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RE: draft procedure for amateur recording in parks, v. 2

Subject: RE: draft procedure for amateur recording in parks, v. 2
From: Rob Danielson <>
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 10:21:24 -0500
At 10:05 AM -0500 8/31/05, Gene Dorcas wrote:
>Thank you so much for your efforts. We've needed this. While I'm still a
>newbie I can appreciate a benchmark that I can use when purchasing and using
>my recording equipment.
>
>I am currently using a NH900 and RH10 as recorders and 2 sets of 183's.  I
>wish for the financial ability to purchase MKH quality but it's nice to know
>that my rig falls within the specs as you've listed here.
>
>I have 2 sets of 183's.  One pair is used as binaural for ambience recording
>and the other pair is in a DIY parabolic.  My current need is a pre or other
>way to attenuate the signals from my parabolic pair. It frequently over
>drives my recorder(s). I have to set the mic sensitivity to "LOW".

Thats a very good way to attenuate your mic signals (with these 
HiMD's) unless you can see the caps are topping out in the dish.

>  I
>recognize the MP2 as sort of a standard pre but my question is - does the
>current model, Sound Design "MixPre" sufficiently replace the Mp2.
>Thank,
>Gene

Not sure I understand where the ext pre would be used. There's little 
or nothing to gain running  183's through a external pre prior to the 
HiMD's.

The Mixpre and MP2 are very, very similar. The later has the ability 
to monitor M-S micing in the headphones (with or without encoding). 
The Mixpre can be used to mix the L&R signals or even send both only 
to one channel. The Mixpre has a non standard eternal power 
connector. I like the mp2 better, but you'd be happy with a MixPre, 
unless you plan to do a lot of MS micing someday. Same unit, audio 
performance and sound-wise.  They do show up used. Rob D.


>-----Original Message-----
>From: 
> On Behalf Of Dan Dugan
>Sent: Saturday, August 27, 2005 1:56 PM
>To: Nature Recordists
>Subject: [Nature Recordists] draft procedure for amateur recording in parks,
>v. 2
>
>Dear friends, this is what we're doing in Muir Woods. Your comments
>will be appreciated.
>
>-Dan Dugan
>
>Recording Protocol for Soundscape Monitoring
>Version 2.0 (Draft)
>
>This is an attempt to set standards for audio recording in
>conjunction with attended soundscape monitoring, so that the work of
>different recordists will be comparable.
>
>Format
>       Stereo digital audio.
>
>Microphones
>       Type: condensor.
>       Frequency response: at least 40Hz to 16KHz
>       Equivalent noise: lower than 25 dBA (signal to noise 69 dB or
>better).
>       Effective windscreens are essential. Manufacturer-provided
>foam windscreens are inadequate for outdoor work. Good windscreens
>can be home-made.
>       Shockmounts are highly desirable, especially if hand-held.
>
>Stereo Microphone Arrays (listed in the order of preference, best first)
>       A: Spaced omnidirectional mics with barrier: Jecklin disc,
>shoulder mounts, head-worn quasi-binaural, lavs tied around a tree.
>       B: ORTF array (cardioids spaced 17cm, splayed at 110 degrees).
>       C:  One-point stereo mic X-Y or M-S.
>       Highly directional types like shotgun or parabolic dish are
>not applicable for soundscape recording.
>
>Recorders
>       Any digital audio recorder with adequately quiet mic preamps.
>MiniDisc, Compact Flash or hard drive are all good. A record level
>control with steps is a plus. Some kind of scale on the record gain
>control (at least 0-10) is necessary for repeatability.
>
>Recording Level
>       To establish a starting point, hold the microphone at arms
>length, sensitive side facing you. Speak normally to a person near
>you. Set the recording gain so that the peaks don't exceed a level of
>-5dB on the recorder's meter. This gain will work for quiet
>environments. Loud sounds will require lower gains.
>
>Calibration
>       An affordable scheme for calibrating field recording outfits
>is being sought. Here is one proposal:
>       Terminology: "Recording Gain" is the setting of the recorder.
>"Recording Level" is the reading of the recorder's peak meter.
>       Equipment: A digital audio workstation with speakers, a sound
>level meter, the recording outfit to be calibrated.
>       Procedure:
>1) Prepare a stereo track of pink noise. Make the channels
>uncorrelated if possible.
>2) Filter the track with a high-pass at 200Hz and a low-pass at 2000Hz.
>3) Play the track and read the sound level meter while adjusting the
>monitor level to 65dBA (slow) at a normal listening position
>(measuring position).
>4) Place your mic precisely at the measuring position and adjust the
>recording gain so that the recorder's peak meter reads -5dB (this is
>dBFS, meaning "decibels full-scale").
>5) Note your recorder's gain setting. Use this as a standard gain for
>recording in quiet places.
>6) Make a one-minute recording of this calibration noise. Save it to
>calibrate transfers later.
>
>Slates
>       Each take should have a voice announcement (slate) at the
>head or tail including:
>               Recordist's name
>               Date
>               Time
>               Location
>               Weather and wind conditions
>               Microphone(s) model number
>               Recorder model number
>               Recorder gain setting
>                          Optional description of the scene and the
>sound sources you can identify, observed wildlife behavior.
>
>Monitoring
>       Recording should always be monitored on headphones except
>when doing simultaneous attended logging. Attended logging must be
>done with naked ears.
>
>Delivery
>       Make a CD with a track for each monitoring location. Five
>fifteen-minute locations with one-minute slates will just fit on an
>80-minute CDR. Write your name, the date and the time-slot on the
>disc with a list of tracks.
>       Tape a Tyvek CD sleeve inside a standard file folder. Write
>the slate and track information on the outside of the folder. Put a
>code number on the folder tab: YYMMDD-T (year-month-day, time slot;
>example 050720-night)
>
>
>
>
>"Microphones are not ears,
>Loudspeakers are not birds,
>A listening room is not nature."
>Klas Strandberg
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>"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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