[JBAFromNY]

How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

TIA,
John

[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
JBAFromNY wrote:
How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

You'll get some vague kind of imaging, but you won't get a good solid
stereo image.

If you have two mismatched mikes and one of them is a figure-8, you can
try M-S. Things will still move around the soundfield when they change
tonally, but it's much closer to a real soundstage.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

Are you recording a complete performance - putting the two mics in
front of a band, choir, orchestra etc. to capture the full soundstage?
Or are they in front of a single instrument in order to record it with
more depth than a single mic. would give?

In the first case, your stereo won't be accurate, but might sound
good. In the second, true stereo is hardly an issue. Experiment
with different mics, different angles. If it sounds good, it's good.

[JBAFromNY[_2_]]

On Apr 11, 6:05*am, Laurence Payne wrote:
How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, *I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. *What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

Are you recording a complete performance - putting the two mics in
front of a band, choir, orchestra etc. to capture the full soundstage?
Or are they in front of a single instrument in order to record it with
more depth than a single mic. would give?

In the first case, your stereo won't be accurate, but might sound
good. * In the second, true stereo is hardly an issue. *Experiment
with different mics, different angles. *If it sounds good, it's good.

Mostly the second case -- acoustic guitar, and occasionally some other
instruments in a mix with other instruments. I also sometimes do
record vocals and acoustic guitar together as a complete performance

[WillStG]

On Apr 11, 2:28 pm, JBAFromNY wrote:
On Apr 11, 6:05 am, Laurence Payne wrote:

How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

Are you recording a complete performance - putting the two mics in
front of a band, choir, orchestra etc. to capture the full soundstage?
Or are they in front of a single instrument in order to record it with
more depth than a single mic. would give?

In the first case, your stereo won't be accurate, but might sound
good. In the second, true stereo is hardly an issue. Experiment
with different mics, different angles. If it sounds good, it's good.

Mostly the second case -- acoustic guitar, and occasionally some other
instruments in a mix with other instruments. I also sometimes do
record vocals and acoustic guitar together as a complete performance

I wouldn't call it a no-no if you like the sound, and you can
always try panning the channels to 9 and 3 o'clock rather than wide.
I probably wouldn't X/Y them though I'd space them, starting about
maybe 8 inches off the guitar, one around the bridge and one around
the bottom of the neck somewhere. Not really stereo, but it's a way
of using 2 mics to capture the whole guitar that often sounds good
panned out, and it's useful with other instruments like saxes too.
Wearing headphones you can hear how close to the mics you want to hold
your guitar, you will find there is a "sweet spot" for doing this.
Was the main approach I used starting out when all I had was one
condensor (a U87) and a Shure 58.

I like to wide pan them and also send both mics to a third
channel that's in the middle, often with more compression on that
center channel than on the sides. It's a stereo "effect" that sits
well in a band mix and sounds nice for solo guitar work. More of a
steel string guitar thing though, if you are playing nylon strings,
classical, flamenco, bossas or something get a matched pair of mics.

Will Miho
NY TV/Audio Post/Music/Live Sound Guy
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

[JBAFromNY[_2_]]

On Apr 11, 5:53*pm, WillStG wrote:
On Apr 11, 2:28 pm, JBAFromNY wrote:



On Apr 11, 6:05 am, Laurence Payne wrote:

How big a no no is it to use two different types of mics in an XY
configuration? Because I don't actually have two matching mics, *I've
tried it (matching levels as closely as I can), and I seem to get a
stereo image. *What differences would I get using two of the same
rather than two different mics?

Are you recording a complete performance - putting the two mics in
front of a band, choir, orchestra etc. to capture the full soundstage?
Or are they in front of a single instrument in order to record it with
more depth than a single mic. would give?

In the first case, your stereo won't be accurate, but might sound
good. * In the second, true stereo is hardly an issue. *Experiment
with different mics, different angles. *If it sounds good, it's good.

Mostly the second case -- acoustic guitar, and occasionally some other
instruments in a mix with other instruments. *I also sometimes do
record vocals and acoustic guitar together as a complete performance

* * * *I wouldn't call it a no-no if you like the sound, and you can
always try panning the channels to 9 and 3 o'clock rather than wide.
I probably wouldn't X/Y them though I'd space them, starting about
maybe 8 inches off the guitar, *one around the bridge and one around
the bottom of the neck somewhere. *Not really stereo, but it's a way
of using 2 mics to capture the whole guitar that often sounds good
panned out, and it's useful with other instruments like saxes too.
Wearing headphones you can hear how close to the mics you want to hold
your guitar, *you will find there is a "sweet spot" for doing this.
Was the main approach I used starting out when all I had was one
condensor (a U87) and a Shure 58.

* * * I like to wide pan them and also send both mics to a third
channel that's in the middle, often with more compression on that
center channel than on the sides. *It's a stereo "effect" that sits
well in a band mix and sounds nice for solo guitar work. *More of a
steel string guitar thing though, if you are playing nylon strings,
classical, flamenco, bossas or something get a matched pair of mics.

Will Miho
NY TV/Audio Post/Music/Live Sound Guy
"The large print giveth and the small print taketh away..." Tom Waits

Thanks to all for the tips