Initially opted for a Cardioid, I chose a Primo EM 182, the capsule with the best s/n ratio among these 10 mm cardioids. It remained to decide what type of capsule to use for the mono channel, whether a Cardioid or an Omnidirectional. The only figure-eight capsule I could find available at the time was, and still is today May 2021, the 10mm Primo EM 283 capsule. The only warning I had was to insert it with the front side on the left side, in order to have the signal correctly oriented on both sides (L/R) when it is recorded with a recorder equipped with the Mid-Side encoding/decoding function. Having decided to use a baffle like the one I used in my DIY stereo realizations, I inserted the figure-eight capsule exactly as if it were a usual capsule.

I looked for what could be the best microphone capsules with a reduced diameter (10 mm) that could satisfy my need. Starting precisely from this realization, I thought about what could be the way to have a Mid-Side system in parabola, which was however as light as possible and at the same time had a dignified quality, both in terms of sound quality and in recreating the soundstage as realistic as possible. Certainly, put on a solid tripod gives the best of this technique.

However, this setup is certainly not practical, given the bulk and weight that comes with it, so with problems for freehand use. This is a setup that includes two of the best Sennheiser microphones: a MKH-30 figure eight and a super cardioid MKH-50. The first setup I saw with the MID-SIDE technique was on the Wildlife Sound Recording Society website.

Mid side recording technique