David Kuhn wrote:
> Thank you Dan and Walt---
>
> Beg pardon, I should have mentioned that I had already determined
> that the problem is outside the recorder (MZR-50), having switched
> the mic's side-for-side and noted that the problem flipped channels.
> And as I said, switching the transformers made no difference.
>
> So, the imbalance is in the mics, and as Walt indicates, "the
> difference is minimal, but you can test it with a fixed sound
> source" I did test it with a kitchen timer, with mic's centered on
> the source. The measurements I mentioned (Left channel -8.5dB vs
> Right channel -7.1dB; L -5.7dB vs R -4.9dB) were from that test, as
> read in CEPro. Is this imbalance correctible thru repair?
Did you switch cables? You might also try contact cleaner on all
connectors. Use it sparingly. Each connection has a little resistance,
and that could be causing it.
As far as repair, it could probably be fiddled with by a good repairman
and brought into closer match. But remember, this is why folks buy
matched pairs of mics. It is probably not worth it.
I assume you checked that it was truly a even level of sound on both
sides of center that you supplied. Any non-symmetric space will probably
not be.
> I may simply be expecting too much from the ME62's, and need to quit
> whinin' and step up to a higher quality ambience-mic'ing setup. Even
> after all the discussion in this group about different ambience
> mic's, I can't decide what to go for, the only certainty is "up"
> ($$). This refrain must sound familiar to most of us.
Well, it's a excuse, though I'm not sure how much improvement to expect,
at least of that. The idea of a perfect level balance is more theory
than practical. The ambient environment is rarely balanced. Especially
not over time. In fact the difference is what makes it stereo.
Of the various pairs of MKH mics I own only one pair was bought as a
pair, and that was not a official matched pair. But they all work fine
for stereo ambiance recording. How would I know matched when the
environment is providing a difference between the channels that can
easily vary from zero to 20 or 30 dB (or more) in a brief period of
time? Judge a stereo field as a sonic space created, not numbers.
I'd say judge the field by headphones, if you don't like the balance,
either move the mics slightly one way or the other to find a better one,
or do the same with the two gain controls. And don't sweat the numbers,
they will only drive you nuts.
Try getting out and recording with your stereo pair. See if the stereo
images you get please you. If they don't, then experiment. Stereo is
definitely more complex and more "art" than mono. And going for mic to
mic will just be confusing. Each mic setup has to be learned. In nature
recording we try to do it in one take, not the assembled "stereo" that
is so often what you have in music. Though even in nature recording you
can use mixing to get better sounds.
Walt
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