"David Looser" wrote in
message
"Iain Churches" wrote in message
...


No two mics sound the same. In fact there may be
differences between mics of the same type from the
same maker. Charles Gerhardt, at RCA, had picked out
and written down the serial numbers of two Neumann
KM 83s which he said he preferred for solo acoustic
instruments, to any of the others.

That seems like a whopping generality. It is well known that the preferred
type of microphone varies with instrument and application. So, picking out a
pair from a population of a certain specific microphone for micing *all*
solo acoustic instruments seems like a reach. They are both string
instruments, but what could be more different than a piano and a guitar?

Placement is almost as important as the choice of
microphone. The saxophone is quite a difficult
instrument in that respect.

Sorta.

I'd have thought that placement was actually rather
*more* important, along with the acoustic environment.
And if we are getting so anal as to start trying to
identify individual "preferred" mics from a type, how
about temperature? It'll affect the sound carrying
properties of the air as well as the degree of expansion
and electrical resistance of the metal in the microphone.

I don't see a clear hierarchy between mic choice and mic placement that is
true in every case. Frankly, you need to get both right. The usual sequence
of events is IME to choose a mic and try to place it, and revisit your
choice if you can't find "The right place" to put it.