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Re: Recording "Hiss"

Subject: Re: Recording "Hiss"
From: "Steve Pelikan" pelikan45224
Date: Thu May 31, 2007 12:28 pm ((PDT))
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Is this anything other than regular old noise? The MKH30 is listed as
having a self noise of 13 dB(A) and a sensitivity of  25 mV/Pa. The
ME-62 (that some have comment on as having too much noise for recording
quiet ambiances) are listed as 15 dB(A) and 31 mV/Pa.

That doesn't seem like a very big difference to me; I'd expect them to
sound pretty much the same in that one would have  unacceptable noise if
the other did.

So perhaps the "hiss" discussed in this thread is typical self-noise? Or
could someone try to explain the difference to me?

Thanks,
Steve P

wildlifeanalysis wrote:
> The Sennheisers definitely have noise too. What I have noticed in
> some of the recordings I took with them is that the high frequency
> hiss is suppressed during a loud sound event - especially when
> recording in very very quiet environments. Its as if the diaphrams,
> without excitation, produce a self-noise in the upper registers.
> Again though, this is with an overzealous setting on the trim. Again,
> the sound of silence is the noise of the capture devices.
>
> Walter K posted some recordings comparing mic setups a couple weeks
> back and the recording with the 30/40 pair has this hiss. I found the
> recording using the MKH's the clearest, but also with the most high
> frequency noise. This conflicts with all accounts of the MKH's from
> the web, this list, and the professionals. Basically, the MKH's are
> supposed to be the quietest. I will scour the list for other posted
> examples.
>
> If the Sennheisers are making unruly noise (and its not necessarily
> poor 'tape' saturation), there are really only a couple of things
> that could be wrong. 1) We are not using them correctly or 2) the
> diaphrams we got are not so good.
>
> Actually the last possibilty is that this is the state of the art.
>
> It looks like this weekend is the time for testing.
>
>
>
>
> --- In  evs <> wrote:
>> Hi David,
>>
>> interesting to hear that, i planned to make a similar topic, and i
>> will, with some sound examples, because i really want to know if
> this
>> is normal...
>> i also use a mkh30/40 combination, but with the sound devices 702.
>> and i often record VERY subtle sounds.
>> and i always have a Hiss on my recordings. Sometimes i also record
>> room tones, which is recording a silent room.
>> then you definitly hear this hiss. seems to be a sennheiser issue,
>> NOT a preamp issue, as i had this with different mkh mics and with
>> different mic pre amps.
>> or i just was unlucky all the time and had broken mkh mics, bought
>> new but broken mkh mics, or i=B4m making something terrible wrong...
>>
>> when i have time the next days i will load some sounds up, and
> start
>> a new topic on this.
>> the mkh mics are really great, but this bothers me..
>>
>> all the best
>> emil
>>
>> Am 29.05.2007 um 16:19 schrieb wildlifeanalysis:
>>
>>> Hello
>>>
>>> Listening back to some recent recordings, I am noticing hiss. The
>>> recordings were taken on a pond where it was very very quiet. It
> is
>>> the beginning of the season and there are no insects to speak of.
> At
>>> the moment I do not have the measured frequency range of the
> hiss, but
>>> it is in the upper mids/ lower highs. I believe this hiss is
> fairly
>>> typical with condenser mics (in my limited experience) and perhaps
>>> with electronic audio gear in general.
>>>
>>> The rig I am using is an MKH30/40 pair -> Fostex FR2LE. No preamp
>>> other than the one built into the FR2LE. The trim and the input
> knobs
>>> on the FR2LE were set to their maximums to get a decent saturation
>>> (which is probably my first clue). Maxing out these settings were
> also
>>> necessary in louder environments.
>>>
>>> So here is the question(s): Is this hiss generated by the mics,
> the
>>> preamps, or both? Would adding a good preamp to get a better
>>> saturation help reduce the affects of this hiss?
>>>
>>> I do not have other gear to do any mashup testing, so any advice
> from
>>> those with more experience would be greatly appreciated. My hunch
> is
>>> that the FR2LE preamps are either not clean enough or are not
> powerful
>>> enough when using an MKH pair considering all the postings (and
> specs)
>>> I have seen touting the low self noise of the mics.
>>>
>>> Best
>>> David
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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