Have added equipment lists of more members.
Some members are providing comments about their equipment, which in my
opinion, is good.
How large this list will get and where it ultimately will be kept is a good
topic for discussion. I personally feel that for now a list sorted
alphabetically by last name should be OK. Please speak up if you have any
suggestions.
Also if members whish to add to or revise their list, just re-post it and
it will be added. If you do this please re-post your entire list, not just
the changes.
Jim
Jim Morgan
Acting Moderator
Nature Recordists e-mail group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturerecordists
Personal Photography:
http://wingsofnature.com/
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*****
Dan Dugan
My present rig is:
2 Shure WR183 omni lavalier mics wired to a single mini-stereo plug
Sharp MD-MT90 minidisc recorder
Shure E3 ear canal phones
The mics are mounted on the shoulders of a vest, and covered with
home-made wire cage and fuzzy fabric windscreens plus the Shure
snap-on windscreens inside. Mic and phones wiring is safety-pinned to
the vest which contains the complete recording system including spare
batteries and discs, so I can set up in less than one minute from
backpack to rolling.
Photo at http://www.dandugan.com/downloads (by David Seltzer)
*****************************************************
Daniel De Granville
Pantanal, Brazil
So far, it seems like I'm the one having the most modest gear. I'm pretty
happy with it, but always searching for upgrades...
I have started taking nature recordings more seriously at about 1 year ago.
Before that, I was limited to a cheap microcassette recorder with its
built-in mic. Last year I got a Sony MZ-N10 MD, which I use together with a
Sennheiser ME62 mic and a homemade "parabolic" reflector made out of an
umbrella. Now I'm starting to think about stereo recordings, and at first I
considered the Sony ECM-MS957 stereo mic as a good option. But even that one
is pretty expensive for the average Brazilian: this kind of import is
subject to heavy taxings, plus the fact that earnings here are much lower
than in the USA or Europe, for example. Therefore, I am now considering the
Panasonic mic capsules as opposed to the ECM.
My goal is making experiments to get reasonable recordings with low costs. I
intend to start developing a taste for birding and nature recording on the
local communities at the remote locality where I currently live (the
Pantanal of Brazil). So, if I manage to put together recording and birding
gear at low cost, this might enable these people to ocasionally buy some
stuff of their own (or get sponsors).
I recall a post from someone (I guess from Central America) some months ago,
who was also seeking for low-cost gear to use with local communities.
********************************************
John V. Moore:
I use the HHB Portadisc MD but always keep a Sony TCM 5000 as a back-up. I
have many extra battery packs for the battery eating HHB. For mics..Telinga
Parabolic set up with single Sennheiser MKH 20 P 48 mic which runs off the
phantom
power of the HHB. I could use about 5-10 more dB gain at times. Back-ups are
ME 66 and 67 Sennheisers..hand held. My goal is not pristine beautiful
recordings (although I love it when this happens), but representative
vocalizations
of a publishable quality. I have to have the recorder ready for immediate
recording and this is why I use so many batteries with the Portadisc. I use
rechargeables NiMH and have a MH C777 Universal charger as well as the
Portadisc for
recharging. So far, so good.
**********************************************************
Jim Morgan:
mic - Two Telinga Twin science with a Telinga wind screen - recorder - four
Sony MiniDisc MZ-R50
and one MZ-R55. Also a 32" Greg
Clark dish that needs a full time mic.
A mounting bar that adapts to a tripod and holds a Telinga mic and a
spotting scope for observing & verification of the bird being
recorded.
************************************************
Vicki Powys:
Australia
OK here's my equipment list:
* Aiwa microcassette only used for playback now (was my first recorder).
* Sony Walkman WMD6C as a backup recorder (was my second recorder). Runs on
4 AA batteries that last for absolutely ages.
* Sony TCD D10 Pro DAT recorder, I've had no problems with it thus far,
great sound (batteries can be recharged from car lighter plug or 240v).
Sadly becoming redundant??
* HHB DAT tapes (reliable)
* Sennheiser ME67 for mono, homemade windscreen, homemade monopod with
pan-tilt head (ME mics are good value for money)
* Sennheiser ME64 x 2 for ORTF stereo (i.e. mics are used "open", 110
degrees, heads 17 inches apart, nice spacious stereo sound, better than with
the mics used "crossed"). Used with homemade windscreen, mounted on a
homemade monopod.
* Sony ECM MS5 one point stereo mic for travelling (nice sound if you are
close to the calling wildlife, somewhat susceptible to static in damp/humid
conditions).
* iMac computer, earlier model, 16 bit sound, running OS 9
* Peak software (fantastic, and simple to use for stereo editing). Sound is
transferred into the computer via analogue leads.
* Waves Q10 VST plug in for occasional filtering
* Toast for making CDs
* Sony lightweight open-air headphones when recording in the field so's I
can hear what is happening around me
* Sennheiser HD 570 headphones for indoors, very comfortable, good sound
On my wish list is a pocketable minidisc for a backup recorder, e.g. Sharp
DR7 or its successor. Shoulder-mounted or binaural headphone mics might be
interesting too!
****************************************************************************
***********
Dan Seven:
Equipment in use here is HHB Portadisc recorder w/spare battery
packs, Sony MZ-R37 w/ECM-DS70P mic, excellent portable setup...this is
where other larger recorders fall short. It fits into a fanny pack with
extra batteries and discs and comes in very handy....MKH 815T Shotgun
mic, ME80 Short Shotgun, Sony ECM's w/Sony 810 Pro wireless sets(3),
Foam windscreens,
Shure FP32 mixer/pre..can provide T power for long shotgun mic. I like
AKG 240 headphones, have Senns as well.
Sony JA3ES minidisc deck in rack with PSB speakers and Bryston
.5B Preamp and 2b Pro amps..PC with Adobe Audition.
The usual cabling and connectors and tripods..A Sony Parabolic
Mic which I find does not work really nearly as well as the 815T. It is
possible however to clamp the R37 with mic attached into its dynamic
mic holder in its entirety for a cable free portable setup..quite
susceptible to wind I could add, but it does work.
Am looking for more mics as well as a larger battery pack
(Nicad) for HHB. It does use up some battery.
***********************************************************
Raven Simons:
Here's my gear list:
Sony ECM MS 957 stereo mic
Sony MZ55 minidisc recorder
Sony 7506 headphones
small tripod
cables
homemade windscreen
Winnie the Pooh back pack or blue jean jacket with big pockets
to haul it all around in
*******************************************************************
Martyn Stewart:
Telinga Stereo Dat, Twin Science and dish (for species recording)
Sennheiser mics MKH 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 110
AT 4071A Shotgun
Marantz PMD-670 Flashcard recorder
HHB Portadisk (yet to be beat)
Tascam DP-1 Dat recorder (Not used much now)
Sharp DR-7 Minidisk (very handy pocket recorder)
2 X Sure ECM-44 (Great ambient recording mics as per Bernie Kraus)
Sennheiser EW-500 transmitter and receiver (I can sit in the car on
Mozzie days)
***********************************************************
Walt Knapp:
Let's see: In the Ranger, my "regular set", goes on every recording
trip.
Recorder: HHb Portadisc (not a battery hog, excellent recorder)
Lives
in a PortaBrace case, the one they make specifically for it. Case has
room for spare battery caddy, 6 extra minidiscs, and a thick pack of
my
field cards. In addition to the Portadisc.
Preamp, used occasionally: Sound Devices MP-2 with cables to match to
the Portadisc and mics (I use a 15dB attenuating cable set between it
and the Portadisc). Also lives in a PortaBrace case, the one for it.
Keep nimh battery pairs for it in the case. But there is lots of
unused
room. The MP-2 can provide M/S decoding in the field for the
headphones
without messing with the M/S being recorded.
Microphones:
1) Telinga Pro VI with DAT Stereo mic element (that's the latest
handle,
runs off phantom power and has a removable cable in my 5 pin stereo
system) Also has the rycote windscreen. In season lives loose on top
of
things in the Ranger when not in use. I have the dual science mic,
but
hardly ever use it. Even scientific survey recordings are better done
in
stereo.
2) SASS/MKH-20 and SASS/MKH-110 (modified SASS as per Lang's design
idea, my machining, both with Crown's windscreen, and handmade fur
cover)
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_mod_sass.html
These each in plastic bins from the container store.
3) MKH-40/30, MKH-60/30 & MKH-80/80 M/S mics. (mixture of rycote and
sennheiser windscreens/suspensions/fur)
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/docs/my_ms_setups.html
All three in one craftstore plastic bin, still looking for storage
just
the right size.
Headphones: Sony MDR-V900 (two pair along)
Cables: Canare star quad cables, Neutric X-HD series waterproof heavy
duty XLR connectors, I make my own cables. All the above systems are
adapted via Y cables or such like to a 5-pin XLR stereo system, with
Y
cables at the recorder end to break the channels back out. Saves
cable
clutter. The star quad is used with both channels in the 4 conductors
of
the star quad, which negates some of the interference resistance of
the
cable, but not a big problem for nature recording. I've cables from
5'
for hand held up to about 100'. This and more small stuff in a
PortaBrace large run bag.
Support: Two unknown brand lighting tripods. For heights up to 19'
with
the newer one I just got. The original one is good for about 15' and
is
heavier duty:
http://wwknapp.home.mindspring.com/tall.tripod.1.jpg
Use adapters I custom machined to attach the mics.
Sound Meter: Extech 407750
Location: Garmin Street Pilot III loaded with detailed maps in it's
removable memory. Don't forget to document what you record. Backed up
by
a Delorme Gazetteer, the Garmin is not good for looking at the larger
picture. These normally live on the Ranger dash.
Weather: Kestrel 4000 (measures just about any weather parameter),
also
have a no name digital thermometer that has a magnet so can be
plunked
on the outside of the ranger for a quick reading.
Lighting: Petzl LED/incandescent dual headlamps, several maglights
and a
couple newer high intensity LED flashlights. Recording frogs is a
nightime activity. A sackfull of nimh batteries, organized in sets,
managed on a charge schedule. Also onboard chargers for everything,
some
12volt, the rest run off a small Radio Shack inverter. There are 7
power
outlets I put on the Ranger dash to handle it all.
Transport: It all is carted by a 2000 Ranger 4x4 supercab 4 door
pickup
with a Leer high top canopy. Which has a Tule luggage carrier and
kayak
mounts on the bars on top (The kayak I use is a Ocean
Kayak "Drifter",
though I have a couple others I could use). The Ranger is also my
home
and sleeping quarters on foray.
http://frogrecordist.home.mindspring.com/naturerecordists/Ranger.jpg
Note the Ranger is wired with Sony MD changer and Sony MD/radio unit
networked together with a Sony link unit. With line in capability to
play from other sources. Record a MD, play it on the way back home.
Or
as many as 7 without having to change any. Used mostly for music on
the
run to and from recording sites. Could easily be set up for playback,
some could be done just by opening all 4 doors.
That does not count the biologist gear. Swift Field microscope, nets,
snake hooks, boots, sample bottles, critter keepers and so on. Nor
the
Palm Tungten C which contains my database, photos, ID sound samples
and
assorted other data nice to have along. (and a computer scanner to
diagnose the Ranger's computer) Nor does it get into the digital
camera
gear. Or food, clothes, sleeping equipment, tools and so on.
Also have at home:
Two MKH-816's, MKH-70, some more MKH-110's, two Sennheiser 1000
digital
wireless setups. A couple hydrophones, and a number of lessor mics
like
the Sony ECM-MS957, A unmodified SASS, a early Sennheiser binaural
head. And lots of assorted other misc. Still waiting completion of
setups, or like the two Sony MZ-R30's replaced. Some goes along with
me
sometimes.
Is any of this my Favorite? It's what I use currently, and in some
cases
I believe it's the best for me, and probably for many others. But
something could come along tomorrow that would be better. That does
not
mean I'd get it, but it does mean that favorite may be too strong a
word.
***********************************************************
J Young:
HHB Portadisc (the battery monster)
Sony MZ-R30
MZ-R50
MZ-R55 player/recorders
Telinga Stereo-DAT mic
EM-23 ??
Parabolic dish
Sennheiser K6, ME 64
K6, ME 67
MKH 110
Homemade windscreens, designs of which are always in flux.
All stored and most carried in PortaBrace packs.
There you have it, the whole kit. I'd love to find one more MKH 110.
If anyone has one too many ...
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