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Leif-
I use whatever mics sound best on a given instrument. Sometimes, they are hypercardiod or fig-8, but just as often they are cardiods, sub cardiods or omnis (especially when I'm doing choral work).
As I was inferring in my post, the time alignment is not always exact. In the end, it all comes down to what it sounds like. I use the exact as a starting point, but then from there, I go by what I'm hearing and factors like ambience can affect that. One thing that bugs me to no end, though, is in a traditional orchestra hearing the woodwinds or other distant instruments sound like they are in front of the strings.
Now, when working with a studio orchestra with lots of mics, I do not time align. I don't even bother trying. There are so many phase issues to work out that it is more important to get a solid sound. Also, the style of that orchestra is going to be more present anyways so the non-aligned sound is usually more appropriate. If I have a soloist in front of that group, their mic may get a delay because of the comb filtering that can happen when a hot solo mic is only a few feet away from a main pair.
--Ben
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