Why upside down?

[bluegrit]

Pardon me if this has been discussed.

I would like to know why it seems to be standard to mount a large diaphragm condenser mic upside down? Looking at session photos from some of my favorite artists I notice that almost ALL of them have the mic mounted upside down.
Can anyone tell me the benefits of doing this?

Dave

[NL5]

Originally Posted by bluegrit

Pardon me if this has been discussed.

I would like to know why it seems to be standard to mount a large diaphragm condenser mic upside down? Looking at session photos from some of my favorite artists I notice that almost ALL of them have the mic mounted upside down.
Can anyone tell me the benefits of doing this?

Dave

It looks cool?

If it's a tube mic, it directs the heat away from the capsule.......

[Big Kenny]

Also, it keeps the mic away from music stand and cables and lyric sheets

[cusebassman]

Originally Posted by NL5

It looks cool?

If it's a tube mic, it directs the heat away from the capsule.......

Originally Posted by Big Kenny

Also, it keeps the mic away from music stand and cables and lyric sheets

Those are the only two I was going to offer up as well. I set up an MSH-1 on my acoustic last night and My Rode K2 for vocals, and hung it upside down, mainly so the stand woulldn't get in the way of the acoustic guitar and mic, but also due to the tube thing... it probably doesn't make a huge difference in the long run if a tube mic is used rightside up, but I do it to be safe anyway

[kojdogg]

Originally Posted by NL5

It looks cool?

If it's a tube mic, it directs the heat away from the capsule.......

Originally Posted by cusebassman

... it probably doesn't make a huge difference in the long run if a tube mic is used rightside up, but I do it to be safe anyway

iirc it was originally much more important when capsules were made with mylar rather than pvc, as there is greater risk of the former melting or otherwise being damaged from the heat of the tube.

[NL5]

Originally Posted by kojdogg

iirc it was originally much more important when capsules were made with mylar rather than pvc, as there is greater risk of the former melting or otherwise being damaged from the heat of the tube.

I thought it was the other way around.....

[kojdogg]

Originally Posted by NL5

I thought it was the other way around.....

you're probably right. my bad

[Farview]

It also keeps dust from settling inside.

[mrface2112]

b/c they're like that in the pictures of the Beatles at Abbey Road? so if i hang it like that, i'll get that Lennon vocal sound, right?

never underestimate the power of a visual.


cheers,
wade

[craigmorris74]

The VF14 tube in the U47 and U48 is the only one that puts off that kind of heat to damage the capsule, and then that's only because the M7 capsule has a PVC diapragm. That's why you see them upside down in the Abbey Road pics. Your modern tube mics should be fine right side up, unless you just want to ge them out of the way.

Craig

[PhilGood]

The reason for keeping heat away from the PVC diaphragm was not so much to keep it from melting, it was to keep it from drying out and cracking faster than it would normally.

[dgatwood]

Singers also get better tone with their chins raised slightly. Singers tend to look towards the microphone. Thus, having the mic higher (with the element on the bottom, and thus as close as possible to the singer) results in a better recording.

[bluegrit]

So...I just recorded an acoustic guitar part with 2 large diaphragm condenser mics. I mounted them upside down and while I was listening to the playback,trying to scrutinize every subtle nuance, I stepped out of the room for a second. As I came back into the room it hit me like a ton of bricks as to why you should mount them upside down...


It looks cooler!

[bubbagump]

Well, in my experience it has been two fold. First, as someone mentioned earlier, it keeps the cable and crap from dangling on a music stand. The second reason is to keep plosives under control. By raising the mic above where the mouth is, it is in the direct sound field but not in the direct path of any air. Even with a pop filter, some pop can sneak through and this is just one more measure.

[craigmorris74]

Can't you elevate the mic and tilt it in the up position just as easily?

[mixsit]

Originally Posted by craigmorris74

Can't you elevate the mic and tilt it in the up position just as easily?

Sure.

Here's another one; The AT-40xx LDC's fall out of the (one!) rubber band holding them.

[bluegrit]

Got to agree with the AT-40xx comment. I have an AT-4033. The rubber band idea for that cradle is crap and it makes the cradle worthless for anything other than straight up and down.

[Ironklad Audio]

yea, i hate those shockmounts...i can get it to work with the mic sitting sideways - but you can forget about trying to go upside down with it

and having the mic upside down just generally makes me feel better...i don't like the idea of someone being able to knock over a stand and kill a mic with an errant wave of their arm, or some other random act

[pohaku]

Yeah, the Shure mounts for the KSM 27,32 and 44 that lock the mic in are much better.