zplazm wrote:
> Oh Gosh!=C2=AC
>
> I just wrote a long reply to thank everyone for the excellent info
> and yahoo did a login page/byebye letter trick... oh well.
>
> i'm starting to become more focused on what i should do...
>
> I've got a budget of around $200-330 purely for a mic (and preamp?)
> solution, because my sister has very kindly lent me her minidisc M37
> sony recorder....
>
> *%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%If you were given 300 dollars to spend on any
> kit you wanted to go with a minidisc, what would you go for to have
> the "absolute best" results for recording medium level, close by
> sounds effects like a forest stream or dropping a tv from a window? i
> think i should really get a cardioid bacause there are always roads
> and planes about nearby...%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*
Nearby roads and planes cannot be eliminated by mic choice. They are
just too loud and reflect off too may surfaces. The forest stream will
be a lot easier in this regard than things in a city. It sometimes takes
a lot of creativity to get recordings. For instance, roads and planes
will be the least problem way in the middle of the night. And if all you
want is the water sounds of the stream, they flow at night...
The best kit depends on what you want to record. My primary mic is a
parabolic, because my focus is much more on recording calls than
ambiance. You interests sound more like ambiance.
> the minidisc is great, i tried with a sony ECM-F9 (CR2020 power!) mic
> and it was my first recording experience, with squelchy leaves sounds
> and a flowing stream... premium sfx sounds!
>
> as the line in has automatic levelling, i think maybe i should find a
> worn up E-bay tascam portastudio or battery-able mixing desk with
> phantom power and a line out to use as a preamp, or whatever is
> cheapest and maximum 3 kilos... or possibly even a microphone with a
> battery.
You can set manual levels, though you have to set it to that each time
you go into record. Hold down the pause, slide the record and hold it
for at least two seconds and it will go into manual record setting,
indicating that in the display. You can only set the gain manually when
in record pause.
If you don't have a owner's manual, go to
http://minidisc.org/part_Manuals.html
And download the manual for that model in PDF format. Info like the
above is in the manual.
Stick with the minidisc it will serve you well. Focus your money on the mic=
.
> most portable preamps seem to provide 9/18 volts power, is this a
> compromise? how would i research bettery mics
Those are preamps designed for the concert tapers using other than
phantom powered mics and are not supplying phantom power which is 48
volts. Regular mic pre's like the Sound Devices MP2 provide standard
phantom power. In the case of the MP2 it provides phantom power at 48
volts and 12 volts (switchable). For mics that will work ok with the
lower voltage you save battery life.
In any case, as Rich has pointed out, you don't need a pre. As you have
already found out you can record just fine without a separate pre. Same
with the idea of a mixer in the field. The system used in music where
each sound source is miked separately is not practical in a outdoor
portable environment. And remember each channel you mic is additional
cost for mics, stands, cables, etc. Start with a recorder and a hand
held mic. Do your mixing or whatever later in your computer. It's
different thinking than standard practice in music recording.
While Rich suggested a ME-62 omni, which is a good mic, I personally
think you are going to be happier with a stereo mic. A stream or the
shattering of a TV set on the pavement will be much better in stereo. My
suggestion is the Sony ECM-MS957. By hunting in Ebay you can easily get
this within your price range, would be the better quality in your price
range for a stereo mic. Because it's a Mid/Side stereo mic, should you
want mono, the two channels mix perfectly to mono, which will be just
the output of the Mid mic as the contribution of the side mic cancels
out. The mic runs on a single AA battery, comes with the right plug to
connect to the minidisc. Note you will see a lot of ECM-MS907 mics in
Ebay that are cheaper. The quality difference parallels the price
difference, most who have tried both strongly prefer the ECM-MS957.
Depending on how steady you are at holding the mic you might need to put
it in a suspension. If you get one that's got everything it had
originally there is a small tabletop support for the mic as well. This
is not a suspension, but just a holder, but it works if you have
somewhere to set it. A real suspension you can handhold can be handmade
from things like rubber bands and pvc pipe.
And you will need wind protection. The mic comes with a foam
"windscreen", but like most such it's not a lot of help outdoors. The
large size of the Rycote mini-windjammer will fit the mic (without the
foam) and works fine if it's not too windy. Look on ebay for this, there
are a couple folks keep selling these there, though even on ebay it's
overpriced. If you can sew, you can make one from a little artificial
fur, using the type with long shaggy hair and more open backing works
best. If you make a wind cover, you can make it to fit over that foam
and that will work a bit better.
There is no single place to go to research better mics. And a lot of the
stuff you find will be oriented toward studio or concert recording,
generally fairly loud sounds. So mic recommendations from such sources
have to be not completely trusted. For outdoors, mic self noise, and
ability to handle the outdoor conditions, especially humidity become big
concerns. They are often hardly noticed by the indoor recordists. Look
at the manufacturers websites for specs on the mics. Within this group
there may be someone who has used any mic you might be considering, or
can give advice on it. Often you can find a bunch of reviews and
comments on a mic by going to Google and putting in the brand and model.
You will have to sift through a lot of sales and rental places with such
a search.
Walt
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