Topic: Ceiling Mount Considerations?

[wehideandseek]

Please humour my thrift-store mindset: Would any of these be sufficient to mount in two rooms that i don't often frequent, pull listenable tapes & wouldn't really be bummed if they got thrashed?
They'd be most likely run by two road-weary Zoom H4Ns.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174723487155

https://retrogearshop.com/products/shure-570s-pair

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126383203158

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/135000125517


ETA: Small capacity (150-300) shoebox like venues with hanging PAs (approx 25' apart with base of speakers approx 10' high). Plenty of mount options along weight-bearing beams approx 10' high running parallel to stage, approx 15' to 20' from stage)

Venue 1 (usually run ortf clamped upon on the curtain conduit directly above stage-lip, angled downwards; was thinking of centre-mounting at the second beam back from stage near disco ball, but could also mic the stacks):







Venue 2 (usually run just below the stuffed buffalo head, but thinking of mounting above it or again, at each side of PA):

[if_then_else]

Venue 2 (usually run just below the stuffed buffalo head, but thinking of mounting above it or again, at each side of PA):

It would be fun to abuse it for a binaural recording (as a dummy head).

[wehideandseek]

BiSon of a gun, that's a great idea!

Venue 2 (usually run just below the stuffed buffalo head, but thinking of mounting above it or again, at each side of PA):

It would be fun to abuse it for a binaural recording (as a dummy head).

[Gutbucket]

Ha! Love the binaural bison idea!  It already looks like it's listening intently.

Careful going above the bison head. Looks like that may be right around where high-frequency vertical coverage from the PA speakers is likely to drop off. 

As mentioned in the other recent thread about installed ceiling-hung mics, I feel a pair of spaced omnis, each placed in-line with the primary listening axis of the PA speaker on each side and hung something like 4'-10' out into room is the ideal setup for this type of installed arrangement.  You get excellent clarity by being on-axis and directly in front of each PA, and that PA content will be clear, SBD-like and perceptually centered.  You get as much or as little room ambiance as you want by adjusting how far out into the room the mics are from the PA (this is the main thing you may want to go back and tweak after the first few recordings).  The wide split will provide a big, open portrayal of the room sound along with a wide, diffuse portrayal of the audience, rendering specific audience contributions less intrusive.  And the mics will be close enough to the stage to capture some of the on-stage sound and live percussion transients.

You can run a typical near-spaced stereo pair most anywhere, but not this kind of setup.  To my way of thinking that make it a good situation to take advantage of the opportunity.

[wehideandseek]

+T/hanks Gut!

I'd love to read your opinion on the omnis linked above:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/174723487155

https://retrogearshop.com/products/shure-570s-pair

https://www.ebay.com/itm/126383203158

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/135000125517

Ha! Love the binaural bison idea!  It already looks like it's listening intently.

Careful going above the bison head. Looks like that may be right around where high-frequency vertical coverage from the PA speakers is likely to drop off. 

As mentioned in the other recent thread about installed ceiling-hung mics, I feel a pair of spaced omnis, each placed in-line with the primary listening axis of the PA speaker on each side and hung something like 4'-10' out into room is the ideal setup for this type of installed arrangement.  You get excellent clarity by being on-axis and directly in front of each PA, and that PA content will be clear, SBD-like and perceptually centered.  You get as much or as little room ambiance as you want by adjusting how far out into the room the mics are from the PA (this is the main thing you may want to go back and tweak after the first few recordings).  The wide split will provide a big, open portrayal of the room sound along with a wide, diffuse portrayal of the audience, rendering specific audience contributions less intrusive.  And the mics will be close enough to the stage to capture some of the on-stage sound and live percussion transients.

You can run a typical near-spaced stereo pair most anywhere, but you can't get away with that kind of setup everywhere.  Good situation to take advantage of this opportunity.

[Gutbucket]

^ I've not used or can recall hearing any of those specifically. 

But looking at the images and seeing their size I imagine the're likely to be somewhat directional in the highest frequency range, so you may want to make some effort to point them directly at the PA or toward the drum kit if possible.  However, don't let that stop you from trying hanging them from their own cables pointing straight down first, which will be the simplest to arrange and to manage.  If you decide you want to point them at the PA or drum kit, you then might play around with some coat hanger wire to bend up some little hangers to change the orientation of the mics if they are being hung from their own cables.  Same idea as the hangers for the little AT 853 mics which look like this -



The key to pointing the mic sideways using something like that is positioning the vertical cable part if it directly over the center of gravity of the mic. Biggest problem in using those is keeping the mic from rotating away from the direction you want it pointed as the cable relaxes with the mic hanging on it.  Might need to re-orient them a few times until the cables stretches out and relaxes sufficiently.  An alternative is securing the orientation using a monofilament fishing line guy wire to the rear or side but that's a PITA.  Another is hanging them from a rigid rod or tube rather than relying on the cable.

Whatever you do, make sure they're well secured and won't fall on someone below.  Keep in mind the effect of vibration over time.

[wehideandseek]

Thanks so very much for the time & consideration let alone wisdom & experience behind each of your replies Gut!