The reason for this is to get a wider stereo perspective, thus avoiding any congestion on the stereo stage. It has many things in common with filming a stage play. Just as it would be ineffective to leave a camera positioned at Row M for the duration of a play, it would be ineffective to put microphones at Row M and expect them to make a good recording. Instead, we normally use a number of microphones, some close to the ensemble, some far away. These ingredients are carefully balanced at the beginning of the recording, and are rarely changed to any significant degree during the course of the recording.
Technology is the equipment and technique is the way that technology is used.
For us at Delos the real value of these technological advances is that they serve the music and do not dominate it. Our aim is always to find a better way to realize the music, a way that accommodates the players without technological intrusion.