Mic'ing question

rispsira

New member
Hello everyone!

Sorry this is a newbie question but even though I've had my unit for a while now, just started recently using it (torpedo live)

I have purchased official Mesa cabs from two notes which I've been using but something confuses me:

I understand the "distance" and the "axis" on/off parameters but wanted to ask; is there a way I can move a mic to the side without pointing it off axis?
Or does the axis only indicate distance from center?

Visually, it seems that the axis parameter is just that but i'm not sure.

Thanks!!
 
Distance is the perpendicular (vertical line upward if the cab were laid flat on the ground), shortest-path distance from the cabinet.

Off-axis is any angle of inclination where the mic isn't pointing straight at the cab.

Simple as that mate.
 
Thank you for the answer man! What I'd like to confirm though is that there is no way to keep the mic on axis and to the side, is that right?
 
Picture that description I used. If a cab's sitting on its back on the floor, distance is any vertical line from there to the mic.

I can see why you might be confused 'cause technically off-to-the-side mightn't be on-axis to an actual speaker driver. Consider this 'though:
If you mic any speaker in a 4x12 on-axis you've still got 3 others off-axis, albeit at lower volume levels, right?

So, for the purposes of utility and the sake of simplicity and standardisation, these terms generally refer to the cab itself. If you're talking about mic'ing a particular speaker within a cab, you'd then describe the positioning relative to that speaker as either off or on-axis.
 
Hello @rispsira, the DISTANCE parameter sets the distance between the cabinet and the mic. The higher the value, the further the mic. The AXIS parameter moves the mic sideways compare to the center of the speaker. The lower the value, the more the mic is placed at the center of the speaker (at 0 the mic is straight in the axis of the cone of the speaker).
When distance is at 0, and you move the mic with the AXIS parameter, you go from the dead center of the cone ( 0% value), to the edge of the speaker (100% value).
When Distance is at 100, and you move the mic with the AXIS, at 0% you are aligned with the center of the speaker, at 100% you are 3m sideways from the cone of the speaker.

The mic is always making a 90° angle with the grill cloth of the cabinet.
 
Thank you, Dilan!

Silly me, my entire explanation was about cabinet-mic'ing terminology in the "real world".

Having seen the questions about on and off-axis, I failed to notice that the OP was asking specifically about Torpedo parameters.
 
Distance is the perpendicular (vertical line upward if the cab were laid flat on the ground), shortest-path distance from the cabinet.

Off-axis is any angle of inclination where the mic isn't pointing straight at the cab.

Simple as that mate.
Hello @rispsira, the DISTANCE parameter sets the distance between the cabinet and the mic. The higher the value, the further the mic. The AXIS parameter moves the mic sideways compare to the center of the speaker. The lower the value, the more the mic is placed at the center of the speaker (at 0 the mic is straight in the axis of the cone of the speaker).
When distance is at 0, and you move the mic with the AXIS parameter, you go from the dead center of the cone ( 0% value), to the edge of the speaker (100% value).
When Distance is at 100, and you move the mic with the AXIS, at 0% you are aligned with the center of the speaker, at 100% you are 3m sideways from the cone of the speaker.

The mic is always making a 90° angle with the grill cloth of the cabinet.
As I'm trying to do both IR and Mic'ing this helped me tremendously. Thank you!
 
Sorry for the late reply guys!! So what you are saying is that the "axis" parameter just moves the mic horizontally, while it is still perpendicular to the grill cloth.

Therefore the mic is never off axis the way we use that terminology to designate a diagonal angle.

If this is the case, it is exactly what I want (even if the visual representation on the PC is misguiding.

Again, thanks to every single one of you!
 
Sorry for the late reply guys!! So what you are saying is that the "axis" parameter just moves the mic horizontally, while it is still perpendicular to the grill cloth.

Therefore the mic is never off axis the way we use that terminology to designate a diagonal angle.

If this is the case, it is exactly what I want (even if the visual representation on the PC is misguiding.

Again, thanks to every single one of you!
Yes - the axis moves the mic horizontally while keeping the mic perpendicular to the grill cloth.
 
I wonder if confusion could've been avoided by naming the parameter "Lateral Position" or something like that, 'cause the "axis" in this case is the mic's position relative to the speaker and not the angle of the mic itself.

Just a thought. :confused:
 
The mic graphic tends to look like it’s rotating as you move it out from center, but it’s not actually rotating/getting off axis.
 
I was confused by that for the longest time until I found the explanation on another forum. The graphics clearly make it look like the mic is tilting as you move the axis parameter. Another reason why we should always listen with our ears, not our eyes.
 
Some cabs ( e.g. the Victory Cabs) have a tilt microphone option for the dyn 57. Maybe there could be this option for more cabs?
 
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