From: Brian Cox <lerxst@metronet.com>
Subject: csb vs. ss **field test results**
Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 09:34:44 -0500 (CDT)

over the weekend i was able to tape a show using all kinds of different
mics from the same spot, on the same head (mine) into the same deck (D8)
during the same set.  i just changed mics every song or so.  (my tascam
was rolling with the AT4051's the whole time, and i used the D8 to test
with.

here is what i got...
(all of the same band, same set, same location)

tape #1:  whole set...AT4051->AT8202 attenuators->Tascam DA-P1
tape #2:  whole set...AT822->Sony D7 
tape #3: 
        track #1:  countryman ISOMAX II-c (ORTF on forehead) -> D8 mic in 
        track #2:  core sound omni (w/battbox) (right above ears) -> D8 mic in
        track #3:  core sound omni (w/battbox) (right above ears) -> D8 line in
        track #4:  sonics DSM-6S (with PA6whatever) (30 Hz) ( "" ) -> D8 line in
        track #5:  sonics DSM-6S (with PA6whatever) (30 Hz) ( "" ) -> D8 mic in
        track #6:  sonics DSM-6S (with PA6whatever) (65 Hz) ( "" ) -> D8 mic in
        track #7:  sonics DSM-6S (with PA6whatever) (100 Hz) ( "" ) -> D8 mic in
        track #8:  radio shack 33-1065 XY mic -> D8 mic in
        track #9:  sony mic (came with WM-D3) -> D8 mic in
        track #10:  hour and a half of metallica set w/ countryman mics

tracks 1-9 are of corrosion of conformity (opening band).  the sound wasnt
all that great for metallica, and was worse for coc.   serves as a decent
comparison tape, however, of stealthing loud rock shows in boomy arenas.  

the taper section was the first section of the lower balcony (right behind the
glass if it had been a hockey game).  instead of the normal floor of a show
you usually have, with the stage on one end, the stage pretty much took up
the entire floor.  there was about 15-20 feet of GA area around the edges of
the stage, all the way around.  there were PA stacks at each corner of the 
stage pointed out to the seats, plus two midway back, so they were similar
in position to the pockets in a pool table.   one of these PA stacks was
right in front of us.   i believe everything was running mono all night
since stereo would have been weird with this setup.  mic AT4051s were up
15-20' above the main floor, pointed a little up, in XY, a grand total
of maybe 25 ft from the speaker stack hanging there.  sitting in my seat
(we were front row, nothing between my head and the stack, except my mic
stand) i was about 20 feet below the stack, and 20 feet laterally away. 

the comparisons:

the countryman tape is much better than all the others.  we even agree 
that it sounds better than my AT4051->DA-P1 tape, much to my dismay.  
the cores and ss's both sound very similar.  the cores into the mic in
distorted badly (brickwalling) but sound ok through the line in.  in the
30Hz bass rolloff setting the sonics sound extremely similar to the csb's,
but have a slightly more pronounced high end.  i am able to hear the high
hat and crash etc a little better.  both are very bassy and distant sounding
(lots of room reverb).  the countryman cardiods with their directionality
and bass rolloff and peak around 10kHz worked VERY well in this situation.
i had previously only used them twice last year and thought they sucked and
never used them again.  i was wrong.  the radio shack mic actually sounded
pretty damned good for $10.  if you EQ it a little it sounds ok.  

anyway, i dont wanna get too in depth about the different sounds, i figured
i would offer up the tape for anyone that wants to hear it.  the metallica
set with the countrymans is definitely better than the AT4051.  i was 
amazed.  

<><><><><><><><><> Brian V. Cox (lerxst@metronet.com) <><><><><><><><><>
<>rush\dreamtheater\kingcrimson\phish\moe.\toriamos\echolyn\queensryche>

 "The man or woman who is insensitive to the spell of this performance
        really isn't fit to live in civilized society for it is one of
        the wonders of the world"    -Frank Granville Barker
                      
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