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JUNE
2021 ONLINE MEETING NOTICE
DATE: Sunday,
June 27, 2021, 7PM Eastern — Boston time,
of course.
PLACE: Zoom online
FEATURED GUEST:
Charles Repka, Vocalist & Vanguard Recording
Engineer
Topic: A Loudspeaker
Audio Test and Microphone Setups Explained
Charles Repka is a well-known
Vanguard recording engineer and vocalist.
Our Boston Audio Society meeting will require
your input for a successful evening. Please
complete your listening test before the Sunday
meeting where Mr. Repka will provide the correct
Track to Microphone match. Your answers will
be tabulated during the ZOOM meeting.
Audio
Test
A Baroque musical performance
was recorded simultaneously with two microphones
types. Your charge is to designate/indicate
which track (one or two) was recorded with
a pair of omnidirectional or a Blumlein stereo
ribbon microphone. Both tracks were recorded
simultaneously, and all the mics were mounted
on the same bar, at the same distance from
the performers.
Microphone – Royer
SF-12 Blumlein Stereo Ribbon microphone
Microphone – A pair of Earthworks M30
Omni microphones
Track
Number 1.wav 115 Mb
Track
Number 2.wav 114 Mb
(
These are now LOCAL on the BAS site —
Barry )
Also note: if you are using a browser each
.wav file will open into a new tab. That means
you can pause one and jump to the other to
compare. If you DOWNLOAD them, you might have
a different A/B procedure you prefer.
Match the microphone
setup used to record Track Number 1, and Track
Number 2. Do not share your results, and do
not use any analytical device to decipher
or to help make your decision. Headphones
can be used. If you prefer, you can download
the tracks and record to a CD or Stick for
playback on your best hifi setup.
If you can hear the
differences between the tracks but cannot
assign either microphone type, that’s
okay. On Sunday indicate your best match and
the Track you prefer. To date, many people
taking the tests are unable to assign the
correct microphone setup to the correct Track
Number. This is an extreme test for loudspeakers,
audio training, and experience.
Microphone Setups Discussed
& Explained
During the Sunday ZOOM
Meeting, Mr. Repka will provide the microphone
names, the musical venue/environment, and
the setup for the 3 musical demos outlined
below. A brief description of the music will
also accompany the excerpts.
The 3 different opera
recordings were all done in the same church
and performance space, but with different
mic arrangements:
Puccini - La Boheme
End of Act 2
Orchestra on the floor
in front of a raised altar area. All the soloists,
as many as 4, standing in a row in the first
pew in front of the orchestra. 4 omni AKG
451 mics were hung from a cable over the 3rd
pew. The choruses were in the balconies along
both sides of the church. The women and children's
chorus were in the left balcony, men in the
right balcony A cardioid Schoeps mic was placed
on a tall stand in front of each balcony.
Bizet - Carmen excerpts
1 and 2 Habanera and entrance of Escamillo
Orchestra on the floor
in front of the raised alter area. This performance
was semi-staged, and all the soloists were
placed on the raised altar area where they
moved about during the performance. The chorus
was placed behind the altar area on low risers.
2 omni AKG 451's were place on either side
of the conductor and hung from a cable over
the 3rd pew. A Soundfield ST-250 was hung
from another cable behind the orchestra and
over the alter area to pick up the soloists.
A pair of Schoeps cardioids were placed on
a tall stand on each side of the chorus.
Puccini - Tosca End
of Act 1
Orchestra was on the
floor in front of altar area with soloists
in the front pew. 4 omni AKG 451's were hung
across over pew 3. A small chorus and children's
chorus were placed in the balconies on either
side of the church. A Schoeps cardioid mic
on a tall stand was placed in front of each
chorus. For extra excitement, an electronic
cannon was hidden behind the pulpit on the
left side of the orchestra.
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