Phantom-powered condenser microphones for installation, stage and studio, spanning boundary and hanging mics for conference tables and choirs, small-diaphragm instrument mics like the Audio Technica AT4053B and Sennheiser MKH 8040, drum condensers such as the Shure BETA 98AD/C, and large-diaphragm studio options from sE Electronics, Neumann and AKG.

Start with the job, not the spec sheet. Boundary mics like the PRO44, U851Rb and sE BL8 sit flat on tables and stages and pick up everything around them; hanging mics such as the PRO45 cover choirs and theatre stages from above; clip-on drum condensers need mounts matched to the drum hardware they grip. For instrument and studio work the choice is diaphragm size and pattern: small-diaphragm cardioids and hypercardioids give precise, consistent off-axis response for acoustic instruments and spot-mic duties, while large-diaphragm models flatter vocals and give a bigger presentation. Every microphone in this category needs power, almost always 48V phantom, so check that your desk, stagebox or interface supplies it on the channels you plan to use. For distant pickup, prioritise low self-noise and high sensitivity over headline frequency response figures.

Modular heads for many of the installation models live in our capsules category, and matched pairs are listed where the manufacturer offers them.