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Re: 24/96

Subject: Re: 24/96
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2003 21:52:58 -0400
evertveldhuis wrote:
> Besides ATRAC there are other components in the signal chain that 
> have influence on the quality of the recording.
> 
> I think of:
> 1 - recording location / situation (indoors, outdoors, 
> weatherconditions, distance from source to mic, disturbing and 
> unwanted sounds)
> 2 - microphone
> 3 - preamp
> 4 - AD Convertor (applies only if recorder is digital)
> 5 - Recorder (wax, tape, MP3, DAT, ATRAC, CD, memorychip, and the 
> like)
> 6 - DA Convertor (applies only if recorder is digital)
> 7 - AMP
> 8 - Headphones or loudspeakers
> 9 - listening situation (indoors, outdoors, weatherconditions, 
> distance from source to ear, disturbing and unwanted sounds)
> 
> The numbers 1 to 5 are the ones we have the most influence in, as 
> recordist. I really wonder if number 5 is *that* much important 
> compared to the influence of the numbers 1, 2 (and 3)
> 
> Personally I think not, I think that the quality improvent made by 
> having *the* best recorder is only justified if everything else is. 

And that is disregarded a lot.

> Might I add another BIG influence ; your recording skills...
> 
> Regards, Evert - If noise free sounds are that important, just 
> synthesize them...

My feelings exactly. This is a recurring theme. It's a whole system, not 
some component that makes the recording.

Of all of it, the factor that we have control of that makes far and away 
the greatest difference is the microphone. And our recording skills are 
second if not equal. If we are lucky and skilled we can manage to 
overcome the problems of #1 on your list. The rest is almost trivia by 
comparison.

I am in the process of cleaning out some stored emails. In the early 
days of the group I stuck all the posts away, and have been sorting 
that. I was reading the discussions of the group for the first week of 
it's existence last night. First subject discussed was microphones, not 
recorders.

Walt





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