[Chesky Records]

Head-Fi Users Get 25% Off Dr. Chesky's Stereophonic Recording Microphone Techniques on HDtracks Using Code HFMICS
(offer expires 4/30/20)

Dr. Chesky is fascinated by audiophiles who obsess about the sound of their cables, AC power, magic rocks, or isolation stands, but rarely consider the choices of microphones engineers use to make recordings! The microphones are, after all, the first transducers in the recording chain. Their impact can’t be understated. Then there’s the question of how the microphones are placed in relationship to the instruments and vocalists -- everything makes a difference.

With that in mind, Dr. Chesky went into the vault and pulled some of his favorite microphones and LARS (the binaural head) and recorded a singer and a band playing the same tune over and over again.

Now it’s your turn -- listen over your audio system or pop on headphones, and check out the sounds from our binaural, Blumlein, and spaced-omnidirectional microphones. Enjoy!

Wayfaring Stranger 01-Single Blumlein stereo mic		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 02-Single Mid/Side stereo mic		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 03-Single Blumlein stereo mic		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 04- wide spaced Omni's		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 05- Stereo M/S center with wide spaced Omni's		0:02:16	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 06- two wide spaced Omni's		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 07-wide Omni's w/long Mono ribbon center		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 08-wide Omni's w/short Mono ribbon center		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 09-wide Omni's + Mono ribbon center		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 10- wide spaced Omni's		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 11-close spaced Omni's		0:02:19	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 12-wide spaced Omni's		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 13- close spaced Omni's w/baffle		0:02:19	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 14-close spaced Omni's no baffle		0:02:19	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 15-wide spaced Omni's with tube preamp		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 16-wide Omni's with solid state preamp		0:02:19	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 17-Binaural dummy head		0:02:16	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 18-Stereo Blumlein ribbon mic		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 19-Binaural dummy head		0:02:16	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 20-Stereo Mid/Side ribbon mic		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 21-Binaural dummy head		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 22-wide spaced Omni's		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 23-Binaural dummy head		0:02:16	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 24-wide Omni's + Short mono ribbon center		0:02:16	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 25-Binaural dummy head		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 26-close spaced Omni's w/baffle		0:02:17	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 27-Binaural dummy head		0:02:14	Dr. Chesky House Band
Wayfaring Stranger 28-close spaced Omni's no baffle		0:02:15	Dr. Chesky House Band
Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town)		0:03:29	Aaron Weinstein
Why Don’t You Do Right?		0:03:01	Casey Abrams
World Waiting For The Sunrise		0:07:22	Camille Thurman
Crush		0:03:42	Meiko
Home		0:05:29	Priya Darshini
As Time Draws Near		0:04:06	Anna Nalick

 

[roskodan]

So true!

Nothing beats a good binaural (dummy or close spaced mics) capture for headphone listening. But imo, for classic 2ch speaker setups, a record should be more a capture of the sound at the source, as opposed to headphone listening which requires the sound be captured at the listener position. So in the end binaural and 2ch reproduction need different recording techniques for best results.

I can't think of a reason to meddle in the middle way. A dummy for binaural and 2 mics for 2ch. Can't that be set up to work simultaneously to record the performance in both formats at the same time in one take?

 

[roskodan]

@Chesky Records Anna Nalick's 'As Time Draws Near', from 'The Blackest Crow', was omitted form the pdf booklet. Also no setup info for Priya Darshini's 'Home' take.

 

[roskodan]

Gave it a couple of spins, very interesting to hear (and learn about) all these different mics and techniques, definitely a nice tool to compare how different headphones stack against each other as well. Recommended. Tip, get it directly from chesky.com , if you want to save a few bucks. ($12.00 (44.1/16) / $18.00 (96/24))