We know that by using a microphone array we gain extra SNR. In the meantime, vector sensors are also with that advantage, and moreover, able to achieve that with a single sensor without the necessity of using an array. However, the reality is nowadays most acoustic products are using a microphone array instead of a vector sensor. Why is that?
You can find an example of using a vector sensor as an array here: Article Characterization of sound scattering using near-field pressu...
The 'array' was shaped by moving an intensity probe including particle velocity sensors, and keeping track of the location of the sensor.
The simple answer of why this way of measuring is not widely used is probably that such sensors are more expensive, and at the same time more difficult to calibrate. In the mentioned example above it was however necessary to use such sensors, but it was made possible by moving the single sensor to many positions.
Jonas Brunskog Dear Jonas, thanks a lot for your answer. The cost and the difficulty in calibration make sense. Also, I believe that the figure-of-eight directivity is not ideal. Is it? I've been working on underwater acoustics and had some colleagues working on vector hydrophones. The figure-of-eight directivity is not ideal and thus the measuring work of accurate directivity of each channel is added to the calibration work, which makes the calibration work heavier than normal hydrophone. I guess for vector sensors in the air, it is also true?
Tim Ziemer Dear Tim, thanks a lot for your answer. It is interesting to know that vector array is working well in holography. However, for what you've claimed, i.e., "vector sensors do not fully record particle velocity (x-, y-, and z-component) but only one component (e.g., x) without a sign", I do believe it's just different for different product type and manufacturer, and in principle, it is not a problem. I find a 3D vector sensor from the same company you shared:
https://www.microflown.com/products/standard-probes/usp-regular
There isn’t always a sharp distinction between microphones and vector sensors. As an example, any directional microphone, such as cardioid and super-/hypercardioid, is a 1d vector sensor.
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