Quote:
Originally Posted by
deedeeyeah
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imo there is no point in comparing any soundfield mic (or similar mic array) to more conventional mics: soundfields can decode to stereo but frankly, there are always better solutions for stereo recording/mixing: what makes them interesting in some stereo applications nevertheless is their function (to recombine capsules in post in any possible way), not their sound.
on the other hand, they are extremly easy to use and pretty convincing for surround recording/mixing (apart from some limits that simply cannot be overcome by the design of capsule array) and one would have to come up with fairly sophistcated mic arrays trying to emulate a soundfield with a clumsy bunch of conventional mics...
in surround application, even the sps200 sound pretty good - i wish though that any of the other well known manufacturers would come up with a high end version including a mic pre with simultanuous outputs of all formats and a bulit in headphone preamp with separate decoding for monitoring...
I would be cautious about making the generalization that all Soundfield mics can’t compete in stereo applications with top quality
individual mics. While the less expensive SPS200
and earlier MK V and 422 may not be equal in quality to high quality individual mics, the DSF-1
(which I own) sounds as good as my individual
Sennheiser MKH 8040/8050/30’s and Josephson C617’s through Gordon preamps. The DSF-1 is my go to main orchestra/choral mic and is not a compromise. The adjustability in post is a bonus.
It allows me to tweak the pattern, stereo width, azimuth and tilt in post which is very helpful when
you don’t have a rehearsal to tweak things.
In addition I can add a decode (e.g. a Harpex B
plugin “shotgun” decode to tweak the level of the
vocal soloists which were 10-14 ft off to the right and just a few feet in front of my stand (not ideal for pick up by the main Blumlein decode) and a little low in the “main pair”.