Topic: Mic selection opinions - CA-14 card or omni for this venue (Pics included)

[PeteJE]

I am taping with CA-14s at this venue and want to commit to card or omni; I will be in the balcony (GA), it will be on the loud side, it is a smaller venue.  Based on these pics, would you use omni or card?  I am leaning towards the omni because I like the general sonic quality a bit better (either mic choice would likely be mounted at temples, glasses or hat).  From those with experience what would you choose (my first venue recording here):

[su6oxone]

Definitely cards...

[Walstib62]

If you could get to the front row of the balcony and hang the mics over the rail and below the bottom of the balcony itself, then the omnis would be far superior. If you can't do that, and are in the crowd with the mics mounted on your person as you describe, then cards for sure.

[Church-Audio]

CARDS..... Omni would be great if you were 10 rows or so back from the front. But you are not. Omni would be very washed out at that distance.

Chris

[dactylus]

Definitely cards...

[PeteJE]

Cards it is - thanks all.   
I do like omnis when it is right, but up there it might be all room sound. 
 

[F.O.Bean]

Definitely cards...

[page]

Definitely cards...

[Gutbucket]

If you could get to the front row of the balcony and hang the mics over the rail...

Agreed on cards if you wear them. 
But why settle for mediocrity when the opportunity for greatness presents itself?

If you are adventurous and want to try something interesting you might consider wide spaced omnis mounted on the front balcony surface.. I'd not hang them below the edge but purposefully tape them directly against the hard surface, widely spaced, in the flat areas right above those architectural 'M' shaped molding features in the photo above.  That would boundary mount them and work the seemingly magical +3db increase of direct sound over ambient pickup thing that boundary mounting does, which I've had great luck with for placing omnis much farther back than would normally work.  Focuses the direct sound from the stage and PA and cuts down on reverberant room sound dramatically.  It's also directly above the sound mixer's position and not up in the potentially echoy balcony seating area where the sound guy's ears are not.. and it's far enough away from the crowd for a much better AUD balance and the wide spacing will give a fantastically even, wide & enveloping crowd response.  If you can work that I'm willing to bet it would not only work great but will outright smoke a HRTF recording made from the middle of the crowd in the upper balcony regardless of what mics you could use up there!

Come on, try it!  It's a perfect scenario for this, really!


..unless it's a strictly low-profile gig.

[ArchivalAudio]

Definitely cards...

especially front row balcony- it will sound like an excellent FM b'cast (in a good way)
.

[Church-Audio]

If you could get to the front row of the balcony and hang the mics over the rail...

Agreed on cards if you wear them. 
But why settle for mediocrity when the opportunity for greatness presents itself?

If you are adventurous and want to try something interesting you might consider wide spaced omnis mounted on the front balcony surface.. I'd not hang them below the edge but purposefully tape them directly against the hard surface, widely spaced, in the flat areas right above those architectural 'M' shaped molding features in the photo above.  That would boundary mount them and work the seemingly magical +3db increase of direct sound over ambient pickup thing that boundary mounting does, which I've had great luck with for placing omnis much farther back than would normally work.  Focuses the direct sound from the stage and PA and cuts down on reverberant room sound dramatically.  It's also directly above the sound mixer's position and not up in the potentially echoy balcony seating area where the sound guy's ears are not.. and it's far enough away from the crowd for a much better AUD balance and the wide spacing will give a fantastically even, wide & enveloping crowd response.  If you can work that I'm willing to bet it would not only work great but will outright smoke a HRTF recording made from the middle of the crowd in the upper balcony regardless of what mics you could use up there!

Come on, try it!  It's a perfect scenario for this, really!


..unless it's a strictly low-profile gig.

It could work.. It would be a crap shoot you never know what the balcony is going to sound like it depends on the PA if its a line array your chances would be better fr good sound.

[Gutbucket]

Always somewhat of a gamble trying something out of the ordinary.  Does look like a hint of hanging line array in the edge of the other photos to me.

[Church-Audio]

Always somewhat of a gamble trying something out of the ordinary.  Does look like a hint of hanging line array in the edge of the other photos to me.

There is a line array on some of the photos. But it really does depend on the artist unless everybody uses the same "House PA" Pretty unusual for a touring act in a soft seater. Only thing I would ever use would be a center cluster if they had one then I would unload my tractor trailer Clair Brothers anyone?

Chris