Microphone orientation?

[Harrycr]

Hello
I have been looking online and appears (maybe the videos i have watched) say that 90 degrees for the mic is recommended.
Yet there are people that say 0 degrees is recommended.

This is assuming there is both calibartion files availabe.

Is there a standard yes or no?

 

[ddude003]

A standard? Lol... There is no Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval here... Maybe some best practices...
The 0 deg calibration file is for Stereo and 2.1/2.2 systems... Point the microphone towards the sound source being measured or point the microphone to the center point between the 2 speakers... This is the so-called on-axis calibration file...
The 90 deg calibration is used for surround sound measurements in multichannel applications... Point the microphone towards the ceiling...

 

[teyhyrh4r]

if it is 0 deg, it should be pointed directly to the source. if you point it at center between 2 the mic will capture a little less treble than there is

 

[ddude003]

This is a direct quote from the folks at MiniDSP:

"We provide two calibration files to be used depending on your application.

- For stereo system (e.g. 2ch dirac live, single speaker measurement), use the 0deg file and point the UMIK-1 at the speakers
- For multichannel system (E.g. 5.1/7.1) or a surround application where multiple speakers are spreadout around the room, use the 90deg file and point the UMIK-1 at the ceiling."

Again, depends on the application... Since there is no "Standard" you are welcome to do as you please...

 

[teyhyrh4r]

use the 0deg file and point the UMIK-1 at the speakers

which is a confusing desription isn't it?
but 0 degrees is 0 degrees. pointing center you are measuring at an 30 degrees axis

 

[ddude003]

Maybe I am missing something here... What speaker is the mic pointing at (90 degrees) when one measures for a multichannel system? Maybe we need an application that can calculate the difference between 0 and 90 degrees calibration files for the in-between applications...

 

[teyhyrh4r]

Maybe I am missing something here... What speaker is the mic pointing at (90 degrees) when one measures for a multichannel system? Maybe we need an application that can calculate the difference between 0 and 90 degrees calibration files for the in-between applications...

the ceiling, as you mentioned, is likely acceptable in that situation. However, I personally have concerns about accentuating the reflection from the ceiling. Nevertheless, the impact of this reflection is probably insignificant.

Personally, I prefer to readjust the microphone for each individual speaker (0 degrees). It's not just a matter of orientation, but I want the microphone to be positioned where my ear would be (left ear for the left speaker, right ear for the right speaker), rather than in the middle of my head.

 

[ddude003]

I'm glad that works for you... I have tried both ways with my ML ESLs, a hybrid dipole design, and found in my room with my kit and my ears/brain pointing the microphone from the MLP to the center point between the 2 speakers, at ear level, gives me a nice room correction baseline for my convolver... Any additional tone shaping, sweeting, and/or additional EQing is done on the fly with either a Massive Passive or GML 8200 emulation plugin...

 

[DanDan]

Messy topic. If Mics were truly Omni the question would not arise. Clearly most mics hear most and best when pointed directly at source. Pointing at the ceiling (or a carpeted floor) hears all speakers equally but sub optimally.