Debbie-
I think I love recording too much to be yet considered a pro. Tim has
marched you right up to the horns of the dilemma quite well. The FELS
Mic Booster, as used in the test, can probably give a MS957 about all
the help one can give it. Depending on the type of recording you need
to do, you could consider a pair Shure 183' omnis at $200 a pair (You
actually buy these mics as parts and the modification requires some
soldering. Search the list archives for "183" for more info ). You
can use the .mov test just posted to judge these differences. Note
that some people prefer more directional mics for bird recording and
parabolic "dish" mics are very popular too. The 183 works well in
parabola.
A considerable jump in quality would be to mics with much lower self
noise and high output, if possible . I'm not familiar with all of the
mic options that will run on power in plug (PIP) form your MD mic
input jack or from their own battery power. The EM-23 by Telinga is
one PIP choice and the "ME" series of battery-powered Sennheiser
mics have low noise and high output. I wish there was a complete list
to direct you to. Maybe others can chime in with suggestions of mics
with low noise and high output that are PIP or self powered? Here's
a chart and a spreadsheet that I started a while back that has fallen
a bit out of date:
http://www.uwm.edu/~type/NatRecordistMicList/MicSpreadsheet.xls
Another way is to get around the MD mic preamp with an external mic
preamp and connect to the MD's line input. Low noise preamps that
run on batteries and provide phantom power for a large range of
condenser mic options are pricey. I wish it weren't true, but it been
that way for some years. The newest mid range recorders don't seem to
be improving the quality in the mic preamp quality department much,
if at all. I agree with Tim that the inexpensive outboard pre units
probably won't help much. The lowest cost sure bet, the Sound
Devices MP2 used in the test has been replaced by the "Mix Pre" now--
which I see has recently undergone another price increase (yikes!).
I've seen MP2's on eBay for ~US$500. Adding condenser mics to take
advantage of this quality would be another pretty penny $200-$1200
each.
Or, you can buy a recorder with a better quality, phantom power mic
preamp in it like the HHb Portadisc. The new Marantz 671 _might_ have
a mic pre that will deliver some quality improvements. If this makes
the water muddier, keep coming with questions. Rob D.
=3D =3D =3D
At 5:28 PM -0700 4/20/05, Debbi B wrote:
>For us non-pros who want as good quality recording as we can get with the
>given equipment (Sony MZ-R50, MZ-NH1 as yet untried, ECM-MS957 mic plus
>some yet to be determined higher sensitivity stereo mic, in my case), what
>as-small-as-possible available preamp would you recommend for quiet sounds
>(night sounds, birdsong, insects as so forth)?
>Thanks for any input.
>
>Debbi
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>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
--
Rob Danielson
Film Department
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
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