matched mics

[urbanfarmer]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I ordered a Rode NT5--afterwards I realized that I should have ordered a matched pair for stereo recording of my acoustic guitar.

Since the one I ordered is already on the way--can I just buy another to use in the stereo setup or do I need to actually buy a matched pair?

Thanks in advance!

[DukeX]

Originally Posted by urbanfarmer

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I ordered a Rode NT5--afterwards I realized that I should have ordered a matched pair for stereo recording of my acoustic guitar.

Since the one I ordered is already on the way--can I just buy another to use in the stereo setup or do I need to actually buy a matched pair?

Thanks in advance!

For what we do, no, you do not need a matched pair. You don't even need to use two of the same mic.

[ChuckS]

Do you know what Rode defines as a match pair? Is it just sensitivity at 1KHz? Does it mean each mic is within some tolerance of the typical frequency response graph? Does it mean the two mics are within some tolerance of each other over their frequency response? At this price point matching may not be too exacting.

Benefit of a matched pair is also dependent on micing technique. For a coincident setup like X-Y it could provide more benefit than non-coincident setups like a spaced pair.

If you sell the mics in the future there may be a (perceived) benefit of a matched pair to potential buyers.

[rick-slo]

Well, looking at Sweetwater's website you get a single mike for $219 and matched pair for $429 (which also comes with a nicer mike case).

Not likely you really will hear a difference with a "matched" pair but the price is right if you want two of those mikes.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by urbanfarmer

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I ordered a Rode NT5--afterwards I realized that I should have ordered a matched pair for stereo recording of my acoustic guitar.

Since the one I ordered is already on the way--can I just buy another to use in the stereo setup or do I need to actually buy a matched pair?

Thanks in advance!

I wouldn't worry about it.

[jim1960]

I may be wrong about this but I think "matched pair," at least for more modestly priced mics like Rodes, simply means they came off the assembly line next to each other so there's some assumption (which isn't guaranteed but may be true if you're lucky) that they'll be more sonically matched than two mics that come off the line a month apart. I'm doubtful that any hand tuning of the capsules is going on to bring them any closer in line, which is what would happen if you wanted a matched pair of high end mics.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I may be wrong about this but I think "matched pair," at least for more modestly priced mics like Rodes, simply means they came off the assembly line next to each other so there's some assumption (which isn't guaranteed but may be true if you're lucky) that they'll be more sonically matched than two mics that come off the line a month apart. I'm doubtful that any hand tuning of the capsules is going on to bring them any closer in line, which is what would happen if you wanted a matched pair of high end mics.

I agree with this when it comes to inexpensive & mid-priced microphones. With regard to mics like Sennheiser and Neumann, their quality-control is is so tight that matching is no longer necessary.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by RRuskin

I agree with this when it comes to inexpensive & mid-priced microphones. With regard to mics like Sennheiser and Neumann, their quality-control is is so tight that matching is no longer necessary.

There's some disagreement on that. Klaus Heyne is a master mic-smith and highly respected in the audio community. He had this to say about the recent Neumann U67 reissue:

4. Reissue: K870/67 Capsule

Back to my all-original vintage U67/NU67u set-up, including original Belden cable, but replaced original K67 capsule with Reissue K67/870.

The compromised K67/870 capsule is easily the biggest obstacle to good sound in the Reissue I tested. Many owners of U87Ai (same capsule) made after 2000 have complained about stridency, sibilance, and lack of full bottom in their mics. I have written about my own dissatisfaction with these capsules since the early 2000s on my forum and others. While the design dimensions are unchanged since 1960, (with minor substitutions of materials), the diaphragm tension is now too high on too many of them, and this certainly was the case in the Reissue K67/870 I tested.

The sound of this capsule can only be described as ugly; and none of the vintage mic’s excellence of circuitry, tube, cable, power supply, etc. could overcome such severe bottleneck at the entrance to the conversion and processing of acoustic energy.

Mid-heavy to the point of pinched, hyper sibilant, choked in the bass, lacking any smooth transition between mids and highs - all because the mids are so dominant and harsh due to the stiff membrane* which chokes off any subtlety.
Initial impressions were confirmed when I removed that capsule and installed several K870 from a few new U87Ai I had available. They all sounded different, but most trended in the direction of the pinched, honky mid-dominance of the capsule that came in the Reissue.

* How do I know it’s too much diaphragm tension that causes all this trouble? Because eventually I “relaxed” the honky K67/870 installed in the Reissue, as I had done with several recent U87Ai capsules, and it ended up with full bass, frequency balance, and similar timbre as the K67 from the vintage mic.

But to demonstrate how unpredictable Neumann’s capsule manufacturing has become: Among the ten capsules I tested for this occasion (actually: twenty sides, as no two sides ever sound the same, with some sides deviating significantly from each other) were two never-used K67/870 extracted from virgin 2008 TLM67. These sounded every bit as sexy, frequency-balanced and robust in the bass as the original brass-ring K67 from the vintage U67 I used throughout these tests.

This, then explains the contradictory reports from new owners of Reissue 67: some obviously got lucky with balanced capsules, others not so much.

Unless the capsules are hand-tuned, I'm doubtful of any claims of two mics being a "matched pair."

[RRuskin]

I base my opinion on current/modern models of small capsule mics in my collection, rather than large-cap reissues. With the exception of a very old pair of Sennheiser mkh405's, all sound and exactly the same. Their scope traces are the same as well. The reason for the disparity of the 405's is that one is early in the production and the electronics were improved in later examples.

[keith.rogers]

My short answer is that if you want 2 mics of the same kind, just go ahead and get a second NT5. It will be fine. (Now. Maybe not in 5 years...)

[alohachris]

Aloha urbanfarmer,

Ask yourself one question: Do you think that any professional engineer at an established studio would purposely buy & use an UN-matched pair of small-diaphragm condenser microphones of any brand for stereo-miking an acoustic guitar?

Answer: No

Reason: Possible phasing issues & other potential behavior issues that can be avoided by using consecutively numbered, matched SDC's.

Solution: Return your Rode NT-5 condenser mic & get a Matched Pair. Why chance it if most pro's do not use unmatched pairs for stereo recording, outside of experiments?

alohachris

PS: Be prepared to use considerable amounts of EQ when editing Rode NT-5 mic's to mitigate the hyped upper-mid's & high end frequencies of that brand/model. It can be "ear fatigue central" when editing again & again. While auditioning the NT-5's, I found the mic to be a shrill sounding mic & did not keep them. - alohachris -

[ChuckS]

Here's a link to an article from DPA regarding their matched mic and selected mic criteria.

https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-u...rophones#Match

It's interesting that even for their high end mics (i.e. 4006), which are spec'd at +/- 2dB over the frequency range without any matching, they don't state a tolerance for how well 'matched mics' are matched to each other over their frequency range; they only state the matching tolerance for sensitivity at 1Khz. However, the individual frequency response curves for each mic are provided, so the buyer does get the detail for their mics they receive.

I've got a pair of matched Gefell M296S mics, and their individual frequency response curves were supplied with the mics. Their sensitivity at 1KHz are within 0.06dB of each other. Their frequency response are within 1dB of each other up to 15KHz and within 2dB of each other above 15KHz.

[KevWind]

This question comes up often and is often highly debated and I really don't have a strong opinion either way. I see the value in matched pairs but have never had any

Personally I only ever had two mic pairs neither factory matched or consecutive ... Both pairs I think performed well, didn't notice any stand out phase or EQ issues (other than obviously placing them equidistant) and I didn't and haven't developed a desire to replace them with matched.

The current pair (non consecutive) are AEA N22 Ribbons Here is an example of them in action (understanding) they are mixed so the supporting acoustic rhythm guitar sound is present/discernible , but sits just behind both the vocals and the electric guitar in the sonic sound stage, (front to back) Also use on the electric

[urbanfarmer]

I emailed Rode about this question and here is what I received in reply:

Jason Turnbull (RØDE Microphones)
Feb 20, 9:57 AM AEDT

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your email. In a completely ideal world you'd want to use a matched pair, however with the way we produce our mic capsules, they will so close that I'd be surprised if you could tell the difference between them, honestly!
Kind Regards,

Jason T.
RØDE Microphones

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by urbanfarmer

I emailed Rode about this question and here is what I received in reply:

Jason Turnbull (RØDE Microphones)
Feb 20, 9:57 AM AEDT

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your email. In a completely ideal world you'd want to use a matched pair, however with the way we produce our mic capsules, they will so close that I'd be surprised if you could tell the difference between them, honestly!
Kind Regards,

Jason T.
RØDE Microphones

That sounds about right since they're not actually "matching" pairs in any hands-on way, just taking two consecutive mics from the assembly line and boxing them together and selling them as a "matched pair." If you don't want to go through the hassle of sending the single back and waiting on the pair, you'll be no worse off.