Topic: MK41 config

[beatkilla]

Sorry to resurrect this topic, but it seems like the best place to ask.

What config is everybody running when going low-profile? I have both a sixpence hat and just got a baseball cap with mesh backside (kangol not happening lol). Currently I have run the MK41s in an A-B config as it seems the most viable spacewise, but interested to hear what other people are doing. I see SRS have these 3D-printed mounts, but they appear to be mostly for open-taping and not something that could fit inside a hat.

He makes them for hats(i have one of his)

That was when he was using shapeways which went out of business.

He's on Ebay but limited type of mount listed.

Anyone know of his current store front?

[ballerusk]

Ah, I just assumed the listings on his eBay store was everything he got. There is a mount for clipping outside on a baseball cap brim, not very low profile, haha.

[grawk]

He’s definitely willing to do whatever you want. Just send him a message here or via eBay

[meltycrayon]

He’s definitely willing to do whatever you want. Just send him a message here or via eBay

I sent Scott a message here two weeks ago about him making a hat mount for Church CA-11's and he said he'd send a link, but I'm still waiting. (Yeah, it's summer, he has a life, etc. but you know how it is when someone wants to play with their new toy. ) That said, his CA-14 mount illustration on Ebay sure looks like CA-11's. (https://www.ebay.com/itm/135213128009) Are they the same size? And am I to understand that Scott could also whip up a bar to mount the CA-11's for non-stealth situations? Thanks!

[ballerusk]

Do people have a go-to config (DIN, DINa, AB etc) they use when stealthing or do you decide when you get to the venue (if you're not familiar with the place)?

[rocksuitcase]

He’s definitely willing to do whatever you want. Just send him a message here or via eBay

I sent Scott a message here two weeks ago about him making a hat mount for Church CA-11's and he said he'd send a link, but I'm still waiting. (Yeah, it's summer, he has a life, etc. but you know how it is when someone wants to play with their new toy. ) That said, his CA-14 mount illustration on Ebay sure looks like CA-11's. (https://www.ebay.com/itm/135213128009) Are they the same size? And am I to understand that Scott could also whip up a bar to mount the CA-11's for non-stealth situations? Thanks!

srsrecording <srsrecordingservices@gmail.com>

[Gutbucket]

Do people have a go-to config (DIN, DINa, AB etc) they use when stealthing or do you decide when you get to the venue (if you're not familiar with the place)?

Depends on the taper in question I'm sure.  Most probably keep the configuration the same since that tends to be more strongly dictated by the hat and mounting system and may (or may not) change the capsules for a different polar pattern depending on the situation.  That said, some may switch to a different chapeau entirely if they know the deal ahead of time.

In general I prefer a little bit of angle between the mics, but straight AB will reduce pickup of nearby audience off to the sides as much as possible.  Not sure how significantly though.

[ballerusk]

I have only run AB due to (what I perceived to be) the limited space in a hat, but bought a mesh sixpence (on AliExpress of all places) and think I have managed to fit a DINa-ish setup, will be interesting to try out.

[Gutbucket]

Please let us know what differences you notice. Thanks.

[noahbickart]

I use my mk41v in 20cm @90 degrees (DIN[w/ hypers]). Mostly because it fits that way well in the hat.

[MJ]

Did anybody try to set them up in an XY configuration?

[jb63]

Yes. I run my MK5 pair as cards in XY all at the time.

[MJ]

Thank you very much for your reply.
I’ve noticed that some recordings made with Schoeps MK4s, which I’ve downloaded from DIME, tend to sound less wide in stereo but much more centered and upfront—almost “in your face” to my ears—compared with my own MK4 recordings made in a spread configuration. I’ve long suspected that differences in mic placement and configuration could be the reason for this sonic contrast.

[goodcooker]

Did anybody try to set them up in an XY configuration?

Hypercardioid mics in XY can sound really nice. The small rear pickup lobe gives the arrangement an almost Blumlein like quality where crossed figure 8s are used instead of hypers.

This would only apply to mics placed in the free field - there's a lot of talk of hats in this thread and it wouldn't work the same way with a head in the way.

Only time I put my mk41s in a hat was on the sides of a big straw cowboy hat AB 4th row center for Herbie Hancock at NOLA Jazzfest in the Jazz tent.

[Gutbucket]

I’ve noticed that some recordings made with Schoeps MK4s, which I’ve downloaded from DIME, tend to sound less wide in stereo but much more centered and upfront—almost “in your face” to my ears—compared with my own MK4 recordings made in a spread configuration. I’ve long suspected that differences in mic placement and configuration could be the reason for this sonic contrast.

That's a good description of what I generally hear from coincident stereo pair arrangements ( X/Y or M/S) verses those that use spacing between the mics.  The solid center image and "flatter, in your face-ness" are aspects that make coincident configurations somewhat unique and useful in terms of the sound they achieve, other than the physical mounting aspects.  As Goodcooker mentions, X/Y using mics that have a pickup-pattern which features some amount of reverse-polarity rear-lobe will tend to achieve a more "open" and "dimensional" sound, if with somewhat less low bass fullness and extension than cardioids which don't have any rear lobe.  X/Y using cardioids may tend to sound somewhat more deep and rich, but often features less depth and sense of dimensional openness.  Mid/Side works basically the same, except using a cardioid mid generally equates to a stereo output that is similar to X/Y using supercards, and a supercardioid Mid equates to something more like X/Y using hypercards.

In pursuit of a sound that's sort of a "best of both worlds" combination, it's inclusion of the somewhat unique sonic aspects of a coincident-stereo pair that has influenced my preference for combining a coincident-pair and a spaced-pair when the intent is mixing the two separate stereo pairs together, rather than combining a near-spaced pair and wide-spaced pair which will tend to have somewhat less sonic differentiation between them.  That's just my personal preference though, and is not intended to cast shade on the excellent recordings made by tapers combining near and wide-spaced pairs.. nor those making excellent recordings using a single pair.