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Re: Recording on a Minidisc

Subject: Re: Recording on a Minidisc
From: Dan Dugan <>
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 10:21:16 -0800
S=E9bastien Boulanger-Gagnon, you wrote,

>I am frequently doing field recording for my
>electroacoustic music compositions (acousmatic
>music). I usually borrow or rent a Tascam DA-P1,
>which I think gives a very good sound (not too
>crisp or clean/cold).

With any digital recorder, the tonal quality of
your recording will depend almost entirely on the
microphone.

>I am now thinking about buying a Minidisc which
>would be easy to carry and not costly (probably
>a used one).
>I saw one with a line input the other day and
>tried to find the most information about doing
>field recording with it.

That would work with an external mic preamp, but
it's more convenient to get one that has mic
inputs.

>Some of you probably use this kind of equipement, so:
>
>- Is it true that it's better to use a battery
>pack for the mic and record trough the line
>input ? If so almost any low-cost Minidisc can
>be used ... ?

Putting the mic into the line input is only
practical for loud sources, like rock concert
taping. Nature sounds are quiet and you need a
mic preamp, either external or in the recorder.

>- Knowing that some nature recordists have said
>that Minidisc should not be used for nature
>recordings (that even a cassette recorder would
>be better),

Minidisc gives a higher-fidelity recording than
cassette, more reliability in the field than DAT,
and longer archival life than DAT or cassette.

>do you consider this kind of equipement being
>more gadget-type or being a low-cost solution ?

Definitely a low-cost solution, one that enables
you to put more money into the mics, where it
makes the most difference. I use the Sharp MD
recorders.

-Dan Dugan


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