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Re: Wish to record nature sounds - need advice please

Subject: Re: Wish to record nature sounds - need advice please
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 11:33:00 -0500
From: Syd Curtis <>

> 
> Re the posting below, alas I lack technical knowledge, but I have one
> advantage over Walter - I use an NT4.  Two items of advice: it is a very
> sensitive mic. - sensitive to any air movement or any mechanical movement.
> 
> I can endorse the advice that the foam cover is not useful outdoors.   I was
> recording in a forest situation on the edge of a scarp with a very steep
> drop in front of me.  Just after daylight, and there was a slight drift of
> cold mountain air to the valley below.  One could hardly call it a breeze,
> but it was enough to affect the mic.  Draping my handkerchief over the back
> of the foam cover solved the problem, though it brought another - the
> handkerchief attracted mosquitoes.  However, that indicates how sensitive
> the mic is to air movement.   A fully enclosed windshield solved the
> problem.

What is your opinion of the moisture tolerance of this mic? Some report 
it as not very good in moist environments. Like just about everywhere I 
record.

> 
> And the mic won't, in my experience, tolerate any movement at all of the
> cable where it connects to the mic.  I imagine it would be simple for
> someone with Walt's skills to build a set-up that immobilises the cable and
> allows the mic to be hand-held.  I took the easy way out: mic mounted on a
> tripod and a cable long enough to place my recorder on the ground and be
> sure of no movement at all of the cable.

Rycote has some special mic cord links available as part of their 
suspension system that should work for this. Like all things Rycote they 
are awfully expensive. And rarely turn up used. For my mic systems I use 
the inner cables out of Canare snake cables. And then fabric cover 
those. But I'm dealing with mics that are not near as sensitive to 
handling. There is even lighter cable material available which could be 
used to make a custom link. Rycote's cable is not unique.

I'm also very practiced in holding mics to keep down handling noise. 
Unless I tried the mic I'd not know if I could hand hold it. It's really 
more, probably, of coming up with a first rate suspension for it. Then 
using light cable from the mic out of that. Couple that with good 
handling practice and it probably can be hand held.

To me this is a serious flaw in the mic's design. It probably means the 
capsules are hard mounted into the housing. That also has implications 
if you do something like drop the mic or bang it against something 
accidentally.

Walt




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