Tech Talks 2.0 with Michael - pt. 2
In Part 2 of our Tech Talks, we’ll discuss the large diaphragm condenser microphone possibilities that potentially might be good for recording clarinet and bass clarinet. One reason that you might consider an LDC is if you were recording bass clarinet. In the previous post covering Small Diaphragm Condensers (SDCs), we saw that many of the SDCs had low frequency roll off which might not be the most ideal for capturing the full spectrum of the bass clarinet which goes much lower than the Bb & A clarinets. This is not to say that LDCs are bad for recording Bb & A clarinets. There are many excellent LDCs that would make great recordings, but as stated before, the reason most classical engineers choose SDCs is for the accuracy and sensitivity difference that a small diaphragm has over the large diaphragm. As a result, an LDC might ‘color’ the sound, which means the microphone might slightly change the true characteristic of what is coming out of the instrument. However, this might be more pleasing to the listener’s ear, and so it goes back to how subjective the human ear can be and how subjective choosing a microphone is. Also something to consider is if you plan on using the LDCs as your main stereo pair, you will need two and and probably a more sturdy microphone stand given the size and weight difference of these microphones. But if you already own a stereo pair of SDCs, a specific LDC could be used very effectively as a spot mic in a three microphone setup.
Some options for LDCs that might be possibilities:
MXL 990 - for those that are on a tight budget,the MXL-990 is an affordable entry-level professional LDC that is well known for being a great vocal microphone. It is not the flattest microphone in terms of frequency response but gives a more consistent low end than some of the SDCs. There is a significant bump from 3-15kHz but not as much bass roll off. The circuit design is based on the design used in the Schoeps’ microphones, so it’s definitely designed to be a studio quality microphone. I saw these mics hanging in some of the recital halls at USC, as they were a durable, reliable stereo pair that could easily be replaced without much cost. $150 for a stereo pair, cardioid only.
Audio Technica AT4040 - This is the large diaphragm sibling to the AT4041 SDC from Japanese manufacturer Audio-Technica. A versatile microphone for many situations, the AT4040 interestingly has a smaller diaphragm that many mics that are classified as LDCs. Given its frequency response graph, the highs might be slightly pronounced, but it is relatively flat through the lows and mids with a slight depression near the low end. For Bb/A clarinet, this might not make that much of a difference as that slight depression happens below the lowest frequency on the instrument. Due to the smaller diaphragm size of this microphone, there is better transient response, thus it is probably more detailed and overall more even than the MXL-990. $598 for a stereo pair, cardioid only.
AKG C214/414 - The AKG C414 is a legendary multi-pattern LDC from the legendary Austrian audio company. It comes with 5 different polar patterns (omni, wide cardioid, cardioid, super cardioid, figure 8), so if you are looking for a microphone that will be versatile in terms of microphone setups as well as in a variety of acoustical situations, the C414 is a great option. If you are on more of a budget, the C214 is the same microphone with only the cardioid pattern option. In another post, we’ll discuss some stereo miking techniques that mainly utilize the cardioid pattern anyway, so if you’re looking for a can’t miss LDC on a budget, the C214 might be the way to go. Looking at the cardioid version of the frequency response graph, it is quite flat through most of the fundamental frequency range of the clarinet, but has slight boosts and depressions between 1-20kHz. This is what probably would give the microphone its characteristic sound, however, comparing it to the AT4040, notice that the highest peak doesn’t hit +5dB meaning that though there are boosts/depressions, they are relatively subtle. $2349 for C414 stereo pair multi-pattern.
The C214’s frequency response graph is similar, but less flat and the peaks are more pronounced which may mean the sound is a bit more colored and not as flat as the C414. $899 for C214 stereo pair, cardioid only.
Neumann TLM 103 - No post would be complete without at least mentioning some of the options available from the legendary microphone company, Neumann. There are a plethora of Neumann LDCs, namely the U87, which is one of the most famous microphones in history. It holds a place in every studio as a go-to microphone for almost any sound source. One of these will set you back $3250, so if you wanted to record in stereo, you would need some deep pockets! The TLM 103 is based on the same capsule design as the U87 meaning that it theoretically should get you close to the same sound as the U87, but is a little bit more affordable. Because of the capsule similarity, the frequency response curves are very similar, however, if you did a listening test to both microphones back to back, I’m sure you’d hear a difference. But at that point it would be based on preference and budget considerations. $2200 for a stereo pair, cardioid only.
The U87’s frequency response graph is almost the same as the TLM 103, just a bit smoother and the high frequency boost is not as pronounced.
These are some of the options that are out there for LDCs, but by no means is this a complete list! Looking back to the previous post covering small diaphragm condensers, you might notice that the frequency response curves are generally more flat and consistent with less significant bumps in the upper range. This is generally why orchestral audio engineers will largely opt for SDCs that give will allow them to record a transparent and neutral sound (i.e. Schoeps). LDCs definitely are still used and still great microphones, but the higher end boost that you see on many of the frequency response curves plays a role in ‘coloring’ the sound or giving it the characteristic ‘air’ or brightness, which is why the LDCs are often used for vocals. Again, this all comes down to personal preference on what your ears like to hear and what you perceive your sound to be like, but remember that the goal when recording classical instruments is often to most accurately reproduce the sound. In regards to clarinet versus bass clarinet, all of the LDCs pick up bass frequencies that easily cover the lowest notes on the bass clarinet, which is not the case for some of the SDCs thus they could be potential options for recording specifically bass clarinet.
With a lot of these condenser microphones, you might notice that the more expensive microphones often have the more flat frequency response curves which is usually due to the quality of the electronics, design, brand name, etc. When it comes to microphones, you definitely get what you pay for, but that doesn’t mean that a cheaper microphone won’t do the job just as well if your budget doesn’t allow you to buy the more expensive one. Keep in mind that as long as you take care of your microphones well, they will last a long time and they generally don’t lose their value very quickly, if at all. Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where I will discuss the ribbon microphone!
Resource links for researching and buying gear:
http://recordinghacks.com/microphones
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