Stereo mic? Why....

[rlorentz]

I recently bought the sony mz-m200 hi-md recorder. I got it to record line in to catch live performances from my mixing console. Works excellent for this!

I also got it for casual field recordings of sounds etc. To this end, the thing came with a (cheap I'm sure) microphone. The thing that puzzles me is that the mic is stereo and I have no idea why. It just seems like a hinderance? Why would they do this? I've just been recording out of one channel and discarding the other but this is sort of irritating and often I catch a sound through both channels and it makes a mess later to cut up.


Thanks for the thoughts,

Robert

 

[mixsit]

... I catch a sound through both channels and it makes a mess later to cut up.

If they don't let you record just one track- a built-in mic would want to be stereo.
If you have to toss one track anyway, can't you aim the 'keeper side to the source--you were wanting mono anyway?

 

[tmix]

the mic is stereo and I have no idea why. It just seems like a hinderance? Why would they do this?

I am sure the capsule is a dual element mic with a barrier between them. This makes it record an image (hopefully) similar to what your ears hear with the barrier between your ears being your head.

Recording off one side may be skewing the the image a little due to the fact the sound coming from whatever side you cancel, may not be fully represented in what you keep.

It is all theory, in practice if you like what you hear great.
There is probably an adapter that will sum both sides at the mic plug.

Tom

 

[Robert D]

The thing that puzzles me is that the mic is stereo and I have no idea why. It just seems like a hinderance? Why would they do this?
Robert

Um....... because most people prefer stereophonic sound over monophonic sound? I must be missing something.