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Re: Sony PCM-M10 stereo image

Subject: Re: Sony PCM-M10 stereo image
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_audio
Date: Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:54 am ((PST))
At 4:13 PM +0000 2/12/10, oryoki2000 wrote:
>
>A fellow who posts as "Ozpeter" on the Tapers Section forums has 
>experimented with the stereo image produced by the Sony PCM-M10's 
>built-in mics. Here are links to his remarks.
>
>-- Ideas about using a mid side plug-in in post to change stereo image
><http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1730642#msg1730642>http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1730642#msg1730642
>
>-- Experiments in post to "widen" the stereo image recored by the 
>built-in micas
><http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1731989#msg1731989>http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1731989#msg1731989
>
>-- Musings on why the M10's omni mics produce the image they do
><http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1734278#msg1734278>http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1734278#msg1734278
>
>Ozpeter's first impressions about using the M10
><http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1734515#msg1734515>http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=130924.msg1734515#msg1734515

Hi Oryoki-

Thanks! Its fun to see that they are asking similar questions and 
where their discussion has lead them thus far.

Rather than using a preset on a stereo width plug-in like Voxengo 
MSED, (and similar plugs), to obtain "stereo separation at low to mid 
frequencies," our tests showed that the ability to apply separate EQ 
settings to the mid and side(s) of the chain while adjusting the 
mid-side ratio made improvements to the stereo field more successful. 
The tapersection discussion is about close mic'd music but I suspect 
that what we learned would apply to many field and studio situations.

The technique we went over uses a plug-in "effects chain" in post 
that looks like this:

(1) Stereo Parametric EQ PLUG for traditional Left-Right adjustments. 
ApQualizr, Eqium are two good, lower cost plugs for this.

(2) Left-Right to M-S matrix PLUG (Tom Erbe's "+Matrix" plug is free 
and transparent)

(3) Stereo Parametric EQ PLUG for separate Mid and Side Equalization 
(APEQ , Eqium) The left channel is used for "Mid" adjustments and 
Right channel  for the "Side" adjustments)

(4) M-S to Left Right matrix plug ( +Matrix) to regenerate Left-Right 
stereo and adjust mid to side ratio (width).

Using this chain, one can address the "build-up" of bass and lower 
mid-range sounds that collect in the center of the stereo field, 
emphasize side differences, add bass to the sides where its lacking 
and heighten treble detail across the center of the stereo field. The 
M-10's built-in array, except for an interesting peak ~3KHz at 90 
degrees, seems to be behave as one would expect.  The 
omni-directional capsules are opposing with about 3" separation. 
Raimund's M-10 field experiment http://tinyurl.com/yhx4zwh showed us 
that adding a baffle doesn't help much in improving "separation" due 
to the proximate placement of the capsules because the bass and lower 
mid range frequencies easily wrap around the baffle. The other 
weakness with the M10's opposed capsule orientation is a weak treble 
in the center of the stereo field. Our M-S EQ processing technique 
proved to be more effective at addressing this than I would have 
guess-- possibly because of the off-axis peak.

If there's interest, I'll be happy to run through these stereo field 
adjustment/mastering steps in my FieldPost blog if someone sends me a 
.wav of a recording made with an M10. It should be field recording 
that you like and the stereo image should already have some 
potential. Contact me off-list. Rob D.

  = = =

-- 












"While a picture is worth a thousand words, a 
sound is worth a thousand pictures." R. Murray Schafer via Bernie Krause


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