Important accessories for stereo recording
Stereo booms
The UA0836 Stereo Boom (fig. 25) is a precision-crafted microphone boom for easy and secure mounting of microphone pairs for stereo recording. It can be precisely adjusted for both spacing and angling of the microphones.
The boom can be mounted on a stand or suspended from wires. It has centimeter graduations on the boom and angle graduations on the microphone holders for precise, quick and easy configuration of the recording setup.
The UA0897 Shock Mount (fig. 29) can also be used with it.
Fig. 25 UA0836 Stereo Boom with holders.
The SB0400 (fig. 27) is a lightweight stereo boom – with or without shock mounted microphone holders – addresses the need for quick, precise and repeatable ways to switch between different setups.
The shock mounts included in this solution hold both omnidirectional and directional microphones – compact as well as larger. Based on the Rycote® Lyre™ suspension system, almost any microphone can be used simply by adding another Lyre™ rubber piece.
Markers indicate parallel microphones positioning plus 90° and 110° offset for XY an ORTF configurations. A central base with a rotary joint allows the microphones to be angled equally. The Stereo Boom has hooks for suspending the boom in wires.
SB0400 is 40 cm (1.3 ft) long. More holders can be attached to it for mounting more than two microphones.
For the arrangement of a coincident XY stereo or near coincident (including ORTF or NOS) stereo configuration, the stereo boom can be fitted with two directional microphones and DUA0019 Spacer for Stereo Boom (fig. 14).
The lightweight stereo boom SB0400 (fig 2) is an alternative solution.
Fig. 29 SB0400 Lightweight Stereo Boom without holders.
Accessories for the microphones
Acoustic Pressure Equalizers
Acoustic Pressure Equalizers – APEs – are passive acoustic processors functioning as both spatial and spectral equalizers. They use diffractions on the surface to modify the sound field near the microphone diaphragm. This technique is only possible on omnidirectional pressure microphones.
Fig. 27 Acoustic Pressure Equalizers.
When using an APE, two primary changes occur:
1. An upper-mid-range/high-frequency boost (without changing the low end) due to the pressure build up at certain frequencies depending on the element’s size
2. More directionality at higher frequencies (focus)
A presence (upper-mid-range) lift is often desirable in rhythmical genres, to make a voice or an instrument cut through a mix or simply to make it more intelligible or well defined. For symphonic music, the frequency response of certain legendary vintage types of microphones can be obtained using one of the APEs. However, you will achieve a much higher degree of naturalness and detail when using a precision handcrafted
4006 Omnidirectional Microphone.
Nose Cone
A nose cone gives your microphone a perfect omnidirectional response across the whole audio frequency range. It counteracts the directional characteristics that omnidirectional microphones exhibit at higher frequencies. It also guarantees an even tonal balance of sound arriving at all angles of incidence but without a high-frequency boost on axis.
The Nose Cone is specially designed for use with
4006 Omnidirectional Microphone variants.
Fig. 28 Nose Cone for 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone.
This nose cone is especially suitable for increasing the ambiance to your recordings or for miking a variety of sound sources that are positioned around the microphone.
Fig. 29 UA0897 Shock Mount.
Wind screen
The windscreen provides excellent protection against wind and pop noises without attenuating the higher frequencies beyond the tolerance field of the microphone's frequency response. It is well suited for outdoor applications and for speech and singing at short distances. The windscreen is specially designed for compact mics, for example on floor stands.
Fig. 30 Windscreen DUA0020 for DPA 19 mm microphones.
Mounting the microphones
Mounting on a stand
Simply use the centered standard microphone thread or connect using the 3/8” NS27 thread adapter supplied.
Fig. 31 Mounting the boom on a microphone stand.
Suspension
Suspension of the boom is easily made by using the fly eyelets at the ends of the bar. Position the holders up-side-down to obtain balance.
Fig. 32 Flying the boom on wire.
Kits for stereo recording

3532-SP Stereo Kit with DPA 4041 Large Diaphragm Microphone

3506A Stereo Kit with 4006A Omnidirectional Microphone

3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioid Microphone
3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioid Microphone

ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Twin Diaphragm Cardioid Microphone

3515A Stereo pair with 4015A Wide Cardioids Microphone
Suggested microphones & accessories
AB Stereo
- 3532-SP Stereo Kit with 4041 Omnis*
- 3506A Stereo Kit with 4006A Omnis
- 4006A Omnidirectional Microphone
- 4007A Omnidirectional Microphone
- 4041-SP Omni Large Diaphragm Microphone*
* Since the 4041 Large Diaphragm Microphone is not completely omnidirectional at higher frequencies and has an on-axis upper mid-range frequency lift, the perceived directionality will change compared to most other omni microphones. It calls for a little deviation from the graphs shown. For positioning circumstances, the 4041 can be considered as a wide cardioid microphone (fig. 16).
The same considerations must be done if applying Acoustic Pressure Equalizers (see fig. 27) in connection with 4006A Omnidirectional Microphones. These accessories provide increased directional information.
XY Stereo
- 3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioids
- 3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioids
- ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Cardioids
- 4011A Cardioid Microphone
- DUA0019 Spacer for microphone boom *
* To keep identical vertical aiming of the microphones, the DUA0019 Spacer for Stereo Boom (fig. 14) should be used.
Near coincident
- 3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioids
- 3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioids
- 3515A Stereo pair with 4015A Wide Cardioids
- ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Cardioids
- 4011A Cardioid Microphone
- 4015A Wide Cardioid Microphone
- DUA0019 Spacer for microphone boom **
- UA0897 Shock Mount ***
* Since the 4041 Large Diaphragm Microphone is not completely omnidirectional at higher frequencies and has an on-axis upper mid-range frequency lift, the perceived directionality will change compared to most other omni microphones. It calls for a little deviation from the graphs shown. For positioning circumstances, the 4041 can be considered as a wide cardioid microphone (fig. 16).
** The 19 mm spacer (DUA0019) must be used whenever the microphones cross each other (fig. 14).
*** When using the UA0897 Shock Mounts, it may be necessary to use the female XLR connector on the cable in one of the rubber mounts since the shock mounts take up more space than the normal holders (fig. 17 & 18).
ORTF Stereo
- 3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioids
- 3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioids
- ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Cardioids
- DUA0019 Spacer for microphone boom *
- UA0897 Shock Mount **
* The 19 mm spacer (DUA0019) must be used whenever the microphones cross each other (fig. 14).
** If using the UA0897 Shock Mount, additional XLR extension units must be applied as well, see fig. 18. The sliders are marked for the ORTF angular position.
DIN Stereo
- 3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioids
- 3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioids
- ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Cardioids
- DUA0019 Spacer for microphone boom *
- UA0897 Shock Mount **
* The 19 mm spacer (DUA0019) must be used whenever the microphones cross each other (fig. 14).
** If using the UA0897 Shock Mount, additional XLR extension units must be applied as well, see fig. 18. The sliders are marked for the ORTF angular position.
NOS Stereo
- 3511A Stereo Kit with 4011A Cardioids
- 3511ES Stereo Kit with 4011ES Cardioids
- ST2011A Stereo pair with 2011A Cardioids
- DUA0019 Spacer for microphone boom *
- UA0897 Shock Mount **
* The 19 mm spacer (DUA0019) must be used whenever the microphones cross each other (fig. 14).
** If using the UA0897 Shock Mount, additional XLR extension units must be applied as well, see fig. 18. The sliders are marked for the ORTF angular position.
References
[1] Simonsen, Gert. Doctoral thesis. Technical University of Denmark.
[2] Williams, Michael: The Stereophonic Zoom. 1991. Published by author.