Sorry Len, but I simply disagree on several counts.
First off, spaced omnis have a long history of making outstanding recordings both around here and in the professional classical world. That record speaks for itself. I needn't defend the technique.
Level based imaging isn't the only 'real' imaging. It is different, more pin-point with less depth, and mix-pan like. Time of arrival imaging is more diffuse, but arguably far more 'real' in terms of the live music experience. At a distance, pin-point imaging of a distant near-mono mixed PA is pretty much pointless. And with the addition of the coincident pair in the center like we've been discussing recently in the thread, we get both types anyway.
Spaced omnis often provide valuable level difference information. When used on stage close to the sound sources, significant level differences from to proximity of sources to one microphone or the other are produced. One of the technique's advantages on-stage is that the 'sampling points' are spread out in space, and the recording is less likely to highlight whatever source happens to be closest to a near-spaced microphone pair (which can only be placed in one spot). That's a different situation than from farther back in the audience outdoors, but even then there are important level differences. In that situation with a wide spread of 6' (or more), I've found that very nearby audience noise sources will have a larger level difference between channels and a higher degree of decorellation than they do with near-spaced configurations. On playback, the audience reaction and (hopefully minimal) distracted conversations tend to image diffusely off to one side or the other, rather than in the same position towards the center of the playback stage as the primary music sources. I find that makes the audience noise much less distracting in the resulting recording even if it isn't lower in level. It competes less with the music because of the way it images differently.
I've alreay stated why I don't think near-spaced baffled omnis are an optimal choice for recording outdoor performances at a big distance. Of course it can be done, it's just not optimal. I can garantee that near-spaced baffled omnis will also produce zero level difference from a distant stage source or PA anyway. The level diffences the baffle introduces will only be produced for sources that lie outside the central region where both mics can 'see' the source without one or the other being blocked by the baffle. Just looking at the physical geometry of the mics placed on either side of the baffle makes it pretty obvious that isn't going to happen from 50' away and level differences will only occur for resonably wide recording angles appropriate when the recording position is pretty close. Perhaps the biggest sonic drawback in trying to use it at a distance is that the techique provides very little low frequency differentiation, which is something we can use to our advantage from farther back and can only be accomplished with large spacings.
I don't consider Jecklin or Scheider baffled omnis as split omnis configurations, but rather as near-spaced omni configurations. They can make exellent recordings in appropriate situations, but recording from far back isn't one of them IME.
