An omnidirectional microphone has a pickup pattern that covers how many degrees?

An omnidirectional microphone is designed to capture sound equally from all directions. This means that its pickup pattern is a full sphere around the microphone, effectively covering 360 degrees. This capability makes it ideal for applications where sounds from multiple directions need to be picked up, such as in conference settings, recording music, or capturing ambient sounds where the source of audio is not fixed in one direction.

In contrast, other types of microphones, like cardioid or hypercardioid, have more directional pickup patterns, which limit their effective range to a smaller degree span, primarily focusing on sound coming from in front of them while rejecting noise from the sides and rear. Therefore, the characteristic of an omnidirectional microphone to cover 360 degrees is crucial for its intended use, allowing it to capture a full array of sounds in its environment.