Condenser microphones

Condensers are powered, removing the need to move a heavy coil, as in the design of Dynamic microphones. This allows them to capture more subtle detail. An adverse affect of this is they can pick up extraneous sound and potentially undesirable room reflections.¹ Most common in studios.²

Best suited for vocals, drum overheads, acoustic instruments, room microphones.

They are also more fragile.¹

There are tube and FET condensers. FETs tend to be brighter.¹