<<I hadn't realised there might be a problem with a non matched second ME66=
. Is it simply a matter of tweaking the volume of one channel to fix this, =
or is there more to it?>>
Only at the highest price category are microphones ever available as a trul=
y "matched" pair. With a manufacturer such as Sennheiser any two mics from =
the same model line will be fairly equivalent in output & frequency respons=
e. A lot of the inexpensive Chinese mics can be all over the place, as far =
as matching, due to lax quality control. I wouldn't obsess over whether a n=
ew ME66 will precisely match your existing ME66.
<<And are there any workable arrangements other than crossing them at about=
30 degrees?>>
There are many possible stereo mic arrangements, though the traditional arr=
ays have generally been worked out with omni or cardioid mics. Since stereo=
panorama & a high degree of directionality are qualities which are somewha=
t at odds with one another I think you'll just have to experiment. Try diff=
erent angles & see which gives left-right separation without an obvious hol=
e in the center. I would set up in a location where traffic moves across th=
e stereo panorama, where you can easily follow a single vehicle's traverse,=
& experiment with different mic angles until you find that which provides =
a smooth transition from speaker to speaker. Poor center image will sound l=
ike the car abruptly jumps from one speaker to the other. True stereo will =
have a smooth, even sense of travel from one side to the other. Various mem=
bers here have also done this by walking left to right across an open field=
while jangling keys.
<<Perhaps an NT4 would be more sensible, given it's a similar price to anot=
her ME66, but I do like the idea of the ME66s blocking out noise from behin=
d.>>
Mostly, yes, although there's always a prominent lobe of pickup directly be=
hind any directional mic.
Scott Fraser
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