Latest variation is using all miniature DPA mics in the 6 channel array (2 x 4061 omni, 4 x 4098 hypercardioid), rewiring to convert all former TRS minijack/plug connections to locking mini-XLR, and Naiant PFA powering for all 6 mics. These are incremental evolutionary changes, making things more reliable, more weather resistant, and smaller, without a significant sacrifice in audio quality.
However, the latest new test which is obvious in the photos below, is the addition of two Naiant X-8s figure-8 mics, each placed coincident with the front and rear-facing 4098 hypers to form center front/rear-facing Mid/Side pairs. I want to determine if the ability to adjust center image width (without introducing additional phase difference information) will be advantageous and if moving to regular use of a M/S pair in the center will be worthwhile. As for the rear-facing M/S pair I'm curious to see how well that provides "stereozed surround" information using the current single rear-facing mic. These two side-mic channels may be discarded without any impact on the "normal" 6-channel setup.
The bendable gooseneck section on the 4098s makes arranging them so as to be coincident with the X-8S really easy. I can't imagine a more closely coincident two mic M/S setup. I just gaff taped the mic pair to the fore/aft facing mic bar. To allow for proper polarity orientation of the font X-8s, I notched out one of the holes in the bar to allow the cable from the chopped right-angle XLR to exit downwards through the hole without interference from the bar.
The big Shure screens fit over the front and rear-facing M/S pairs for wind protection. I used the Audix foam windscreens on the side-facing 4098s, with the hair curler foam inserts in them which I mentioned above, plus an additional outer foam layer from a ball-mic windscreen (probably Shures) which fit nicely over the Audix foams. The small foam inserts from the Audix foams were used on the 4061 omnis, simply slipping over both the mic and the end of the TV antenna.
First photos show the mics, with one 4098 laying atop one of the X-8S for length comparison, two of the new female microdot to stereo mini-XLR cables I made to connect them to the Naiant PFAs, and the PFAs. The third shows the tri-nested windscreen arrangement for the side-facing 4098 pair-