One area I will have to deal with, something that is a school staple, as well as a potential stage production fix is to record a wide area performance. Often a couple of pencil mics are used, spread evenly wide (3:1 ratio) or XY’d.
The problem with this is often the sound is a little thin. Pencil Condensers will pick up lots of detail and offer good gain, but lack bass depth and that is only made worse with distance. Going into heavier mics could help, but that would mean (for me), dynamics, which may lack that detail and enough pickup to work.
How about this, an idea not from a sound engineer, not even someone who has tried anything like this before, but something fuelled by reviews of the Lewitt MTP 440, several in particular that point out the real strength of this mic.
Calming image as a spacer. Now back to the madness ;).
An instrument specialist, usually employed on guitar cabs, drums or deeper acoustics, it has plenty of clarity, punch and depth, but it does not load the top end up or colour the sound. This last bit is important.
These mics have lots to give, but they are reserved, controlled in their offering. This is something like the equivalent of a RAW image. Lots of neutral detail and depth, but not aggressive colouration or “baked in” bias like a jpeg. Both mics have been reviewed regularly as having those characteristics and being class leaders.
The industry has been owned by the Shure veterans (SM58/57) for a long time, but the mood is changing. Rather than accepting the status quo*, many are looking for more detail, less aggression and are starting to cut loose the limitations that worshipping just one way of doing things bring. A landscape that has room for so many competitors to emerge must be lacking something.
Top end can be boosted in post because it has been recorded cleanly, but if it is not wanted, it is well controlled, neutral and smooth (the mic has basically the opposite frequency curve to a Shure SM57, more “V” shaped with less up front and opinionated in the middle, smoother and cleaned at either end).
If every mic comes with lots of high and mid power, the combined information coming from all the mics can be over whelming and hard to remove or re-balance. Far better that it can be added in, not taken out, a bit like salt in a meal.
I may have found the perfect balancing mics for my kit.
This will let the 040’s carry the height, the 440’s the weight without either treading on the others toes. The idea, if it works without horrible feedback or phasing issues etc, which I will admit to having little idea at the moment, is the 040 high and towards the centre (the usual ORTF, A/B or X/Y employment), then the two 440’s lower or on the flanks aimed at the deeper sounding instruments.
I am of course open to the reality that this reversed may be better or maybe something I have not thought of. I may even try a “Deca Tree” style, with them all centred.
It could add much needed low end and depth to area or instrument recording. More to the point, the 440’s could add the bulk and the 040’s the extra brilliance. Effectively, the two pairs would act like a pair of “super” mics, almost like a top end condenser (or possibly a clutch of doomed microphone rabbits in the musical headlights).
I doubt this has a fixed formula, even if it works, but the starting choices are sound I hope. If not I will have a couple of stereo pair options anyway.
I have vocal and general mics covered with the Lewitt 240 Condenser, 2x sE V’s and the Prodipe, but for both instrumental and area recording maybe, just maybe, this combo will be extremely powerful and punch well above its weight. It does not hurt either that they can do vocals as well.
The best of condensers (sensitivity and fine detail) and the best of dynamics (power and robust depth) within my limited needs.
Like all things, placement and knowing your gear are the most important controls, but by sticking with one brand and matching pairs, I have the makings of a solid head start.
Ed. I went looking for another MTP440 and Belfield Music, cheaper than most by $10 ($20 if you count free freight) had 14% off for their 14th birthday, so it was clearly meant to be. Another 440 for $125au.
*The 58 is warm and reliable, but sometimes muddy and lacking detail and the 57 is aggressive, punchy, but as the 440 shows, you can have that without so much pushiness. It’s not for nothing the competition are all shifting away from their sound, because tastes change.