Stereo Mic Bar for XY and/or Spaced Pair?

Rolsen · Post by **Rolsen** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:07 pm

I have some, but very limited experience recording a drumkit, and am thinking I'll likely be trying either an xy or a spaced pair overhead setup using AT Pro 37's. I can imagine the benefit of having a 'stereo mic bar' that I've seen online, so that, when using an xy setup, I would only have to futz with 1 boom stand. Is this a good idea? Any model that works better than others? I see that some of the bars are much smaller than others, and I would think that it wouldn't work to well for a spaced pair, but what do I know?

Thoughts?

b3groover · Post by **b3groover** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:50 pm

The old stand-by: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KM235/1

Worth trying an ORTF configuration with your overheads, btw. More natural than X/Y, in my opinion.

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:50 pm

Yeah, what he said. And you don't use stereo bars for spaced pair. Usually on a drum kit a spaced pair is anywhere between 3 and 10 feet apart depending on what you're trying to accomplish.

It's really fun when you start experimenting with different stereo techniques they all image different and both x/y and ortf are easier to do without phase problems than a spaced pair is.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 12:23 am

whatever you do, DON'T GET THE ONSTAGE STANDS STEREO BAR.. I wrestled with that thing for months, with duct tape, and plumbers tape just to get it to work..

POINTLESS!.

I have a K&M now, which seems better, but unfortunately its used with one of onstage stands HORRRRID large boom stands...

UHGGGGG>.

someday I'll have a grand to invest in nice stands.....

edit.

I've been liking the ORTF set up for OH's using my MC/MK-012's. Was mostly X/Y forever, but for some reason, switched to ORTF one day and liked it....

Now that i'm in a better sounding room.. I should try spaced pair again... in the last space, that was not an option.

Sean Sullivan · Post by **Sean Sullivan** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:50 am

I have the AEA Protractor Stereo Bar, I like it a lot but to be honest I don't do too much X/Y on anything...but it comes in handy!

b3groover · Post by **b3groover** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:37 am

trodden wrote:I have a K&M now, which seems better, but unfortunately its used with one of onstage stands HORRRRID large boom stands...

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MC125/

Worth it's weight in gold. I need another one. You may be able to talk Sweetwater down in price if you have a relationship with them. I paid much less than what they are asking on the site from them just by wheeling and dealing.

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:04 am

b3groover wrote:
trodden wrote:I have a K&M now, which seems better, but unfortunately its used with one of onstage stands HORRRRID large boom stands...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MC125/

Worth it's weight in gold. I need another one. You may be able to talk Sweetwater down in price if you have a relationship with them. I paid much less than what they are asking on the site from them just by wheeling and dealing.

yeah? for some reason I always lumped Ultimate into the same shit sandwich as on stage stands. I'll have to check it out.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:40 pm

b3groover wrote:The old stand-by: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KM235/1

Worth trying an ORTF configuration with your overheads, btw. More natural than X/Y, in my opinion.

I totally agree with this post.

I actually like the big Onstage stands, and thier little telescoping angling stand adaptors.

ofajen · Post by **ofajen** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:02 pm

A versatile rig can be had by buying three of the mike bar adapters from AEA, including one stand adapter. Not cheap at about $50 each, but they are super quality and then you can make all the bars you want from (cheap) 1/4" by 1" aluminum stock and drill holes as needed.

Cheers,

Otto

Chris_Avakian · Post by **Chris_Avakian** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 1:13 am

i do an xy setup with a bar, and i have a special old atlas boom stand i took the base off of, and put it in to an older (late 90s) tama cymbal stand base. works great, and once i ever decide to upgrade the hardware on my kit i'll have two. its not quite as tall as the large mic stand mentioned in this post. kindof a mid point between that, and a regular boom. gets plenty tall for my needs, and is plenty sturdy. you can find those bases all over the place for dirt cheap too.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 11:49 am

I have the K&M stereo bar and it works well.

I've been feeling spaced pair lately, but ORTF I like better than XY..

Rolsen · Post by **Rolsen** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 7:09 am

Well, the K & M it is then! Just ordered it. Seems like, on this and other forums, folks tend to prefer ORTF over XY for drums. Thanks again!

Producer/Engineer · Post by **Producer/Engineer** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 7:51 am

ORTF fan here for drum kits. 16" above drummers head pointing down into the kit. Entire kit comes out balanced including cymbals. Mics are 7 1/2" apart. Angle them by ear, pointing them downward toward the kit. Panned out pretty far but not "hard." Great consistent results here.

Brett Siler · Post by **Brett Siler** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:22 pm

For me XY just doesn't give enough stereo width when panning. ORTF gives you more than XY and spaced pair gives even more. I think I even like a mono overhead more than XY. I just don't see much point to XY overheads anymore....

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Stereo Mic Bar for XY and/or Spaced Pair?

Stereo Mic Bar for XY and/or Spaced Pair?

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