whats your opinion of the healy method?

[heyitsmejess]

just wondering....ive read some people think its worthless, tho a few think its golden if used in the right spot.

i tried it for the 1st time this weekend, and am quite pleased myself....

[stirinthesauce]

just wondering....ive read some people think its worthless, tho a few think its golden if used in the right spot.

i tried it for the 1st time this weekend, and am quite pleased myself....

Great if you have a limited footprint. 

A-B stereo setup for omnis

Mic distance (cm) Recording angle (degrees)
17 180.0 Healy method
20 116.4
25 85.7
30 69.0
35 58.1
40 50.3
45 44.4
50 39.8
60 32.9
70 28.1
80 24.5
90 21.8
100 19.6

[Gutbucket]

Great if you have a limited footprint. 

A-B stereo setup for omnis

Mic distance (cm) Recording angle (degrees)
17 180.0 Healy method
20 116.4
25 85.7
30 69.0
35 58.1
40 50.3
45 44.4
50 39.8
60 32.9
70 28.1
80 24.5
90 21.8
100 19.6

Almost binaural-like over headphones (Healy's original application was to feed in-ear monitors with on stage sound).
It can sound good over speakers in the right conditions, but you'll probably prefer a wider spread for speaker playback if you can get away with a larger footprint.

I did some walk around tests last weekend with various omni spacings calling out the numbers of the clock and shaking a shaker (getting some odd looks in the church parking lot where I set up  ).  The chart above does apply somewhat (more so from a distance) but not perfectly.  Sound will be picked up from any angle of course, but there will be differing amounts of angular distortion - on playback sounds away from center may be clumped at the ether earphone or speaker for wider spacings and spread out wider than normal for sources in the middle.  But the stereo separation and spaciousness increases for wider spacings at the same time, so there is a bit of a trade-off.  At larger mic spacings close to the source, like on-stage or stagelip, there are level changes between the mics that offset the time-based recording angle chart above. 

Another thing to keep in mind is the high frequency directionality of most omnis.  To get the high frequency shaker sounds to locate like the lower frequency voice required angling the mics outwards, otherwise the hf were evenly distributed and non-directional.  I preferred +- 45deg for wide spacings which provided hf directionality while preserving an even brightness at the center or 12-o'clock. the Healy method with mics angled +-90 deg (180deg opposed) at 17cm gives good hf directionality & ambience for sounds from all around (again what Healy originally designed the congfig for) while getting slightly dull at the center positions (around 12 and 6-o'clock).

Very informative way to spend an afternoon.  I highly recommend setting up and doing some walk around tests to get your mind around what happens.  Next time I'll get a low frequency source like a drum going too, and try some other configs.

[J.T.L]

I've run subcards, 180º @ 11" onstage a few times with great results.

[Nick Graham]

FWIW, I ran the Healy Method exactly once. I wasn't able to get as wide a a spread as I'd like, and initially wasn't at all happy with the results. Then a couple of months later I listened back to the show on headphones and was blown away! It truly sounded like I was right back at the show. Probably the most realistic (good or bad) tape I've ever made.

I wouldn't want to run the config at every show, but it was fun to play around with.

[heyitsmejess]

heres a sample of my healy experimintaions.....

http://www.sendspace.com/file/r797of

[tenesejedd]

I used it once as well. On stage with trio(drums, percussion, and acoustic guitar). I was quite pleased with the results. On headphones, it does give a realistic sound. Over a regular stereo, the sound quality was good, but the imaging is so so. Its fun to experiment with. I think i will use this setup again next time I record this band.

[dean]

I've used it many, many times for cramped on stage applications and have had great results (IMO, of course).  If I can run a split omni instead, I prefer it, but when cramped, and when the Jecklin disc is just too much of a distraction, Healy is killer. 

I also LOVE using it outdoors when two tall stands aren't in the mix to run split omnis.  I've had excellent results with it that way, as well.  If my 7/27/07 Des Moines Los Lobos show is still torrenting somewhere, give that a listen.  One of the best recordings I've ever made - Healy, 5' LOC at the board, in a KILLER sounding outdoor natural amphitheater.

[darby]

was that Simon Estes?
I taped Mule there 7/04/03
nice venue!

edit: off by 2 years

[dean]

was that Simon Estes?
I taped Mule there 7/04/05
nice venue!

Yes, Simon Estes.  An exceptional sounding venue, isn't it?  With the Mississippi River background, the natural grass bowl and the large building (it's a Hilton, right?) far enough back to provide a good acoustic reinforcer without creating a splashback, it just sounds great there.  I'll catch any decent act there.  Well worth the 3.5 hour drive for me.   

[darby]

think it's a Hilton don't remember

[Gil]

I've used it twice now with mixed results. The first was the Avetts 6-13-07 at the Three Rivers Arts Fest and despite some heavy low end (toned down a bit with a HPF), the tape turned out excellent (nice image, crisp and clear vocals). I only wish yinz could hear it 

The second was moe. 7-12-07 at Lafayette Square. Frankly, I think the tape sucks, but apparently some folks thought otherwise:
http://www.archive.org/details/moe2007-07-12.teac.me80.ad20.flac16
But we all know that "Americans are a stupid people, by and large".