Audience Mics in Podcast

[cw4u]

Do you leave a bit of the audience or ambiant mics in your podcast mix? I don't currently but I've noticed that the speakers kinda sound like they are talking to themselves at times.

Is this desirable?

[waynehoskins]

I don't, but that's because I don't need them since there's already enough bleed in the lavaliers our guys wear. It helps that our space is small.

[Borggren]

I do. 2 fixed ambience microphones, panned left, right for podcast/CD/television broadcast. That gives the listener the feeling of being in the church room, and not just having the pastor talking next to your ear. Another thing is that we also get the audience response, laughing, clapping, crying, children screaming etc. It gives the atmosphere of church.
We are using DPA 4088 headband microphones for all speakers.

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by Borggren

Another thing is that we also get the audience response, laughing, clapping, crying, children screaming etc.

This is SO important and often ignored by church tech people. It's the difference between broadcasting a PA FOH mix and broadcasting a broadcast mix. Especially during transitions, speaker changes at the podium, intros, coming out of video segment playbacks which may have applause, etc.

Unfortunately it is REALLY HARD for the FOH PA guy to mix that which he cannot hear in the mains ... so it usually means having a seperate console, and many times a seperate audio guy mixing your sound for broadcast.

[tkpeterson12]

Originally Posted by Borggren

I do. 2 fixed ambience microphones, panned left, right for podcast/CD/television broadcast. That gives the listener the feeling of being in the church room, and not just having the pastor talking next to your ear. Another thing is that we also get the audience response, laughing, clapping, crying, children screaming etc. It gives the atmosphere of church.
We are using DPA 4088 headband microphones for all speakers.

Sorry to jump in, but what mics (brand & model) are you using for your ambience mics?

[Borggren]

We are using 2 old AKG C460 with CK1 capsules. They are cardioid electret condenser microphones, hanging 1/3 down the room with their back to the main PA speakers. I have also tried 2 AKG C562 boundary layer microphones, build into the front of our balcony. That gave a fantastic feeling of the room, but does not work with contemporary worship with high sound levels.

[tkpeterson12]

Thanks. So basically, you would recommend a small condenser mic.

[cmchamp]

Here's an option that you could use that wouldn't "look" like a stick at the end of a string if you were to hang them.

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wi...8b3/index.html

C.

[Borggren]

This is the best sounding mic i have ever heard, made for this purpose: http://www.dpamicrophones.com/en/pro...66#description