I did a plan of a setup according to your proposal.
No, you did not.
* an ORTF center 3m from front scene
* an AB cardio couple 1m behind / 2m apart + high-pass from ~700Hz & -2,94ms delay
* an omni couple 1,5m behind / 2m apart with low-pass to ~700Hz & -7,35ms delay
No idea what that is supposed to do?
I prose something VERY different. Only 4 microphones (of which two may be integrated into a single body).
* a minimal "point" array, [e.g. Blumlein crossed 8, XY, M/S, ORTF, DIN, NOS - according to taste] set to have the correct recording angle to capture the ensemble being recorded. Microphones should have excellent HF response and consistent directivity
* a spaced pair of microphones, usually large diaphragm variable set to "omni" (which actually become directional at high frequencies).
Exact spacing between microphones subject to adjustment, start at 1.5m between the spaced pair and front 1m forward.
Front minimum array is delayed to give a coherent wavefront with the rear pair for a signal at center stage.
The front array output is split into two sets of signals, one ~ 700Hz first order highpass, the other unequalised and no highpass.
The rear spaced pair output is split into two sets of signals, one via adjustable first order lowpass (normal setting 700Hz), the other unequalised and no highpass.
The "default" setting is to have the low-passed rear spaced pair level reference and to raise gain for the front to balance the tonality.
We effectively get a system that at 700Hz has an equal amount of time difference stereo and amplitude difference stereo (whereas a minimal array only is 100% amplitude difference stereo)..
Below 700Hz the "stereo" system progressively slides towards time difference stereo and at 175Hz it is effectively purely time difference stereo.
Above 700hz the "stereo" system progressively slides towards amplitude difference stereo and at 2800Hz it is effectively purely amplitude difference stereo.
The extra signals from front and back microphones allows extra "dryness" or "wettness" to be dialled in.
And there is a operation mode where the minimal array is run without high pass and the "high pass" is left to the natural ~250Hz corner far-field roll-off caused by the cardioid operation of a small capsule and the rear spaced pair operates below ~250Hz to fill in. It usually "gels" less well than a higher crossover but this is not categorical.
For larger ensembles I preferred 88 or XY in front which allow the widest recording angles.
If we record front & back digitally into 4 tracks at 24/192 (which in 2024 I can see no reason why not) we can do everything in POST. Exact crossover frequency and how much extra "dry" or "wet" we dial in is then easily controlled and remixed until just so.
As I only ever recorded to two tracks on tape, such luxury was naturally unavailable to me and it was critical to set "the box" with my DIY Mic-Pre's and the mixer etc. up right, by ear and fairly fast, then ask for a quick rehearsal of an ffff passage of the programme and then of one pppp one before starting the recording and hopefully not being the reason why a take had to be repeated.
Thor
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