Talk:Blumlein pair

Comment
yes i have tried blumlein array..in few recordings..recent in an ensemble of indian ethnic drums and woodwing ensemble..as blumlein pair suggest that the intresecting angles sholuld point towards the source to be recorded..but the stereo image was something lopsided to one side..it was rectified by placing the beaters in accordance with the balanced stereo image..but this indeed produces an excellent stereo image with the room accoustics. debasish banik, audio eng —Preceding unsigned comment added by 59.93.243.209 (talk • contribs)

When discussing the Dynaco patent for achieving 4 channel sound out of two channel source material by way of a speaker/resistor matrix for the rear channels, I mentioned specific microphones being used as important. Stereo recordings made with these mikes generated a lot of rear sound material by their phase differences. I guessed then on the use of "kidney"-shaped mikes, but I now beleive that two bidirectional mikes in a Blumlein array may well be the best reference. Any ideas? Donvr (talk) 09:07, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Comment
This article has a number of mistakes in it, not least the implication that Blumlein never actually used the system named after him - he did, there being a number of famous recordings extant, both on film and on disc. Most notably from January 1934 when he took his stereo-cutting equipment to the newly opened Abbey Studios and recorded Sir Thomas Beecham conducting the LPO, as it rehearsed Mozart's Jupiter Symphony. The experiments were unfortunately stopped by EMI shortly after this when it concluded that stereo had no immediate commercial potential.

Although he developed techniques for using omnidirectional mics (see BDT or "Blumlein Difference Technique") to make intensity stereo recordings - and these were detailed in the 1931 patent (GB 394,325) - Harry F. Olson patented bidirectional ribbon mics in 1931 ( see Harry F. Olson's patent for the ribbon mic at http://www.google.com/patents/US1885001 ) and the technology needed to make a true "Blumlein Pair" was therefore available for the later experiments. I will update the page as soon as I can get round to it. DGMatic (talk) 14:56, 8 February 2012 (UTC)

Omni mics for Blumlein pairs ?
Bruce Swedien is quoted in 'Sound on Sound'
 * “I am a firm believer in Blumlein pair. ... I’m also not crazy about Mid/Side; it’s a technique that is almost useless for recording like I do, so I’ll always go for spaced or Blumlein pairs. I’ll use cardioid or omni mics for the Blumlein pairs — omnis work great — but bi-directional mics make it a little difficult."

Surely co-incident omnis will give much the same in each channel ?

I don't like to doubt such an eminent person in such a reputable publication, but he also seems to use mid-side on all acoustic stringed instruments (guitar, cello but not piano) in his studio's website gallery !

Any explanations ? Protecting his techniques ? Maybe he is being mis-quoted - that's the most charitable assumption. --195.137.93.171 (talk) 23:34, 2 June 2014 (UTC)