Re: [microsound] small stereo mics

[Peter Worth <peterworth@xxxxxxxxx>]

On 3/14/06, Aaron Ximm <ghede@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > sorry, but slightly off topic: those look like they could be useful in
> > "covert" recording for soundscapes (i want to be able to walk around
> > while recording decent quality, without drawing attention). i'd
> > appreciate any advice anyone has on this kind of recording in general.
>
> The stealthiest option is true in-ear binaurals; Core Sound's HEBs based
> on DPA 406x capsules are the smallest I know of and are quite good. Also
> quite pricey. They are small enough that I can tuck them inside my ear
> canals. In practice it's convenient to cannabalize ear buds or ear canal
> phones to hold them steady.
>
> Next up for me is converting old headphones or similar to mount omni mics
> in a near-binaural fashion. I've made many hundred hours of recordings
> with a similar mount made by Sonic Studios (the WHB headband). It's pricey
> but hand crafted and the windshielding works very very well. It's also
> quite socially (not literally) invisible if like me you have messy hair.
> You can homebrew a design like this quite cheaply. Spaced omnis pointed
> 180 degrees out from one another worn on the head give a great headphone
> immersive image. If you wear them closer to your temple you can get good
> translation to conventional speakers as well.
>
> Dan Dugan wears similar small lav-sized omnis on his shoulders with
> windscreening that looks like epaulets. These could be made quite stealthy
> as well. His body acts as an occluding body and also gives a good stereo
> image.
>
> All these head/body worn strategies are going to be more stealthy than
> almost any single-point/spaced directional pair stereo techniques. A key
> advantage is you don't need to monitor (with headphones), just watch the
> levels. QED you don't need headphones and you don't need to point your
> mic(s), either of which can be a giveaway. Once you're familiar with the
> limits of your gear, what you hear is what you record.
>
> Btw with a decent mount you can be free from handling noise.
>
> Fwiw the phonography mailing list on yahoo groups has a ton of great info
> on this topic, including lots of good DIY info and reviews of cheap mics.
>

thanks for that. i think mounting omnis in a "near binaural" fashion
is the way for me - i'm not too interested with recording the effects
of my own pinnae etc (wouldnt that kind of recording require playback
to be through earphones only?)

i just want a general stereo recording rather than something
specifically binaural.

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