Stupid cardioid microphone question - which side is Front ?

[ArtechnikA]

So I have this mxl-v250 - it was a stupid deal of the day once upon a time and I think I got it for $50. It sounds OK in my non-pro just-need-a-microphone application.

I understand cardioids tend to reject sounds from the back. The mike has a nice picture of a cardioid pattern on the logo side, with the big part of the cardioid facing away.

So which side is the 'sensitive' side and which is the back ?
There's a lovely polar pattern plot on the data sheet but it doesn't show front and back.

I can make a plausible argument that the "logo side" is indeed the "back" noise-rejection side.
In live performance, that's the side facing the audience so - product -placement opportunity. The artist already knows what kind it is... I can make similar arguments for it being the other way... Empirical testing hasn't been very conclusive, so I have come to you.

Bonus question - is it possible to get the top off? I haven't found a non-destructive way. There's a little dent in the screen I'd like to push back out...

 

[bassie12]

Plug the mic in, set up on a stand. Listening through a system or better still, headphones, snap your fingers around the mic. The loudest, clearest side is the live side.

Unless you have experience taking mics apart, leave the dent alone. It probably isn't affecting the mic's operation. If it is, taking it apart could do more damage than leaving it alone. That said, good luck.

 

[Dave Curran]

cardoid pic/label towards sound source. Label always faces that way. Either the grey ring on top, or the one on bottom should unscrew allowing you access to the screen. Gonna guess the top one since there's no switches poking out.

 

[bassie12]

cardoid pic/label towards sound source. Label always faces that way. Either the grey ring on top, or the one on bottom should unscrew allowing you access to the screen. Gonna guess the top one since there's no switches poking out.

As a a general rule, yes. I've bought new mics, MXL(especially), AKG, and a few others over the decades that had capsules, screens, and label rings installed backwards, straight fom the factory. Test it and know.

 

[And I]

The logo side is the front 99.9% of the time.

 

[silky smoove]

Plug the mic in, set up on a stand. Listening through a system or better still, headphones, snap your fingers around the mic. The loudest, clearest side is the live side.

Agreed. This is definitely how I would approach it. Setup the mic, stand a measured distance that's relatively close to the mic, but not right on top of it, and clearly say which side of the mic you're on (i.e. logo side of microphone, switch side of microphone). Do maybe three takes per side and then A/B them. If you're getting less than distinguishable differences, try the same approach but on the sides of the headbasket rather than the front/back. If that yields more distinguishable results, the capsule might be mounted sideways in the headbasked which is something I've seen on cheaper mics from time to time.