Mic solution for FRFR

jrgg

Member
I am looking for good microphone suggestions for recording my Chameleon FRFR cabinets in the studio.
The xlr line out on the cab sounds great but I also want to find the right kind of mic to place a few feet in front to capture the entire sound of the speakers. The ported cabinets have:

  • bi-amped with dedicated tuned electronic crossover
  • state of the art powersoft stereo dsp speaker amp
  • audio quality 300 watt RMS woofer /8" speaker
  • 1" compression driver with custom horn for the highs
  • professional audio quality 2.5" rugged voice coil

Thanks, Jim
 
Wouldn't recording FRFR speakers be redundant since the IR's you're using are of mic'd speaker cabs? Or is there something specific about the vibe of these speakers that you're trying to capture?
 
That's pretty unconventional? But, any high-quality condenser microphone should work? However, it will color the sound, as will the room. And you will most likely have to time-shift the mic'd signal track to align with the direct signal track(s) to prevent comb filtering, as it will be several milliseconds behind.

A (flat) 'measurement' mic might also work well?
 
That tells me... the Chameleon FRFR isn't so good at doing the FRFR thing? :p
Why would you say that without understanding what I am already achieving with the speakers. Like any true FRFR they accurately represent what you put into them. The ax8 does not give me the complete sound I am after, and with the speakers I get that. I want to capture that like any cabinet that would be recorded with mic's. Understand?
 
That's pretty unconventional? But, any high-quality condenser microphone should work? However, it will color the sound, as will the room. And you will most likely have to time-shift the mic'd signal track to align with the direct signal track(s) to prevent comb filtering, as it will be several milliseconds behind.

A (flat) 'measurement' mic might also work well?
I have done that and got great results with no phase inv issues etc.. I have a recording of it here on the forums with a small shure condenser, and wanted to see if there were better choices for mics i should be aware of before I invest. In the past I have had sound engineers mic the cabs live but not sure what they used.
the recordings I make are done live with the group so we record like we play live with and sometimes without booths dependent on studio. This is not about going line in recording alone in my studio, but capturing the sound I get from the speaker with the AX8, not just the AX8.
Thanks for your help.
 
Why would you say that without understanding what I am already achieving with the speakers. Like any true FRFR they accurately represent what you put into them. The ax8 does not give me the complete sound I am after, and with the speakers I get that. I want to capture that like any cabinet that would be recorded with mic's. Understand?
If they actually do a good job of producing what is fed into them, then there is nothing lacking in the input.

Any mic or micing method IS going to color that sound.

Try this:

record your Ax-8 directly into your DAW. Play your DAW back through these speakers, at the same level you normally play.

The sound should be close to identical unless the DAW is introducing something.
 
Thanks.
Good mic's without color, condenser's etc, accurately capture what is coming out This is for live and live studio recording where the musicians need to hear the source or cabs, not the DAW.
 
Thanks.
Good mic's without color, condenser's etc, accurately capture what is coming out This is for live and live studio recording where the musicians need to hear the source or cabs, not the DAW.
Sorry, I don't follow... If you are sending the signal you want to hear to FRFR speakers that present it truly, how is micing this going to help other musicians?

Either they hear it from your speakers or they hear it from another speaker.

Micing the FRFR is going be less true (IMO) than sending the same signal direct to the system feeding what they are monitoring with.
 
As I've already stated previously it is for recording the cabinets, just like any other guitar cab would be, alternatively to sending a line out of cabs which sounds great too. Just simply looking for mic suggestions here. My xlr outs are being used for the cabs which the other artists need to hear since we play live in a jazz setting. Your suggestion would not work since the musicians need to hear my live signal from the cabs. No headphones used.
 
For anyone interested, since I am looking for pro audio mics for recording my Chameleon cabs in the studio with the AX8, here is a video getting great results i feel with a mic on an FRFR cab.

 
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Since the Chameleon isn't coaxial, I would think you'd have to experiment a lot with placement to minimize transient differences between the two drivers.

Since you're playing ensemble without booths, placing the mic that far away will result in increased sonic bleed from the other instruments into your track. In Pete Thorn's video, it's not an issue because he's alone. In an ensemble setting, that mic would be like a room mic.

I don't have any specific mic recommendations because I don't know enough about mics. But FWIW, the mic in Pete Thorn's video is an Earthworks TC30.
 
Thanks for your reply. Yes TC 30 K. One up coming recording will be with booths, phones etc and will try line and mic, as well as dry direct which I sometimes do as a safety. The other session will have separation but without much bleed at all even though no headphones. I have a live recording of the cabs with mics i just recalled and it sounded good to me. Thinking larger uncolored condenser miss. I'll know more about results after August. I used a small one on another video on here with both cabs in stereo and was happy with results, but open to best options for my particular situation.

Thanks, Jim
 
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Placement needs to be up to a foot or two in front of speakers to best capture of course, not close.
 
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