OCT-3D set or OCT-9

OCT-3D set or OCT-9

The next logical step in immersive audio recording with the OCT setup is to record height information.

Since the OCT-Surround records sound in the horizontal plane, the OCT-3D or OCT-9 setup adds sounds from above to the mix.

Super-cardioid microphones are recommended for the height microphones, but hyper-cardioid or cardioid microphones will also work. They are not as good as the super-cardioids, but they still do a good job. As you know, the backward damping is about -11 dB for super-cardioids, about -6 dB for the hyper-cardioids and the regular cardioid is almost death if there is noise from 180° behind, which is almost never the case. You may assume there is a damping of 2-3 dB. Just as a rule of thumb.

There are two variations of this setup, depending on the desired height of the microphones.
If you want the super-cardioid microphones more than 40 cm above the horizontal layer, the laws of leverage will kick in, so you will need sturdier connections to the stand. The chosen solution has its limitations but is a good compromise between sturdiness and weight.
You may try it at your own risk with heights higher than 40 cm, but in the end, it's your gear.

Here's something to whet your appetite:

The additional XLR cable is shown separately so that it can be seen more clearly in the pictures.

The tutorial and the shopping list is still in the making - so please stay tuned.