Quote:
Originally Posted by Plush  T
For best results remember to use omnis with a tipped up treble response for baffled stereo work. |
These days, that's pretty much dependant on the environment and source and the mic characteristic. A shuffler is specified as well, but few use it now. When I was experimenting with different disks, I was concerned that sources straight ahead of the array would sound dull, likewise those that were far to the left or right. The reality of the disk, though, results in a good forward reach-a lift is often not required-and the unique right to left frequency dependant separation also results in no lift being needed for extreme right or left, either. The polar response of the array is probably quite uneven in terms of frequency response, but it still works quite well. It would also have an equal but different uneveness with HF boosted mic's.
Again, this is completely dependant on all the variables involved in a given situation.
There was a time period when "diffuse omni's" became formulaic in a somewhat bizarre degree, as if it were some ultimate given truth. The disk idea was developed in that era. Now we have omnis in every HF flavor. Before, almost any omni had to be "diffuse" at the tip was exactly 6 dB no matter the diameter (and thus the polar pattern) of the diaphragm or what sort of sound was produced. In the heretical case of having a flat omni (which were pretty unusual when dedicated omnis began their collective life), the engineers were instructed to add exactly 6 dB at 10k, no matter what. They never specified the shape and extent of the rise. They did specify a shelving characteristic, but as you know, only the minority of omnis at the time had acoustical shelving, they were mostly peak, with a wide variety of location and slope of the peak. The peak was often greater than 6 dB.
Also, when many classic microphones and techniques were developed, the medium was completely different. People heard things on LP's, and analogue tape was around. This shaped many assumptions which remain today, even though the media has totally changed from recording to playback-no value judgement intended, just an observation.