Digitally Recording at a Distance

[zgmg]

I have an idea to record with a TLM 103D (high price point Nuemann microphone with internal AD converter) at a distance. The idea is that I can rid the need of a pop filter/compressor/low freq attenuation/etc. by recording maybe 6 feet away (i.e. my height in length) and only boosting the gain in a 32-bit float environment if need be. So no pre amp, no signal-to-noise ratio, just the mic at 0db with intensive soundproofing.

 

The idea for using a digital signal is loss free recording - that analog cable over 6 feet may not sound any different, but as I understand, is susceptible to impedance. And the reason for recording at a distance is that it would rid the need for superfluous recording techniques and provide a clear, naturally balanced signal like we already here when speaking to each other.

 

I have a few questions about the idea though - would this idea, in theory, work best with a Cardioid pattern? It rejects noise - but with the charts about how it picks up sound in it's circumference, do the orbs that illustrate the areas infer distance too? Even for a direct, 0-degree line from the diaphragm (of the microphone)? Thank you.

[lookatthisguy]

And the reason for recording at a distance is that it would rid the need for superfluous recording techniques and provide a clear, naturally balanced signal like we already here when speaking to each other.

 

Except that the way that most humans hear is in stereo, with roughly 6" separation and a strong angle between each "diaphragm." Even if you match that, you'd need microphones that mirror the responses of the human ear, and that of course is different for each person.

 

Simply speaking, the further your source from your microphone, the less direct signal you'll pick up in place of ambience/reverberance. I mean, your theory could work, but it'd be much akin to filmmakers trying to record sound potentially in less-than-optimal conditions, in which case a shotgun mic (supercardoid or hypercardoid) is what would probably be used. And of course, the more you crank the gain, the more you'll up the noise floor.

 

As for polar graphs, the concentric circles measure "rolloff" (for lack of a better term) of signal strength—speak into the front end of a cardoid, for example, and you'll pretty much get what you want, but speak into the mic at a 120° offset, and you'll hear a significant loss in strength.

[zgmg]

Thank you for the reply. I'm going to think about it some more until I can afford it.