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Re: Some mic samples

Subject: Re: Some mic samples
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 13:06:24 -0500
Lang Elliott wrote:
> Walt:
> 
> nice selection of examples. I presume that the variation in background noise
> between recordings is mostly due to variations in traffic, rather than due
> to the mike setups themselves.

The site with the Southern Chorus frogs had some sort of machinery 
running steady off in the distance that's a lot of it's noise. I'm 
guessing it was something like a heat pump on a house, this was rural. 
Note how it's pretty much cut off by the Telinga as it was off behind 
me. There was also some distant traffic and a very distant train, also 
behind me. I'm pointing in the direction of the Savannah River, about a 
mile away through woods. A couple miles south of where we had the dog 
problem when you were here. You might could interpret variations in 
noise in the various mics at that site as variations in how much the 
different mics were picking up from the back. Remember the figure 8 side 
mics will pick up a lot from the back, the dead zone behind them is very 
narrow. And the SASS also has a wide coverage, though it should have 
blocked some.

The second site it's a combination of traffic and several far distant 
trains. I did not put up the parts with train whistles. There was also 
what sounds like another heat pump off to the right. Direct ahead was a 
wildlife refuge, but to the right was a line of riverfront homes on the 
Savannah river. Most traffic was either behind or to back left.

Given the rare, fully quiet conditions, all these setups are quiet. Sure 
wish I could find those conditions more often.

I'm also running the Portadisc on a 5 to 7 setting range, which should 
insure it's not adding noise.

I've still got a ways to go working out how to use these setups and what 
they will do. Each mic setup has slightly different characteristics. 
Hard to convey in just a few mp3 samples, much more evident with them in 
hand. This was actually my first opportunity to try them all together on 
frogs at the same sites. I'm pleased with the results. Worth the time it 
took to make all the changes. And the effort to accumulate them.

Note these are all being hand held. I have wondered if the MS MKH 30/60 
at the second site might have been picking up my blood flowing. That's a 
hard setup to use close to you, it picks up breathing unless you are 
very careful. The MS MKH-80/80 is also like that. It's vertical instead 
of horizontal in it's suspension.

Walt




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