When would you use large diaphragm mics for stereo?

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Haolemon <gary_flanigan@ce9.uscourts.gov> wrote:
>I've been doing quite a bit of stereo miking lately, mostly using a
>pair of Schoeps M222/41. I have also used a pair of Gefell M300's, and
>KM84's. My application has mostly been acoustic guitars.
>
>I gather that this is common miking schema for a lot of orchestral
>recording, and for drum overheads.
>
>When would folks be likely to use a pair of large diaphragm condensors
>as opposed to small diaphragm condensors? What would the trade-offs be
>in using each?

The large diaphragm mikes are, in general, not going to be very accurate
off-axis. They won't present a very accurate image of what the drum kit
sounds like. But, they _will_ reproduce a sort of coloration that a lot
of people have got used to and like. Try it.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Haolemon wrote:
> I've been doing quite a bit of stereo miking lately, mostly using a
> pair of Schoeps M222/41. I have also used a pair of Gefell M300's, and
> KM84's. My application has mostly been acoustic guitars.
>
> I gather that this is common miking schema for a lot of orchestral
> recording, and for drum overheads.
>
> When would folks be likely to use a pair of large diaphragm condensors
> as opposed to small diaphragm condensors? What would the trade-offs be
> in using each?
>
> Thanks

LDC's get used on drums a lot. They are not as accurate or
smooth off axis as small diapraghm mics might be, a matter of physics,
so they are often not first choice for things. But when you have gone
through most of the mic cabinet you use what you have...

Sometimes a LDC has more "reach" or a more "forward" sound than
a SDC, especially an omni does. This works with drums and related
stuff you beat on with sticks or mallets. I work with omni mics a lot,
sometimes when I listen to a cardiod mic I can almost hear the polar
pattern boundary in contrast, like a wall limiting the space a sound
has to live in.

Your listening mileage may vary of course.

Will Miho
NY Music and TV Audio guy
Staff Audio/Fox News/M-AES
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:23:33 -0400, Haolemon wrote
(in article <1117571013.412776.160190@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> ):

> I've been doing quite a bit of stereo miking lately, mostly using a
> pair of Schoeps M222/41. I have also used a pair of Gefell M300's, and
> KM84's. My application has mostly been acoustic guitars.
>
> I gather that this is common miking schema for a lot of orchestral
> recording, and for drum overheads.
>
> When would folks be likely to use a pair of large diaphragm condensors
> as opposed to small diaphragm condensors? What would the trade-offs be
> in using each?
>
> Thanks
>

I used a pair of TLM 103 in coincident XY to record a madrigal group. The
off-axis thing, I think, is worse in some LD mics than in others. We thought
the TLM 103 sounded pretty darn good!

Regards,

Ty Ford


-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com