Topic: Mic interference?

[natas43]

I usually run CSBs with the CS battery box/filter and an MT.  For some upcoming shows, I am considering running that rig along with a second set of CSBs/BB/filter into an iRiver.  Both rigs will be stealth.  Generally I wear a long sleeve button down shirt and clip one mic to each collar of the shirt.  If I clip both set of mics right next to each other on my collar, will I get any interference?  I'd hate to go through running the set up of 2 rigs only to have neither recording turn out.

[echo1434]

I really don't think there would be any problem.

I mean, if you put both your current mics right next to each other, they're still fine, right?

[natas43]

I assume.  Never ran them like that.  Just making sure I don't run into any problems....  Thanks for the response

[natas43]

You got it.  2 seperate rigs, 2 sets of mics.  I usually clip the left to my left collar, the right to the right.  Was just curious regarding having 2 sets of mics in such close proximity.

[DSatz]

natas, this worry may be misplaced under the circumstances--not because the problem isn't real, but because it's so unmanageable. Acoustical interference in stealth recording situations has got to be completely rampant, and any impulse toward audio purism under the circumstances is bound to be rather ill-fated, I think.

Whenever you place a microphone capsule near any reasonably solid object that has dimensions larger than a respectable-sized lump of sugar, you no longer get the same frequency and directional response as that microphone would give you in a free sound field. By mounting a microphone on your own (presumably solid) body, you're already messing up the sound field around that microphone to a far greater extent than another small, nearby microphone would normally do.

The effect of this interference increases in proportion to the frequency of the sound; upper middle and higher sound frequencies can be significantly affected by relatively small nearby objects, while low frequencies are pretty much immune except to very large objects (e.g. room boundaries). Even large microphones get in their own way, acoustically speaking--for better or worse, diffraction and reflection effects color their frequency, polar and impulse response at upper midrange and high frequencies.

It makes good sense that some microphones are specially developed for use as lavaliers, for example; useful response adjustments can be made when you know in advance that a microphone will be riding on someone's chest cavity. And I've noticed that some of the Audio-Technica microphones that people here use for stealth recording are actually listed as lavalier microphones if you go look them up on A-T's Web site. I don't know how well the optimal response characteristics for lavalier microphones match the optimal response characteristics for stealth recording, but my point is that the basic idea of choosing microphones for a specific type of mounting is not wrong. I have some wonderful microphones for recording concerts in plain sight, but I'd never assume that their best qualities would shine through if I had to share my clothing with them.

Are there a lot of people here who prefer (sonically) one type of microphone for stealth recording, but a different type for recording in plain sight? I wouldn't be surprised if so.

--best regards