greggery peccary .@. wrote:
hey out there, i'm in an audio production class and the instructor avoids a
direct answer to this question: is there something in the nature of a
slightly out of phase recording (such as that created by a difference in mic
distance) that can make something sound "warmer" like analog? i know all
about the "if it sounds good do it" philosophy, but i'm wondering to what
extent do engineers delve into phase corrction with their software? thanks

Group delay doesn't make things sound warmer. For the most part it is
not even all that audible, to be honest, although it can make things sound
smearier if it's really bad. Usually group delay is a symptom of something
else gone wrong.

If you are mixing two microphone sources, it can be handy to have a box
between them that adds group delay to help reduce the comb filtering when
you sum feeds from slightly different positions. Little Labs makes such
a box.

What you call a "slightly out of phase recording" is actually a recording
with comb filtering _caused_ by the out of phase sources. The phase differences
are not themselves audible; the comb filtering when they are summed is.

I find comb filtering rather annoying myself, but you can use it as a fun
effect if you want. Sweet Smoke's _Just a Poke_ has a very interesting
drum solo done with mikes that change position throughout the solo.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."