Topic: cards or omnis - the $64,000 question

[genesisoh]

I am going to be recording a rock/pop concert (fairly loud but not metal or anything like that) that is in a stadium.  My seats are about 2/3 of the way back left of center.  I have a CA-9100 preamp and both CA-14 cards and omnis.  Which set of mics would be best to use and why?

I normally avoid using a HPF, but is this one of those shows/environments where it should be used?  Thanks.

[su6oxone]

Cards or preferably hypers for better results from a large venue really far back, where u want more directionality from your mics.  No hpf, u can do all that in post.

[achalsey]

Definitely cards; especially if its a 'rock/pop' type of audience omnis would be pretty useless that far back unless you're trying to record the crowd with the band in the background.  I love the CA14 > 9100 but from that far back it might come out pretty thin (and still pretty chatty) if the PA isn't super loud, and are we to assume this will be relatively low-pro?

Many people can chime in here better than I, but I'd use cards, put the 9100 gain at max and most likely add relatively significant gain from the recorder to get decent levels, depending on what you're using.

[swordfish]

Definitely cards; especially if its a 'rock/pop' type of audience omnis would be pretty useless that far back unless you're trying to record the crowd with the band in the background.  I love the CA14 > 9100 but from that far back it might come out pretty thin (and still pretty chatty) if the PA isn't super loud, and are we to assume this will be relatively low-pro?

Many people can chime in here better than I, but I'd use cards, put the 9100 gain at max and most likely add relatively significant gain from the recorder to get decent levels, depending on what you're using.

I'd record in 24 bit 48 KHZ for processing....better noise floor...in the end

[sunset]

Cards or preferably hypers for better results from a large venue really far back, where u want more directionality from your mics.  No hpf, u can do all that in post.

I agree,gotta love the hypers...

[acidjack]

Cards. I assume you aren't open taping, so I would ignore the suggestion of hypers.  I have never heard hypers in the "small mic" category that sounded anything other than terrible to me. ... they're just way too thin.  Cardiods and decent post-processing should do the trick for getting rid of that stadium boom. 

If I were open taping, and I could use fullsize mics of decent quality, hypers for sure.

[Belexes]

I've never listened to a stadium stealth recording I enjoyed, but if you have to record CA (c) > 9100 would do the trick.  I'd only run omni's if standing close to one of the line arrays and it was LOUD.

[acidjack]

I've never listened to a stadium stealth recording I enjoyed, but if you have to record CA (c) > 9100 would do the trick.  I'd only run omni's if standing close to one of the line arrays and it was LOUD.

Also generally true (including w/r/t my own) though I could name a select few exceptions thanks to tapers with both excellent gear and seats.

[Belexes]

Whoops, may have to take back that comment. My friend Rick just posted his 8/1/11 Paul McCartney on Dime and the samples sound amazing! (Wrigley Field)

[paulbaptiste]

Cards or preferably hypers for better results from a large venue really far back, where u want more directionality from your mics.  No hpf, u can do all that in post.

 The OP doesn't have hypers; the CA-14's come in card/omni.  I also vote for rolling with cards.  And in that regard i'd def. agree that it's a waste of money to buy hyper caps on these smaller mics (AT853's for instance) i've owned all the caps available at a time, completist and all, and the hypers just don't perform/sound well.  Not sure of any other mics of similar size/scope that offer the same amount of variety as the AT/soundpro mics, but either way- cards and omnis is all you need for these types of mics IMO.  I guess you could throw audix micros in there, as they offer hyper caps; but they don't sound any better than the AT853's IMO either; just cost more.

[adrianf74]

Given that you're sitting back 2/3 of the way in the venue, I'd go with the cards in this case.    I'm assuming it's an indoor or amphitheatre show in which case you should be okay.  If it was outdoors with no coverage, I'd pick the omnis ONLY if I could get close enough (and again, in your case, I'd be going with the cards).

[it-goes-to-eleven]

If you have $64,000, run both.