Stereo mic

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Stefan A

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Hi

I have an AT822 stereo mic. Is this a good mic to record tuba - as opposed to a mono mic? While looking for an audio interface, I am discovering the xlr inputs are sometimes mono. I am using an xlr cable for this mic. I have read elsewhere that this is not the right type of cable for a stereo mic. They say I should be using a Y cable. But the interfaces I am seeing use an xlr connection for the mic. Not really sure what to do.

Stefan
 
XLR inputs are always mono. That mic should have a special (5-pin DMX/CC type, if I recall) that goes to a splitter that has 2 XLR tails (1 white L, 1 red R). You'd need two inputs (1 and 2, which could eventually be left and right, or set up as a "stereo" input).

Whether it's good for tuba or not is another story all together... If you're trying to capture a stereo room-ish recording of a tuba, probably so. If you're trying to get a solid recording of the instrument itself, possibly no. But you'd obviously be able to use either one of the two elements also.

(EDIT)

Sorry wrong mic. That's some goofy hi-z split thing for field recording. Meh... Probably not what you're going to want.
 
Thanks. I originally bought it many years ago to record live concerts from the audience using a pro cassette tape recorder. It worked great for that.

Anyway, I'm a bit more confused because I AM getting stereo recordings from this mic plugged into the xlr input on my interface. So I guess a stereo mic into a mono xlr will give you stereo?

Stefan
 
Looks like the original cable for the mic was XLR to 1/8" stereo. If you are not using a splitter from the 1/8" stereo plug, and inputting into two separate input channels of your interface, you are only recording a mono track. You just have the same signal through both speakers.

So no, is the answer to your question.
 
Massive Master said:
XLR inputs are always mono.
Click to expand...

Sorry - this statement is so wrong and so confusing.

There are very very many stereo signals on XLR.

Yes - a 3-pin XLR is normally for a single channel - but not always.

There are some unbalanced stereo microphones that use a single 3-pin XLR - eg: Sennheiser MKE 66 and the AT 822 being discussed by the OP.

Though, normally, a stereo microphone will be balanced and use a 5-pin XLR.

A 3-pin XLR used for digital signals will always be stereo (AES3) and also AES42 digital microphones.

An XLR is just a connector and there are several ways it can be used.

But a 3-pin XLR input will nearly always be single channel balanced analogue or 2-channel digital
A 5-pin XLR will nearly always be two channel analogue.
 
Jimmy - I thought the same signal through both speakers was stereo. I guess I just don't understand what stereo and mono really means. I've always thought that mono was just sound coming out of one speaker. Yeah, my newbieness is really showing :)

So regardless of the type of mic I have, I will still hear sound out of both speakers?
 
Thanks John. A lot of that is over my head, but thanks for clearing it up. I knew I wasn't crazy when I read that some of the xlr inputs were stereo. But as you can see from my post above, I seem to be confused as to what stereo and mono really are.

Stefan
 
Stefan A said:
Jimmy - I thought the same signal through both speakers was stereo. I guess I just don't understand what stereo and mono really means. I've always thought that mono was just sound coming out of one speaker. Yeah, my newbieness is really showing :)
Click to expand...
same signal through two speakers is mono ..... it's mono if it's thru 150 speakers.

A stereo signal requires that there be some differences between the left and right signals. It can be a simple as an fx that's stereo or something panned slightly more to one side than the other or a bit of echo to one side. Or it can be large differences such as extreme panning of instruments.

But simply having it thru two speakers doesn't make it stereo ..... if the signals are the exact same it's mono.
 
This is really helping me.

So, if I record in a mono mic, will the same signal be broadcast into as many speakers as I have set up? Or do I have to duplicate the track and put it in the other speaker(s)?

For recording an acoustic instrument such as a tuba, what would be more typical - stereo or mono? When I listen to professional solo recordings, to me it sounds like the same thing in each ear. So this is actually mono that I am hearing? Or are things usually done in post that I am unaware of that makes it stereo?

If my stereo mic (at822) is not the right mic for recording myself on tuba, what would be better?

Stefan
 
Yes a mono signal will go thru as many speakers as you have set up (Usually 2) as long as you have it panned to the center.
You could choose to pan it to one side or the other but that would NOT require duplicating tracks.
And panning it to one side would make your over all mix stereo because the two sides would differ (more tuba in one side than the other) but the individual track would still be mono .... you'd simply have it panned to one side.

Be aware that your overall mix and the individual tracks are two different things.
Panning a mono track to one side would make the overall mix stereo but that does not require that the individual tracks be stereo ...... you can pan a mono track all the way from just the right side to all the way to just the left side and anywhere in between which results in the overall mix being stereo but the mono track is still mono ....


I can't say I've had to record tuba but I am a sax player and I pretty much always just use a single mic and a single track and it's mono.
I imagine just a mono track on tuba would be the most common way to go.

You can record stuff in stereo but with something like a tuba I don't think I see any point.
Recording in stereo often is used for keyboards that often have stereo fxs like chorus or delays on them.
But for a single source it's generally tracked in mono.
 
Great - thanks.

So, I will need a new mic for the best experience? Any suggestions?

Stefan
 
Stefan A said:
Great - thanks.

So, I will need a new mic for the best experience? Any suggestions?

Stefan
Click to expand...
I think I'd go to the mic forum and start a thread asking 'best mic for tuba?' or PM moresound and ask him ........ he knows mics.
 
For live and recording I've always used the Sennheiser 421 And occasionally the little clip on drum microphones that some performers bring with them.

As for microphone placement - center and just right inside the bell has given me the best results.

Tried ribbon microphones a few times with good results as well.
 
Stefan A said:
Great - thanks.

So, I will need a new mic for the best experience? Any suggestions?

Stefan
Click to expand...

Stereo doesn't seem all that useful for a tuba. If you use the AT822 place as moresound says and angle it 45° so you're aiming one of the elements straight into the bell. Be sure you record the correct output.

You do need to use a cable that splits the XLR into two separate 1/8" or 1/4" outputs. Stereo works by having two different signals. Because how the XLR is used on the 822 is not the same as how it's normally used, if you connect it directly to a normal mic input you will only be hearing the difference signal, right channel subtracted from the left channel. But more importantly you risk damaging your mic if phantom power is present.
 
Thanks

My current interface only has an input for an xlr mic, so I won't be able to use the split cable. I already have the cable which is split into 2 1/4 outputs. I am assuming this type of input is standard on better interfaces? Hopefully I can get a better mic and not have to worry about this.

Stefan
 
Stefan A said:
Thanks

My current interface only has an input for an xlr mic, so I won't be able to use the split cable. I already have the cable which is split into 2 1/4 outputs. I am assuming this type of input is standard on better interfaces? Hopefully I can get a better mic and not have to worry about this.

Stefan
Click to expand...

You can buy/build an adapter to get one of the 1/4" outputs into the XLR input. A DI would also probably work and be useful for other stuff. On the cheap and in the US get one of these: 1/4" Jack-to-A3M XLR Plug Adapter/Transformer : XLR Adapters | RadioShack.com
 
I just realized that my xlr input is actually a combo xlr-1/4" input.
 
Doesn't really change anything, other than two types of connectors could be used. Still, only one input.
 
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