
better. Anyone know anything about this?

I suppose it would depend on what was meant by "better response." As I understand it, hypers and cardioids have very similar off-axis frequency response characteristics. Hypers have a much narrower front lobe than cardioids and have a bit of a "tail," a rear lobe that the cardioids don't have but the shape of both of their lobe patterns is not nearly as frequency dependent as is that of a shotgun.

[David Tamés]

Originally Posted by Steve House

As I understand it, hypers and cardioids have very similar off-axis frequency response characteristics.

The difference between a cardioid and hypercardioid is that in the middle to high frequency range the hypercardioid will exhibit more off-axis rejection, which in reality is not rejection, but attenuation and coloration of off-axis sounds. This is one of those things that is best understood by listening and swapping between two mics in a variety of situations. Different microphones will have slighly different off-axis coloration characteristics in addition to their pick up patterns.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by David Tames

The difference between a cardioid and hypercardioid is that in the middle to high frequency range the hypercardioid will exhibit more off-axis rejection, which in reality is not rejection, but attenuation and coloration of off-axis sounds. This is one of those things that is best understood by listening and swapping between two mics in a variety of situations. Different microphones will have slighly different off-axis coloration characteristics in addition to their pick up patterns.

If you look at the polar patterns of typical hypers such as the Schoeps MK41, AKG CK63 & CK93, or AT 4053a they don't exhibit that behavior at all. If fact, just the opposite, with less rejection from the sides and rear in the highest frequency ranges above 8k than in frequencies below that and the way their patterns vary with frequency is very similar to the way a cardioid's pattern vary. While there are differences in rejection at various frequencies, neither cardioids nor hypers exhibit what one might consider huge differences in response over the frequency ranges that we might typically be concerned with in video production. Line gradient mics - shotguns - OTOH exhibit radically different responses over frequency.