Steve Albini explores the art of miking speaker cabinets by emphasizing microphone placement's impact on sound accuracy and quality.
He advocates positioning the mic at the speaker's center to capture the most accurate signal and suggests backing it off to around 12-14 inches for a natural cabinet sound. This distance helps blend the eccentricities and reflections into a cohesive tone, similar to what a listener experiences in a live setting.
Albini demonstrates practical methods, like using a flashlight to locate the speaker center and employing mic stand adjustments to achieve precise alignment. His insights are valuable for anyone looking to capture the authentic sound quality of a guitar or smaller combo amplifier cabinet.