A directional microphone usually consists of two or three matched microphones. Some directional microphones consist of three or four microphones, producing an "array". I technical datas they show us the polar diagram in a polar coordinate system. When pointed at a subject, sound can be picked up much easier and clearer than on a regular microphone. Depending on the sensitivity of the microphone, a wide range of distances can be achieved, from 10 to 200 feet, or sometimes through walls.

Commonly seen in hearing aids that form a polar plot, amplification mostly occur at the front. Digital directional microphones create null points at different frequencies, enabling cancellation of various signal around the listener.