Embodiments include a planar microphone array comprising a first linear array arranged along a first axis; and a second linear array arranged along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, a center of the second linear array aligned with a center of the first linear array, wherein each of the first linear array and the second linear array comprises a corresponding first set of microphone elements nested within a corresponding second set of microphone elements, and each set of microphone elements is arranged symmetrically about the center of the corresponding linear array, such that the first linear array and the second linear array are configured to generate a steerable directional polar pattern, the microphone elements of each linear array configured to capture audio signals. Embodiments also include a microphone system comprising the same and a method performed by processor(s) to generate an output signal for the same.