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Re: Soundscape Recordings, mic conversion

Subject: Re: Soundscape Recordings, mic conversion
From: Lang Elliott <>
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 08:25:37 -0500
The near-coincident technique, also referred to as ORTF, is described here
near the bottom of the page. I suggest using the adtual ORTF spacing and
angle (7", 110 degrees), rather than some variation on this:

http://www.tape.com/Bartlett_Articles/stereo_microphone_techniques.html



> on 7/2/02 1:14 PM, richpeet at  wrote:
> 
>> From the low-end guy on the street that still cares about quality.
>> 
>> Do not dismiss using your me 64 as an omni so fast. It may be that a
>> piece of tape over a couple top side vents will come close, or be the
>> same as a me 62. There just is not that much difference in the two of
>> them.
>> 
>> If it tests out ok than you may have bought both.  Tech support can
>> give you some info and I can give you a test of pink noise recorded
>> direct and at 90 degrees on a me 62 that you could compare to your me
>> 64 with tape.
> 
>> Rich
> 
> 
>> Yes, Rich is right. Compare the freq response specs (in the pdf files you
>> can download from Sennheiser's website www.sennheiserusa.com). There's not a
>> huge difference between the two.
>> 
>> Lang
> 
> 
> Rich and Lang,
> 
> I sure do relate to "low end - good quality", Rich!  I tried your conversion
> trick, to turn a ME 64 cardioid into a ME 62 omni.  Sennheiser will be very
> pleased to know that it didn't work!!  What a disappointment!
> 
> As I understand it, an omni mic should sound as loud and clear from both
> front and sides, (if for example, you were speaking into it.)  Is that how
> your ME 62 responds Rich?  I tried many combinations of blocking various
> vents on the ME 64, but I always had a cardioid effect, i.e. loud and clear
> at the front, but much less at the side.
> 
> I will look at Sennheiser's website for more clues.
> 
> Lang's suggestion of "near-coindicent" sounds good.  I guess that's why I'm
> a bit unhappy with the crossed pair, they are not spacious enough.
> Compatability with mono shouldn't be a big issue; if I want to study
> sonograms or whatever, I can just choose one track in Peak and make a mono
> file.   
> 
> Vicki 
> 
> 
>> 
>> Vicki:
>> 
>> I have a lot of great recordings made with two cardioids using the near
>> coincident technique. The nice thing about "near-coincident" is that the
>> spacing of the mikes (around 7") causes the setup to capture pretty decent
>> interaural time and level differences that add somewhat to spaciousness.
>> Using two cardioids in a coincident arrangement has only one advatange that
>> I can see, and that is mono-compatibility, allowing you to mix both channels
>> to monaural without any phase cancellation.
>> 
>> Using near-coincident or coincident cardioid setups does result in
>> coloration of sounds from the sides, you but you shouldn't worry too much
>> about this because the resulting recordings will still sound fine for nearly
>> all applications.
>> 
>> If you decide to try a SASS setup, which will be less sensitive to wind in
>> comparison with your cardioids, please keep abreast of conclusions of our
>> group concerning microphones. To date, nobody has tried the ME62s in a SASS,
>> but I see no reason why they shouldn't work. What we need is some
>> experimentation to come up with the best midrange-priced mike that is
>> suitable for the SASS, before too many folks waste money on the wrong mikes.
>> Another possibility, of course, is Klas's EM-23.
>> 
>> Lang
>> 
>>> All,
>>> 
>>> I have learned a great deal this week about stereo recording, thanks to all
>>> your postings on this topic.  Your generosity in sharing such information is
>>> very much appreciated.  I now understand for the first time how my
>>> coincident pair of cardoids will have an uneven frequency response to the
>>> sides.  And that a SASS set up would not.  I do love the effect of binaural
>>> and as all my listening is through headphones I will certainly experiment
>>> with binaural, eventually.
>>> 
>>> I realize now I must have omni-directional mics for binaural to work.  So
>>> I'll start saving up for two Sennheiser ME62 mic capsules which in Australia
>>> are currently $ Aust 320 each (I already have the power modules).  Lang's
>>> favourite Sennheiser MKH 20 omni mics would cost me $ Aust 2,540 each, (plus
>>> power unit) so they are totally out of the question!  Meanwhile my cardiod
>>> pair of ME64s, home-mounted on a monopod as a coincident pair with
>>> adjustable angle, are easily carried and quick to set up in the field.
>>> Knowing of that dip in various frequencies to the side will help me to
>>> better consider the angle I set them at, in any given environment.
>>> 
>>> Thanks again,
>>> 
>>> Vicki Powys
>>> Australia
> 
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