A microphone with a directional response pattern described by (0.5 + cosϕ), where ϕ is the angle of incidence of the sound. Such a pattern can be considered to be the combination of an omnidirectional microphone response attenuated by 6 dB (0.5 all round) and a figure-eight microphone response (cosϕ). The overall response is between that of the cardioid microphone and figure-eight microphone, and its shape is sometimes described as cottage loaf (see diagram). Sound picked up from the rear of the microphone is in antiphase with sound picked up from the front and is thus marked as ‘–’ in the diagram. Practically, such a response is difficult to achieve for frequencies above which the wavelength becomes comparable with the physical dimensions of the microphone itself.

Idealized directional response of a hypercardioid microscope (scale in degrees)