I use an Earthworks SR-68 super-cardiod microphone for my shakuhachi
and suling amplification system. All of the EW mics are very
transparent re their sound and the SR-68 has excellent rejection from
everywhere except straight on, which lets me play with loud players
(saxs, trmpts, drums, elec guitars, laptop players, etc) without
their sound getting into my mic too heavily.
inevitably there is some leakage, of course in high volume situations...
Usually I run the mic output into a Behringer tube preamp and then to
a Behringer self-powered monitor (this is a self-powered studio
monitor, not a guitar amp...there is no reverb, or compression.) I
use shielded mic cables throughout the signal chain from beginning to
end.
This gives me warm transparent amplification of the flute with
relatively low noise, and no 60/120 Hz hum.
this is also a cheap solution.
the EW mic is the expensive part of this setup, relatively speaking.
the Behringer preamp is super cheap but good enough for this task,
and same for the Behringer self-powered monitor or monitors...
considerably better sound than a JBL Eon for example- not as powerful.
also much cheaper.
I sometimes take the SR-68 into a mixer and then into my computer for
processing and analysis but that's another story.
I feel the high-quality super cardiod microphone approach is better
for me than something that would mount on the flute itself because i
play a lot of different flutes in rapid succession in the free
electroacoustic improvisation context i work in, and there's no way
to change a mounted mic fast enough and quietly enough for my
purposes.
for those who know mics, i think the EW SR_68 sounds as good as an
AKG 414 for flutes, winds, and voice, but there's much better side
and rear rejection, and less coloration of what does leak through in
high-volume situations. I've used this mic effectively to amplify
pesinden (female singers) in the middle of a loud gamelan ensemble...
as long as the instrument or voice is a full foot or more back from
the mic there is essentially no coloration. if you get closer, of
course, you get a bass boost, as you would with any cardiod or
super-cardiod mic.
good luck finding the right solution for your needs.
cheers,
jgt
-- Joel Taylor_____________________________________________
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