upside down mics

bongoboy

a clown without a circus
I see many videos of people recording with LDC's mounted upside down. Do they sound better this way?
 
I'm pretty sure that it's just relative to the singer's style and mic technique (or lack thereof). I remember reading something quite a few years ago, possibly on this forum somewhere, about how mic position can help a voice sound "better". For example, someone who has a nasally voice may be able to compensate for a better sound by positioning the mic a little lower or higher than their mouth. I dunno...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong; I've been recording for a while but I'm no expert... ;)
 
Mikes are upside mostly because it looks cool

It really makes no material difference which way up yo have them.

There are a number of reasons why upside down is supposed to be better. Most of those are spurious. It would be one of the least significant issues in the quality of sound of a recording.
 
A quick varder found the idea that valved mics were put USD to keep heat off the capsule?

I have read that it was in fact VITAL to use the valve heat to drive out condensation!

Dave.
 
I do it so I can hold the lyric sheet just below the mic and be able to see it without the mic body in the way. :D
 
In Australia all the mics are upside down?? Actually all the mics in the US are upside down but thats another discussion.

I usually invert the mic to get it out of the way, of the lyric sheet, or when someone is playing a guitar at the same time as singing.

Alan.
 
Well mostly. It used to be done to keep the heat from the tube effecting the capsule. I can't speak for modern mics, but it's the reason you see the U47 hung upside down.

Well maybe. My thoughts are that the greater majority of mikes used these days do not have that problem. And in any case, that particular problem is open to debate. While some argue that a U47 is hung upside down to protect the capsule, others say that the right way up is beneficial in that the heat dissipates moisture.

I don't have any tube mikes, so it is not an issue for me. I just stick the mike up whichever way happens to be most convenient at the time.
 
For a heavy mic, it would seem to be more stable hanging down, than pointing up where the center of balance might tend to make it want to lean one way or the other.
 
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