What is a key feature of an omnidirectional microphone?

An omnidirectional microphone is designed to pick up sound equally from all directions. This characteristic makes it unique compared to directional microphones, which focus on sound from specific angles. The ability to capture sound from multiple directions is particularly beneficial in environments where sound sources are distributed around the microphone. For instance, in a conversation with multiple people or in a setting with ambient noise, an omnidirectional microphone can create a balanced and natural sound recording. This feature is essential for applications such as hearing aids, where the goal is to capture the full spectrum of sounds in the user's environment without preferential bias towards any single sound source.