Hi-Rez Highway: WRONG! No pcm mics on Telarc orchestra pickup

We have never used pcm microphones as the orchestra pickup on any Telarc projects. The Sennheiser MKH-800 mics used on "Epics" are 'normal' analog mics with response beyond 50 kHz.

I personally prefer the sound I got on the orchestra on "Epics" over "Celtic Spectacular." On a ***well-balanced*** speaker system, there is far better inner detail and harmonic structure, better balance of highs to lows, and better front-to-back depth on "Epics." Since I'm the one that has to make the choices and set the sound at the moment of the recording's inception, I also get to be either the hero or the bum, depending on the reviewer. Luckily, most of the reviewers have given "Epics" positive reviews. However, I can only make recordings that satisfy ME. The typical orchestra session goes by at light speed, eating up more than $300 per minute of session time. If I pause for even a moment and do anything other than work instinctually, we're dead.

I have used the Neumann Solution D digital mics as the vocal pickup on the CPO's "Got Swing," Tierney Sutton's "Something Cool" and the upcoming SACD, and Rob used the mic for John Pizzarelli's "Live at Birdland." In every case, the use of that set of Neumann's has recieved rave reviews on the vocal sound.

For the record, we have never worked to emphasize the basses, low frequencies, or bass drums on Telarc recordings. We simply record with excellent FLAT omni mics, keep the recording path wide open and FLAT, and do nothing to take away low-end. The low-end on the recordings is representative of what was there AT THE SESSION and ON-STAGE. Many, many orchestral recordings have had the low-frequencies attenuated, especially the older classics originally released on Lp. They HAD to limit wide groove excursion to make the pieces fit on 12" vinyl. If one's system has been tuned for playback of the oldies, then playback of a current flat response recording will sound as if the low-end is overblown. Which one is correct? Since I'm there at the inception - and can compare to what is hitting the mics live on-stage - the FLAT RESPONSE recording is by far the closest.

Happy Listening All!

Best Regards,

Michael Bishop
Recording Engineer

WRONG! No pcm mics on Telarc orchestra pickup - EVER!