SDC vs. LDC - why use SDC ?

[mattkw80]

Maybe I should have posted this in the NEWB section, but it occured to me one day, that I have been using Small Diaphragm Condensers on Acoustic Guitars and Drum Overheads, just because, somebody once told me I should.

So, I'm asking, besides the obvious potential physical size advantage, why use SDC's at all ?

Is it only because, the can potentially fit in smaller areas ?

Can LDC's not do everything SDC's do, and even more ?

What am I missing here ?

 

[antichef]

You'll get a better response from the more knowledgeable folks on the board, but the short answer (which bears out in my experience) is that the small diaphragm can respond to changes in the sound (frequency, loudness) more quickly than the large diaphragm can, simply because it has less area/mass. I'm sure that's not all there is to it.

 

[drossfile]

it's not carved in stone that sdcs are the empirically better route (i've heard of c414s and u87s being used as overheads). it just seems that because of their accuracy, rather than "flattery," sdcs are better suited for instruments that are heavy on transients (drums), and ldcs are used universally for vocals.

the most popular acoustic guitar techniques i've seen involve one sdc and one ldc (mid/side, or the ever popular sdc on 12th fret w/ ldc out a ways from the sound hole), to cover the range of frequencies and textures.

i think the multiple answers to this question are pretty exhaustively covered in the microphone stickies. enjoy the read!

 

[mattkw80]

Alright, thanks guys.

I guess that my big debate, which should I buy.


I will read the stickies, I know that one stickie is pretty involved, so I'll check it out.

(I always forget that it's there)