From: "jarrod_sneyd" <>
>
> Hi folks
>
> I work for RSPB and have sound recorded bitterns (Botaurus stellaris)
> amongst other things using Sennheiser ME67 and Sony Professional Tape
> Recorder - also more recently portable sony minidisc MZR30. However,
> I haven't really done any recording for some time - and have decided
> to revisit it. How does mini-disc compare to DAT and Solid State
> Technology and how easy is it to transfer material to a PC from mini-
> disc? What is the advantage of buying an HHB Portable MiniDisc
> rather than the portable machines than you can buy as standard in
> most retail outlets. Then to solid state. I see there is a
> relatively recent machine called the Marantz PMD 670. I'm no expert
> and all the fine detail and specs on the net are fairly meaningless
> to me. Basically, it looks to me that these machines are the next
> step - and may be worth the investment. However, how long can you
> record with CompactFlash at DAT quality level? HHB in England sell 1
> GB cards - maybe 2 GB. I've heard that at high quality level you may
> only get 30 mins or so of recording.
>
> Basically I want to progress a hobby from something that helps me to
> relax - to the point where I could edit and put together a CD of the
> sounds of my nature reserve - which I could make available to reserve
> visitors. I'm just deciding what's worth buying at this point. An
> HHB MiniDisc recorder, a Marantz PMD670. I'm fairly cluesless.
I went from tape to minidisc, with the then new MZ-R30. DAT looked like
just more of the tape problems that I was trying to avoid. I recorded
with that for a number of years, wearing out two of them. Early on I
recorded mostly with a homemade parabolic, later replaced with a
Telinga. Mostly documentation for a scientific survey, and mostly frogs.
When the HHb Portadisc was released I was at a point of needing to
replace my worn recorders, and preordered and got one of the first ones
to arrive in the US. I've been using it ever since with no problems, and
very happy with it. Since that point I've been working on a set of mics
that were up to the quality capabilities of the Portadisc. My mic set is
almost entirely Sennheiser MKH's with the exception of a Telinga Stereo
Parabolic, recently upgraded to the latest model. I also have a
hydrophone which sees occasional use. Except for the hydrophone I record
exclusively in stereo. Stereo has big advantages over mono in field
recording.
My mics can be looked at and there are older samples here:
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_mod_sass.html
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_ms_setups.html
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/mic_samples.html
The Telinga is here:
http://www.telinga.com/
Some other odds and ends that are not linked, these things come and go
on my website:
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/tall.tripod.1.jpg
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/tall.tripod.2.jpg
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/SASS_MKH20_short.mp3
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/SASS_MKH20_tall.mp3
http://naturerecordist.home.mindspring.com/gopher.mp3
http://naturerecordist.home.mindspring.com/2004D003-020.mp3
http://naturerecordist.home.mindspring.com/2004D004-005.mp3
http://naturerecordist.home.mindspring.com/2004D005-003.mp3
http://madranis.home.mindspring.com/Audio2-3a.mp3
These all use the HHb Portadisc as the recorder, some have the Sound
Devices MP2 preamp in front of that to increase the gain over what's
possible with the Portadisc alone. When using MS mics, I record the MS
signals and decode to stereo later in the computer. The MP2 preamp does
have the advantage here of having a MS decoder that will play just to
the headphones, or also decode the MS for a stereo signal to the recorder.
Compared to the MZ-R30, or any of the current consumer MD's the
Portadisc is a big step up in recording capability. All the advantages
of a portable DAT, without all the disadvantages of tape. The optical
disc used is a extremely reliable and durable media. You are recording
on a media that's archival. The preamps are much better than consumer
MD. It can supply phantom power, has a number of settings not found on
consumer gear. It has a 6 second prerecord, will record from 6 seconds
before you pressed pause to start recording from record/pause. Some
consumer MD has added this feature recently. That saves a lot of
recording nothing in hopes of a call. You can start recording when you
hear the call and get all the call. It uses standard XLR inputs.
On top of the advantages in the input and storage end, the Portadisc has
several output options, including digital. This will provide the digital
audio as a realtime stream for recording into a computer, or whatever
other use. This is a step up in the final sound quality. It does take as
long as the recording to transfer, which some make out as the very most
important thing about a recorder, but in the whole process it's a minor
thing. I use the transfer time to review the recording and decide what
I'm going to do with it. I don't just slap a recording into a CD for
distribution without a lot of critical listening. The review on transfer
is only a start. I transfer from the Portadisc into my mac using the
Portadisc's optical digital output, which insures electrical isolation
of the Portadisc from the computer.
Incidentally, transfer from computer to the Portadisc would be done the
same way. It's realtime too. Shift the optical cable from the input to
output on the computer and from output to input on the Portadisc and
record. If I was hooking up with the USB instead, just record, it's two way.
For transfer from CD to MD I have a Sony deck that will do it faster.
Primarily used for making music MD's for my car radios (all of which are
MD units). MD is much more appropriate for car use than CD (yep, I have
a MD changer in my Ranger too).
One other advantage of the Portadisc over the consumer MD, it has human
sized controls. In a well cared for consumer MD, usually the first thing
to go is those tiny switches under those tiny buttons.
Last year a CD was released that was primarily from my field recordings
with some from the MZ-R30 and even more with the Portadisc. "Calls of
the Wild, Vocalizations of Georgia's Frogs". I edited the call material,
both ID clips and chorus material, we used a studio for the narration.
There will be another CD in a year or two which will be part of a book
on Georgia's Herps. I continue to record with a greater emphasis on
listening quality than the documentation work, though I continue
documentation. The current CD is now in it's 2nd run. It sold out the
first run in just over a month. Minidisc is up to producing CD's that
people like. I've had lots of positive comments about the sound quality
of that CD. You can find a page in my frog pages on it:
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/GAFrog.Toad.html
Solid state is new, it's possible it may be a "wave of the future", but
there are other contenders. But for now it has disadvantages. The media
is very expensive relative to minidisc, so it's necessary to fairly
quickly transfer the recording to something else. For a longer field
foray this can end up making for much more complex things to cart along.
In contrast, the minidisc can be simply put in a case and worked on
months later without worry. Typically most years I fall way behind in
processing my recordings during the recording season, and do a lot of
that off season.
There are hard disk recorders, (or temporary storage HD's for the solid
state stuff) which would seem to get around this problem. But a hard
disk's reliability depends on very careful treatment, and think about
having all your eggs in one basket. Failure of a few bits on the disk
can leave you without a major portion of your season's recordings.
Unless you are transferring just as often as with solid state. In which
case you negate the advantage of a large hard disk.
Some advocate recording directly into laptops. But they are very awkward
as a field recorder. Place major limitations on your field work compared
to a good field recorder made for the job.
There are variations in the quality of the electronics in the various
recorders. But, most any of them will easily beat the tape you used.
While you can produce a CD recording with a consumer MD, it's a lot
easier to use one of the higher level recorders. The preamps they have
are generally of a bit low quality for CD work. The Portadisc is a pro
level recorder with quality electronics. It must have arrived,
PortaBrace makes one of their pro field cases especially for it. Mine
lives in that case. In the minidisc format the Portadisc is definitely tops.
Note Sony has announced HiMD, which is a much higher capacity minidisc,
longer record times. Some of their recorders will do uncompressed
recording (at much shorter record times) to satisfy those with a mental
problem about ATRAC compression. Currently what's coming out is consumer
level recorders. It is looking like paranoia about music piracy may have
had too much influence, we are waiting to see. They appear to be tied to
specific software to function. I'll get interested if HHb offers a
upgrade or new Portadisc in the format in a uncrippled recorder. Though
it's not much of a issue to me. I rarely have problems with a 80minute
disc not being enough record time. And at the rate my Portadisc is going
it will be running for a very long time yet. I more view it as a good
sign that minidisc will continue to be supported and improved.
DAT, on the other hand, is definitely on it's last legs. I would not
recommend committing to DAT. Or anything else using magnetic tape.
Solid state is new, just beginning to be used. The big worry to my mind
is how computer gear like this is frequently made obsolete. I'd not
trust support to be there long term for any particular model. Some new
thing will replace them. I've watched this group run after one model or
another many times while I still continue with my Portadisc. Ultimately
they are a combo of hardware and software. Long before the hardware
wears out the software support probably will. (I'm going through this
with my expensive digital camera) I strongly prefer a recorder less tied
to that world, a independent recorder. In addition, the storage media is
almost the least important thing about a field recorder. It is all
important that the front end preamps and so on be up to it. And that the
recorder is up to life in the field. Just being solid state or hard disk
does not say much about sound quality from the recorder.
Just a few odd bits of my opinion.
Walt
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