a microphone whose angle of sound acceptance is heart-shaped; more responsive to sounds from its front than from its rear.

a microphone with a directional pickup pattern that is most sensitive to sounds coming from the front and sides while rejecting sounds coming from the rear. The pickup pattern is roughly heart-shaped when viewed from above, hence the name "cardioid."

A common mic pickup pattern designed to attenuate signals... ( more)

A microphone whose highest sensitivity is directly perpendicular to its diaphragm, usually straight ahead, and that rejects sounds from the sides and rear (compare omnidirectional microphone, shotgun microphone); the most common type of microphone in a camcorder.

A microphone with a directional characteristic that resembles the shape of a heart.

A microphone designed for picking up sounds mainly from the front and sides, with little sensitivity to sounds toward the rear. The pickup pattern is heart-shaped-thus the name. Cardioid pickup patterns tend to be frequency dependent, making it necessary to carefully place and aim them for good balance. Design variants include the hyper-cardioid and super-cardioid, which have less sensitivity to the side and somewhat more sensitivity to the rear.

A microphone with unidirectional pickup pattern that accepts sounds coming from the front and sides but not from the rear.