Can I safely use KSM32 + KSM44 for X/Y recording?

H

hognogger

New member
I've just been recording some tracks for a solo acoustic guitar/vocals CD I'm making.

For the guitar, I've mainly used Studio Projects C4 (when I wanted a brighter, more focused sound) and a spaced Shure KSM 32 and KSM44 pair when I wanted a richer, less focused sound.

Just wondering whether I can get away with using the Shures for X/Y recording without upsetting the stereo image too much, or whether it would be desirable to get (in all likelihood) a second KSM32?

Thanks... :)
 
The 32 and 44 are definately different sounding mics. Using them in X/Y would likely give you a strange stereo image. Fortunately, the 44 has a Figure-8 pattern, so you could use the pair in M/S configuration. That should work nicely.
 
Thanks. I considered M/S, but as I live on a busy-ish road, I thought that this might prove too noisy (as compared to cardioid with the back of the mic facing the window).

But I should probably try it out anyway, just to confirm whether this is the case before spending any more money.
 
There is no mandate that the M and S mics have to be the same mic. I definitely wouldn't call recordings I've made with a Rpde NT2 and a CAD M179 strange.
 
hognogger said:
I've just been recording some tracks for a solo acoustic guitar/vocals CD I'm making.

For the guitar, I've mainly used Studio Projects C4 (when I wanted a brighter, more focused sound) and a spaced Shure KSM 32 and KSM44 pair when I wanted a richer, less focused sound.

Just wondering whether I can get away with using the Shures for X/Y recording without upsetting the stereo image too much, or whether it would be desirable to get (in all likelihood) a second KSM32?

Thanks... :)
Click to expand...

I believe it will sound fine. I have used different mics in XY, ORTF and as spaced pairs for solo acou guit and have gotten excellent results IMO. You might also want to try the 32 straight out from the neck joint and the 44 in omni over the right shoulder. Just experiment and use what works for the song.
 
hognogger said:
Thanks. I considered M/S, but as I live on a busy-ish road, I thought that this might prove too noisy (as compared to cardioid with the back of the mic facing the window).
Click to expand...
Given this information, my personal recommendation would be to spend some money on treating your room before spending any more money on mics. Even if you use the KSM44 in cardiod mode, you're likely to get some undesirable reflections off of your walls and window(s). For the $500 that it would cost to get a new KSM32, you could get a whole bunch of OC705 insulation and some SheetBlok-like material to cover your window(s). It won't completely soundproof your space, but it'll kill a bunch of reflections and tame a major area of sound leakage.

To put it another way: the mics that you already have are more than enough to get you a nice acoustic recording in a good-sounding room. Improving the sound of your room will probably give you the biggest bang for the buck in improving your recordings.

- Jerfo
 
jerfo said:
Given this information, my personal recommendation would be to spend some money on treating your room before spending any more money on mics. Even if you use the KSM44 in cardiod mode, you're likely to get some undesirable reflections off of your walls and window(s). For the $500 that it would cost to get a new KSM32, you could get a whole bunch of OC705 insulation and some SheetBlok-like material to cover your window(s). It won't completely soundproof your space, but it'll kill a bunch of reflections and tame a major area of sound leakage.

To put it another way: the mics that you already have are more than enough to get you a nice acoustic recording in a good-sounding room. Improving the sound of your room will probably give you the biggest bang for the buck in improving your recordings.

- Jerfo
Click to expand...

I second that.
 
Thanks guys for your responses, I really appreciate the input.

jerfo said:
Given this information, my personal recommendation would be to spend some money on treating your room before spending any more money on mics.
Click to expand...

I've thought about room treatments. At the moment I do have curtains/drapes on the windows, a clothes rack behind where I record, and objects in all the corners of the room.

The major thing holding me back from room treatment is the fact that I'm currently renting, and therefore can't mess with the walls, etc. If there are any things I can do without doing permanent "damage" to the house, that would be interesting.
 
hognogger said:
Thanks guys for your responses, I really appreciate the input.



I've thought about room treatments. At the moment I do have curtains/drapes on the windows, a clothes rack behind where I record, and objects in all the corners of the room.

The major thing holding me back from room treatment is the fact that I'm currently renting, and therefore can't mess with the walls, etc. If there are any things I can do without doing permanent "damage" to the house, that would be interesting.
Click to expand...

Go here: http://modularacoustics.com/ and contact Nick. For $195.00 you can buy a box of three broadband absorbers that will do more for improving the sound of your recordings than any piece of gear will. Hang them from boom stands and move them around where needed.
I have no affiliation with Nick - just a satisfied customer. They really work.

Terry
 
Sklathill said:
There is no mandate that the M and S mics have to be the same mic. I definitely wouldn't call recordings I've made with a Rpde NT2 and a CAD M179 strange.
Click to expand...

I think you misread my post.
 
hognogger said:
Thanks. I considered M/S, but as I live on a busy-ish road, I thought that this might prove too noisy (as compared to cardioid with the back of the mic facing the window).
Click to expand...

If you do M/S, the M mic *will* be the cardioid. The S mic will be the figure 8, which has a very tight null, which will be pointed in the same direction as the cardiod as well as directly behind it. In other words, there shouldn't be much difference in the noise level with X/Y vs. M/S.
 
tkingen said:
Go here: http://modularacoustics.com/ and contact Nick. For $195.00 you can buy a box of three broadband absorbers that will do more for improving the sound of your recordings than any piece of gear will.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Terry.

I checked out that site and it sounds good. Just need to find someone in Australia who offers similar stuff (and this has turned out to be harder than I would have expected, but I'll get there...)
 
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