Large Diaphragm vs. Small Diaphragm

[rasputin1963]

When to use one type of mic and when to use the other?

[MikeRivers]

When one type sounds better than the other.

 

I really dislike this classification of mics by diaphragm size. There are some perfectly awful mics and perfectly wonderful mics with diaphragms of any size.

 

Here are a couple of realistic guidelines:

 

Singers expect to see a large mic (regardless of diaphragm size), and most large mics, coincidentally, have large diaphragms. So use a large diaphragm mic on a singer unless it doesn't sound good.

 

Don't put a large diaphragm mic anywhere near a drummer unless you've watched him play. Large mics are easier targets. Large diaphragm mics are often pictured as drum overhead. That's because they're easier to see way up there. U87s often sound good in that service (or any other service) but cheap small mics always sound better in that sort of service than cheap large mics.

 

If you're using a coincident stereo mic setup, it's easier to get two small mics closer to coincident than with large mics.

[surfmaster]

small condensers have better transient response, making them good for acoustic instruments like acoustic guit, percussion, drum overheads, etc...

 

large diaphragm condensers literally take more sound pressure to be moved so they smooth out transients when you don't want them, like on vocals or sometimes acoustic guitar. large diaphragms are also more colored *generally* whereas a small diaphragm has a flatter response, a large diaphragm may have an upper mid rise and a slight rolloff on either end of the spectrum.

 

but in the end, use what sounds good to you!