hollywood_steve wrote:
Is there anything resembling a formula or basic guidelines for sizing
a Decca tree? I know the proportions (2X from left to right, 1.5X
from front to back) as described in the New Stereo Soundbook: but can
the overall scale be related to the size of the facility somehow?

Not really. It relates to the size of the stereo image you want, and
the directionality of the microphones. The standard proportions are
about right for M50s.

What guidelines would someone use when designing a tree assembly? Is
there a smallest practical size or could I rig up 3 Schoeps mini mics
into a palm-sized tree?

I don't think you can do Decca miking with something as omnidirectional
as the Schoeps. The whole point of the system is that it takes advantage
of the top end directionality of a large diaphragm omni.

Seriously, what are the tradeoffs for smaller
vs larger and could the size be somehow related to how live/dead the
room is, or ???

The more you pull them apart and toe them out, the more separation you
get and the wider the image there is. If everything is clustered in the
center, pull them apart. If there's a hole in the middle, move them together.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."