Trying to record ORTF, am I stupid?

  • Thread starter Thread starter taeyoung
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taeyoung

taeyoung

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OK, so I'm probably a little dumb, but I'm having a problem recording in stereo using the ORTF technique.

I have a stereo bar that I have been using for a while to do xy, but I'm trying to record ORTF and I can't get the mics to fit with the XLR cables attached. The XLR cables are too fat and are pushing against each other. The bar is so close that they can't face opposite at a 110 degree angle because the 2 XLR ends won't allow it.

Am I doing something wrong? Is there such a thing as too small a stereo bar?? I bought it at sweetwater...just a standard stereo bar.
 
You might try to find a spacer. That would allow one mic to sit above the other on the horizontal plane and allow the cable ends to overlap.

Alternatively, you could try cables with right angle female connectors into the microphones if there is enough room.
 
tnjazz said:
You might try to find a spacer. That would allow one mic to sit above the other on the horizontal plane and allow the cable ends to overlap.

Alternatively, you could try cables with right angle female connectors into the microphones if there is enough room.
Click to expand...

Yeah right angle cables would probably do the trick...cables are rather pricey though. How about this spacer you mention? I can't seem to find one...that would probably be cheap and work fine, can someone point me in the right direction??
 
I use ORTF a lot. I adjust the mikes so one's rear end is just above the other's. That makes one mike's capsule point a few degrees higher than the other. To align them horizontally, I just rotate the short boom that I attach the stereo bar to... the boom is angled at about 45 degrees down from vertical. Works for me. YMMV depending on the adjustability of your mike clips or suspension mounts.

Sometimes I don't even bother rotating the boom to make the mikes level, and haven't had any ill effects from that. Most of the sound the mikes pick up in ORTF is off-axis anyway, so a slight change like that, though not textbook correct, isn't a big deal. I don't always use the textbook angles with ORTF anyway, heh.
 
Timothy Lawler said:
I use ORTF a lot. I adjust the mikes so one's rear end is just above the other's. That makes one mike's capsule point a few degrees higher than the other. To align them horizontally, I just rotate the short boom that I attach the stereo bar to... the boom is angled at about 45 degrees down from vertical. Works for me. YMMV depending on the adjustability of your mike clips or suspension mounts.

Sometimes I don't even bother rotating the boom to make the mikes level, and haven't had any ill effects from that. Most of the sound the mikes pick up in ORTF is off-axis anyway, so a slight change like that, though not textbook correct, isn't a big deal. I don't always use the textbook angles with ORTF anyway, heh.
Click to expand...

OK, well assuming it's not critical to get it exact one way or the other, which one is more important, the 110 degree angle, or the 17 cm distance? It doesn't seem I can get both exact with this stereo bar.
 
taeyoung said:
OK, well assuming it's not critical to get it exact one way or the other, which one is more important, the 110 degree angle, or the 17 cm distance? It doesn't seem I can get both exact with this stereo bar.
Click to expand...
I often vary the angle, depending on the mikes and the width of the source. But I always keep them the same distance apart.
 
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