Understanding Types of Microphones

shotIn the world of professional AV, few decisions impact the user experience as directly as microphone selection. From capturing clear vocals in a worship setting to ensuring crisp dialogue in a hybrid conference room, the types of microphones you choose can make or break the system.

Whether you’re designing a boardroom, outfitting a university lecture hall, or configuring a broadcast studio, understanding microphone types is essential. Let’s break down the major categories, explore use cases, and look at where each one fits into modern AV design.

Dynamic Microphones: Built for Durability

Dynamic microphones are the workhorses of live sound. Their simple design makes them incredibly rugged and resistant to moisture and handling noise. These mics use a diaphragm, voice coil, and magnet to create an electrical signal of the source.

Best for: Live events, vocal performances, portable PA systems, and any application where durability is a top priority.

Examples:

• Shure SM58 – A legendary vocal mic found in houses of worship and on stages worldwide.
• Electro-Voice RE20 – Commonly used in radio studios, podcasting, and voice-over.

Why it matters: If your venue sees heavy turnover or inconsistent mic handling, dynamic microphones are a reliable, budget-friendly choice.

Condenser Microphones: Sensitivity Meets Precision

Condenser microphones offer a wider frequency response and greater sensitivity than dynamic mics. They require phantom power, but in exchange, they deliver crisp, natural audio. These types of microphones are especially good for vocals and acoustic instruments.

Best for: Recording studios, lecture capture, and controlled environments like boardrooms and classrooms.

Examples:

• Audio-Technica AT2020 – A solid entry-level condenser for studio or podcast use.
• DPA 4098 – A go-to for corporate spaces with its unobtrusive profile and clarity.

Pro tip: These microphones shine in acoustically treated rooms. Without proper echo control, they’ll pick up everything—including HVAC hum and keyboard clicks.

Ribbon Types of Microphones

Ribbon microphones might not be common in AV integration, but in the right setting, they offer a unique sound profile that’s smooth and natural. They use a thin metal ribbon suspended in a magnetic field, and modern models are more robust than their fragile ancestors. Think old pictures of Frank Sinatra singing onstage.

Best for: High-end broadcast, music production, and environments prioritizing warm, rich sound.

Examples:

• Royer R-121 – A studio favorite for guitar amps and vocals.
• AEA R84 – Often used in voice-over and film post-production.

Please Note: Ribbon mics aren’t ideal for mobile setups or untreated rooms. Use them where acoustic control and high-quality preamps are guaranteed.

USB Microphones: Plug-and-Play Simplicity

For quick setups and remote contributors, USB microphones offer simplicity without the need for an external interface or mixer. While not designed for high-end conferencing installs, they have their place. If you’re working in a hybrid and BYOD environments, these types of microphones are great.

Best for: Remote workstations, podcasting, and temporary setups.

Examples:

• Blue Yeti – Ubiquitous in the streaming and podcasting space.
• Shure MV5 – Compact, sleek, and Teams/Zoom-friendly.

Consider this: For permanent room installs, skip USB and go with networkable or analog solutions. USB is great for individuals, not systems.

Lavalier Microphones: Discreet and Flexible

Lavalier microphones, or “lav mics,” are essential in both live and recorded environments where mobility and minimal visual distraction are key. They’re most commonly clipped to the speaker’s clothing. In broadcast situations, they are used to get the mic close while being virtually unseen. Lav mics come in wired or wireless versions.

Best for: Presenters, panel discussions, houses of worship, and corporate events.

Examples:

• Sennheiser ME 2-II – Commonly paired with the EW wireless series.
• Countryman B6 – Incredibly small and available in multiple skin tones for on-camera work.

Please note: Keep backup lavs on hand. Clothing rustle and battery issues are frequent. Also, proper gain staging is critical to avoid dropouts or distortion.

Shotgun Microphones: Focused Mic

Focused shotgun microphones feature a highly directional pickup pattern, ideal for isolating a single speaker from background noise. Shotgun mics are used in live sporting broadcasts as well as movie and TV production. When the mics can’t be close or seen, these types of microphones work wonders.

Best for: Camera work, panel tables, theater, and lecture halls.

Examples:

• Sennheiser MKH 416 – Industry standard for film and voice-over.
• RØDE NTG5 – Lightweight and broadcast-ready.

Deployment tip: In lecture halls, ceiling-mounted shotguns can work. Pair the mics with DSP and careful aiming. Avoid using these in reverberant rooms without acoustic treatment.

The Rise of Conferencing Types of Microphones

With the explosion of hybrid work and the need for clean table space, ceiling microphones have gone from luxury to necessity in many boardrooms and classrooms.

These mics use beamforming or multiple capsule arrays to pick up voices from above, allowing for a cable-free table and flexible seating arrangements. Imagine there are hundreds of types of microphones in your ceiling. All pointed in different areas of the room.

Best for: Conference rooms, training spaces, multipurpose rooms.

Examples:

• Shure MXA920 – Scalable, Dante-enabled, and works with automation platforms.
• Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 – Integrates easily with Crestron and Q-SYS ecosystems.
• Nureva HDL410 – Offers wide coverage with built-in DSP for larger rooms.

What to know: These microphones often integrate with control systems to activate when a user enters the room or begins speaking. Ideal when paired with acoustic treatment and proper ceiling height (~8–12 feet is optimal).

Match the Mic to the Mission

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to microphones. The types of microphones you deploy should align with the space, use case, and expected user behavior. While dynamic and condenser microphones still dominate many AV setups, newer form factors reflect the growing diversity of modern AV environments.

So, the next time you spec a system, think beyond “what fits” and instead ask, “what performs best”. Especially for your space, user, and workflow?

Because in AV, sound is more than an input. It’s the experience.

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