Determining location of speaker cone on guitar amp.

[swayofpendulums]

The title to this thread is somewhat convoluted, I had a hard time wording it.

I have a Traynor YCV40 amplifier. What I would like to know is when miking a guitar amp (in my case the amp has one 12" speaker) is there an easy way to see where the edges of the speaker cone are?

In otherwords, when miking a guitar amp how does one know where to place the microphone, say if they wanted to mic dead center of the cone, or on the edge, and so forth.

The design of my amp doesn't allow me to physically feel for the edges of the cone.

[mykie_a]

flashlight works for me

[rayc]

Light obviously BUT you ought not make the assumption that the edge is where you want the mic. Experiment - before looking - a "blind" test to find the sweet spot then use a little X to mark it & there you are.

[WhiteStrat]

Originally Posted by rayc

Light obviously BUT you ought not make the assumption that the edge is where you want the mic. Experiment - before looking - a "blind" test to find the sweet spot then use a little X to mark it & there you are.

I'm with Ray on this one. Find the sweet spot with your ear first. Then grab a flashlight and "see" where that sweet spot is. It's good to know for future reference, but trust your ear first.

[swayofpendulums]

I did originally just stick my ear right in front of it, trying to find the sweet spot, and that worked ok.

I just got my first set of sm57s and going through the instruction manual I saw some examples and effects of mic placement and I just wanted to experiment.

I never would have thought of using a flashlight though, thanks guys!

[rayc]

Ah, I'd go even further if I had someone to help me in the room: instead of your ear in from for the sweet spot use the mic. Do it live - with h/phones - or for a result that will be of better value actually record bits in each position - marking them by announcing it & then play it back - that way you'll know what sounds best recorded as opposed to sounds best in the room (I saw a movie with Chuck Berry & Keef Richards arguing over this point).

[RAMI]

Originally Posted by rayc

(I saw a movie with Chuck Berry & Keef Richards arguing over this point).

KEEF: Ok man, you got to live with it.

CHUCK: I've been living with it for 50 years, man!

[eyema_believer]

Keef~
Oh my.....