Sennheiser MKH-800 manual Wide cardioid, Super-cardioid

Pick-up pattern	Setting
Figure-8	￿ Set the amplification to the same
		value in both channels.
		5
			5
		0	0
		-5	-5

￿Invert the phase of the rear channel.

			Phase
Super-cardioid**	￿ Set the amplification in the rear
		channel lower than in the front
		channel.
		5
				5
		0		0
		-5		-5
		-10		-10
		-15		-15
		-30		-30

￿Invert the phase of the rear channel.

Phase

*Wide cardioid:

Pattern between omni-directional and cardioid

The wide cardioid pattern of the MKH 800 is, for example, the result if the rear channel has 10 dB less amplification than the front channel. The pick-up pattern becomes more omni-directional at higher amplification and more cardioid at lower amplification.

At the same time, the rear attenuation (180° attenuation) of the microphone changes. It is the direct result of the amplification ratio between the front and the rear channel, i.e. 10 dB in the example of the wide cardioid pattern.

**Super-cardioid:

Pattern between cardioid and figure-8

The super-cardioid pattern of the MKH 800 is, for example, the result if the amplification of the rear channel is 10 dB lower than that of the front channel and if the phase of the rear channel is inverted. At higher amplification, the pick-up pattern tends towards the figure-8 pattern, otherwise the pattern becomes more cardioid.

The cancellation angle at which the microphone is especially insensitive also changes. It is 180° in the case of the cardioid pattern, 120° for the super-cardioid pattern and 90° for the figure-8 pattern. If the MKH 800 TWIN is used as a supporting microphone, the attenuation between different groups of instruments in an orchestra can for example be optimised in this way. Here, too, the rear attenuation is the result of the amplification ratio between the front and the rear channel, i.e. 10 dB in the case of the super-cardioid pattern.

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