Using unmatched pair of LDC Overheads

[baddestbrain]

Planning to do my first recording with the Model 12 tomorrow. Heavy rock stuff. I want to do a spaced pair of stereo drum overheads in addition to close micing kick and snare.

I have two AT2035's with shock mounts, however they are not a matched pair. They sound similar enough, but one is probably a few years older. Do you think this will create phase issues? I plan to use a tape measure and place them equidistant from both the kick and snare as a spaced pair. My access to the rehearsal space is limited so I won't be able to test before and I haven't been able to find a good answer online.

My other option would be ordering a matched pair of Rode M5's (without shock mounts) which would be about the same price as my two used AT 2035's, if anyone has opinions on those.

Thanks

 

[Phil Tipping]

My understanding is that phase issues are caused by different path lengths or different wiring inside the mic/cable, so I don't think this would be a problem in your case. There may be differences in frequency response and/or output levels, but this may or may not be detectable. Getting a 'matched pair' just means that someone has selected a pair from the batch with characteristics which are within some tolerance threshold, but you may just be lucky and your pair are close enough. I guess it depends how critical you are... the room and layout may make more difference than the mics themselves.

 

[shredd]

I think @Phil Tipping nailed it...I myself use a pair of SDC's by sE that I bought at separate times...I've used them interchangeably for MONO mic'ing (for git'r amp mic'ing, acoustic git'r, even my rain stick!!!), and they sound EXACTLY the same. And every time I've used them to do an X-Y thing on an acoustic git'r, I've been happy with the results.

That said: my hearing is so damaged that a crashing airplane could fall on my house and I wouldn't hear it...

 

[baddestbrain]

Thanks for the input, I am just going to go for it with the mismatched 2035's. Shredd I feel you, my ears are cooked and I'm not going to have a DAW available to look at waveforms so I am hoping to get it right without having to mess with any of that.

On a related note I am wondering if any Model 12 users are able to share insight on how the Phase Invert feature functions. Would I be able to invert the phase of a recorded track, or would it only invert the phase of the channel input, similar to how an ART MP preamp's phase invert would work on an analog recording. I looked at the manual and block diagram but couldn't reach a conclusion.

 

[shredd]

I try to count my blessings.

When I do recording work and I think it sounds good…it doesn’t matter if the finished work sounds like Gilbert Gottfried screaming the Sanskrit alphabet to everyone else. Makes me happy…