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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: peterbilt on March 24, 2004, 12:50:47 AM

Title: Off center configuration?
Post by: peterbilt on March 24, 2004, 12:50:47 AM
Thursday I'll probably be catching Antibalas, and I'm sure it would be an exercise in futility to try and stand still all night. Here's the situation. There are two posts (support beams for the balcony I believe) one is a little closer to DFC but much closer to the bar, and the other is a bit (maybe 15 feet) right of center. I'm figuring I can rig up a quick mount, duct tape it to the post and run the mics at about 8 feet or so. At this point I'd be approximately 35 feet from the stage...maybe 40   tops, and would not be under the balcony.
Point one at the right stack straight ahead and the other toward center stage? run A-B? Aim for the outside of the PA?(I'm thinkin that might leave a big hole in the sound).

Any ideas?
Whaddya think?
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: Sean Gallemore on March 24, 2004, 01:50:23 AM
setup in your favorite config, and pan the mics until the levels match on the recorder.  I know that is wrong in every way, but it's all I can come up with.
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: Nick's Picks on March 24, 2004, 06:38:24 AM
I always tend to run XY when off center, and achive decent results.
however, i was once told that runnind a near coincident method (like din, or ortf of something) would reporduce the "stereo" information just by the mics spacing, and that the preamp's gain can be used to acquire even levels.
I have yet to try it as I refuse to tape off center at all.
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: jlykos on March 24, 2004, 09:36:43 AM
I echo the comments of the others here and say to run XY with the mics pointed toward the stage.  It is not the stage that is important here, however, but the PA system.  Try to have the capsules hitting equadistant points at the two stacks.  In other words, try to run XY but angle the stereo bar to point the capsules as much toward the stacks as you can while remaining in the configuration.  It doesn't sound like an ideal situation, but you can make decent tapes out of it.
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: peterbilt on March 24, 2004, 09:53:26 AM
I echo the comments of the others here and say to run XY with the mics pointed toward the stage.  It is not the stage that is important here, however, but the PA system.  Try to have the capsules hitting equadistant points at the two stacks.  In other words, try to run XY but angle the stereo bar to point the capsules as much toward the stacks as you can while remaining in the configuration.  It doesn't sound like an ideal situation, but you can make decent tapes out of it.

thats pretty much what I have been thinking as well, and it would make for a smaller, less obvious setup for the venue staff to harsh on me about.
Thanks for the feedback folks!
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: plucks on March 24, 2004, 11:11:05 AM
What Nick said about running the mics in a near coincident pattern other than XY and using the preamp to adjust levels works well too.  
It may look weird to your eyes, but surprisingly can turn out well.

what kind of mics are you using?
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: wboswell on March 24, 2004, 11:16:22 AM
There is a pretty good discussion of this topic here (http://207.36.59.179/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=field;action=display;num=1043786549).  
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: twoodruff on March 24, 2004, 11:28:19 AM
wow and oldie, but goodie
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: dmonterisi on March 24, 2004, 11:33:08 AM
pretty sure that was my first post on an internet taping message board.
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: peterbilt on March 24, 2004, 11:40:53 AM
hey, thanks for the link to that thread. i think I'm going to go with an x/y deal, and who knows, I might even be able to get up to the balcony and just be able to run DIN, who knows...FWIW I'll be running my Sp CMC4's>BattBox>Ad20>D8.
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: wboswell on March 24, 2004, 11:41:12 AM
pretty sure that was the only good discussion on that board...
Title: Re:Off center configuration?
Post by: Tim on March 24, 2004, 12:54:07 PM
pretty sure that was the only good discussion on that board...

:lol:

yep...