SDC cardoid - placement - direction

[Hang Fan]

Hi guys,

I am trying to interpret the cardoid pattern graph for proper placement of the mic.

I am assuming that this is the top view of the mic and the o degrees is the infinity mark on the mic.

So the question is, do I place the mic facing the instrument or angle it a little bit so that the cardoid patterm is facing the instrument.

Thanks for your advice

 

[Bobbsy]

Pretty well all SDC mics are "end address" so you point them directly at what you wish to record...the maximum rejection is at the rear of the mic (i.e. where the XLR is pointing) and the pickup gradually rolls off as you move from directly in front around any side.

Edited to add...when you look at the published patterns, imagine it with the mic capsule in the centre of the diagram and the end with the XLR pointing towards the 180 degree mark.

Bob

 

[Hang Fan]

Thanks a lot for your answer.

I was angling it thinking that the pattern is the top view :-(

I will do another recording with the front of the mic facing the instrument directly.

 

[Hang Fan]

I might be buying a LDC also to check out what works best for me.

Does the same thing apply to LDC too, should I point it also directly to the instrument, or like the vedios I see, most vocalist have it straight up and they are singing on it from the side.

 

[Bobbsy]

Nope. Most LDC mics are "side address". In this case, your original idea is correct.

To equate the diagrams to an LDC, visualise it standing vertically in the middle of the plot. The diaphragm stands vertically inside the mic casing and one side is sensitive, the other rejects most sounds.

Bob

 

[Hang Fan]

Thanks a lot.

One more question : My SDC has a switchable -10 db pad and a switchable 80 Hz high pass filter.

I am assuming that the -10 db pad will help me when I place the mic too close to a loud instrument, like a djembe.

I have no idea about the switchable high pass filter.

Please advice me on how to use these 2.

 

[Bobbsy]

You're right about the pad. It helps to stop overloading the mic itself when you have a very loud source.

The high pass filter helps when you're in a situation where there's unwanted low frequency sounds. Places I've used it in the past would be when I have a mic placed on a stage and there's transmitted rumble from the floor or outside where a lot of wind noise is extremely low frequency. It's also useful when you have the mic close to something and the "proximity effect" is accentuating the lows.

One thing to consider is that the high pass filter is probably more applicable in live situations--unless the low frequency content is causing problems in tracking, it's often better to just leave it and do some more precise filtering in the mix during post production....but, for the live work I do, it can be useful indeed.

Bob

 

[Hang Fan]

Thanks Bob,

You have been of great help, Really appreciate it.

 

[John Willett]

Hi guys,

I am trying to interpret the cardoid pattern graph for proper placement of the mic.

I am assuming that this is the top view of the mic and the o degrees is the infinity mark on the mic.

So the question is, do I place the mic facing the instrument or angle it a little bit so that the cardoid patterm is facing the instrument.

Thanks for your advice

The pattern works in all planes - this picture shows it quite well:-

0° is the front of the mic.

I'm not sure what you mean by "infinity symbol"?

Do you mean this - ∞ ?

This is normally the symbol on a switchable-pattern mic. for the figure-8 pattern.

This picks up front and rear, but not at the sides.

I hope this helps.