In our recent article Audio Professionals Talk About Their Mic Choices while there wasn’t much discussion about configuration, when it did come up it was for very definite reasons. For example Mike Exeter shared his favoured technique for recording acoustic guitars which involves a pair of cardioid mics set up in a coincident vertical XY array, spreading the strings from low to high across the panorama. John Cornfield was very specific about his use of MS on acoustics to preserve mono compatibility and while I wasn’t highlighted in the the article William Wittman’s use of his favoured Neumanns or Geffel UM70s on drums aren’t used in the conventional overhead position, but instead are placed as a spaced pair out in front of the kit.

There are quite a few ways to capture stereo and while approaches will differ depending on the source, most people probably have a go-to which they might choose not to use depending on the specifics of the situation. these might be practical, for example the type of mics which are available, particularly if first call mics are already deployed elsewhere, through to space, for example a coincident array only needs a single mic stand. They might be technical, for example sources which are likely to move are less suitable for spaced arrays.

In our survey we offer a choice of six categories, we’re trying to cover everything in a few choices as is practical as no-one likes a long survey. We aren’t asking about polar pattern or mic type, just the type of array used. you can choose more than one if you wish. On to the categories.

Coincident Pair (e.g. XY, Blumlein)

Two directional mics places as close as possible in space so as to reduce time of arrival differences as much as possible. The level differences produced by off axis sounds due to the directional nature of the polar pattern produces a reliable and very clear stereo panorama.

The appropriate angle between the mics varies with polar pattern and the Stereo Recording Angle needed to be covered. Coincident arrays a simple and reliable, they produce a sharp stereo image and have good mono compatibility.

Mid Side

Another coincident array. Using a Fig 8 mic at 90 degrees to the source to capture the sides or difference channel and a forward facing, usually cardioid, mic to capture the mono centre, Mid Side recording has both advantages and disadvantages to other coincident arrays.

Inherently perfectly mono compatible courtesy of the mid mic, by varying the level of the sides channel the stereo width can be adjusted. Although well matched mics are preferable, because of its inherent symmetry different models of mic can be used. The setup is more complex than conventional stereo and MS is an encode/decode process but it’s not difficult.

Spaced Pair (e.g. AB, Faulkner)

Placing two mics at different points in space introduces time of arrival differences. This delay between channels communicates left right position in a different way to the level differences captured by coincident arrays. it sounds cool but it can sound iffy in mono. It can (some would say should) be used with omni mics but its really commonly used with directional mics too.

Near Coincident (e.g. ORTF, NOS)

A halfway house between coincident and spaced. The different flavours of this are standardised ways of arranging mics but there are lost of other possible configurations.

More Than Two Mics (e.g. Decca Tree, LCR)

Recording using more than two mics is necessary for immersive capture but can also be used in stereo. Decca Tree is a very well known approach for orchestral work but more than two mics, for example LCR, is common in applications like drum overheads.

Binaural and Ambisonics (e.g. Dummy Head, Soundfield)

Increasingly important as headphones become an ever more important way of consuming audio, binaural recordings can be shockingly realistic over headphones but don’t work over speakers. Ambisonics is similarly of increasing importance as a format-agnostic capture format for sound effects and for use in game engines.

Which is your preferred method? Share yours in the poll below. We’ve set it up to allow 2 responses as many people will have more than one.