Chairman: Tony Faulkner, Green Room Productions, Harefield, UK
This year's U.S. Grammy Classical Engineering Nominations included a disproportionate number of recordings made using classic valve microphones and straight-to-stereo miking technique.
Despite the arrival of high specification phantom-powered transistor microphones and sophisticated mixing systems we find a continuing desire among studio recording engineers to opt for older valve »classic« models and for simple miking, especially for classical and for vocals. Often this is put down as nostalgia or reluctance to accept new ideas.
Why are their qualities often preferred by professional practitioners? Should modern designers learn lessons from this, if the qualities are so popular? This discussion will attempt to identify some of the differences in designs and miking philosophy, and possible reasons for preferences.
