Re: Quietest Mic / Pre

["Charles Deenen (home)" <>]

Hi walter.

I have the MP2 and Mixpre, both of which I don=B9t find quiet enough.  I=B9=
m
also looking for mics that are quieter than the MKH series. Even though
their selfnoise is very low, it=B9s not low enough (yet).   It always bugs =
me
that I have to EQ-out hiss on quiet recordings.  Has anybody tried the new
Neumann Digital output mic for quietness ?

For example, have you ever recorded on the top of the volcano=B9s in  Maui =
?
If so, it has an almost eerie quitness too it, so you only hear very subtle
rustling etc.  Self-noise is a big issue during those times.

-cd




> From: Walter Knapp <>
> Reply-To: 
> Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2003 13:40:19 -0400
> To: 
> Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Quietest Mic / Pre
>
>
> Charles Deenen (home) wrote:
>> > What have people found to be the quietest Mic / Pre combo ?  (i.e. Ver=
y lo
>> > self-noise)
>
> You probably want to identify type of mic first. Identify what you want
> to record, what types of mics will work. Then you can make self noise
> one of the things you consider to narrow the field.
>
> Quietest I have by specs is the Sennheiser MKH-60 at 6dBA, a short
> shotgun mic. Next quieter are the MKH-20's (omnis) and MKH-80's
> (multipattern) at 10dBA.
>
> The Sound Devices MP2 pre I have should be slightly quieter than the
> Portadisc's pre. Both are very quiet.
>
> But, at this level you rarely get to push the self noise a lot. The
> environment is generally noisier. Self noise that's high in a mic is a
> problem, as you go lower and lower in self noise it gets less of a
> problem until it almost ceases to exist as a problem. Almost any of the
> Sennheiser MKH mics, and even some ME mics fall into the category where
> you will choose based on other criteria. It is a issue with some of the
> less expensive mics that people consider. Unfortunately most mic reviews
> you find are based on music recording, where self noise is far less of a
> issue. Often I read reviews of mics that don't even say anything about
> it. And some manufacturers also may not even provide specs. Particularly
> in less expensive mics.
>
> In one of the early discussions when the group first was formed a rule
> of mic self noise below 20dBA as being a pretty good cutoff for high end
> nature recording was proposed. Some would make it lower, few would argue
> for much higher. Above that level the self noise will often intrude in
> your recordings, below that it will be less of a problem, or no problem.
>
> So much depends on what you are recording and how you are recording it.
> And how much you will tolerate. The lower your self noise the quieter
> environments you can record. But really quiet environments are rare. If
> recording loud things, or in environments with covering noise like surf
> or wind through the vegetation it hardly matters.
>
> The other character associated with self noise is how it sounds. A
> smooth hiss is far less intrusive than irregular sputtering or whatever.
> It pays to listen to the actual self noise amplified. Sooner or later it
> will be audible in some of your recordings.
>
> Walt
> 
>
>
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