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Re: Olympus LS-10 reviews

Subject: Re: Olympus LS-10 reviews
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_audio
Date: Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:32 am ((PDT))
At 1:52 PM +0000 6/30/08, oryoki2000 wrote:
>Rob Danielson wrote:
>
>>  [Leonard Leonardo] suggests using an...external pre
>>  for critical recordings.
>
>This is good advice for all pocket-size recorders I've looked at,
>minidisc included. The operative word is "critical."


Maybe we should try to include a qualifying phrase like, "for point 
and shoot recording" when we talk about these recorders? I've noticed 
that people are starting to talk about LS-10 as the new miracle 
recorder and its a noticeable drop in noise performance from Hi-MD.

Its a very common mistake for newcomers to go out and pick-up a handy 
recorder before looking at their the recording system investment. I'm 
interested in helping people who want to be able to make high quality 
recordings or people who want to start off with a system they can 
grow into, not out of.  I'm not trying to address ways to make 
quality compromises or applications such as recording in loud 
settings and robust sound sources.  This info is readily available.

For recording ambience in quiet locations (and all less critical 
situations) I feel that buying an external mic preamp to off-set a 
noisy mic preamp in the recorder is usually NOT the best investment. 
Consider these higher quality, "budget" _system_ prices:

In terms of mic pre noise performance:

Very Very Good (no audible Mic Preamp noise)
2 AT3032 mics
Fostex FR2-LE
$900 USD Total

Very Very Good (no audible Mic Preamp noise)
2 AT3032 mics
LS-10
Very Low Noise External Mic Pre with phantom power $550 - $1500
$1100 USD+

Acceptable? (slight amount pre noise)
2- AT3032 mics
RH-1 Hi-MD
Rolls PB224 Phantom Power Supply
$750 USD

Less Acceptable?? (~3dB more audible pre noise than Hi-MD)
2- AT3032 mics
Rolls PB224 Phantom Power Supply
LS-10
$750 USD


>Leonard designs and sells small battery-powered preamps,
>but I don't think this influenced his review too much.

As a audio designer and engineer, Leonard definitely considers a much 
large picture than many sales people do. However, in addressing the 
LS-10's mic input noise, adding another component is not as elegant 
or cost-efficient as choosing a recorder suited for the stated job of 
critical recording.

>
><<http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/olympus-ls-10-review.html>http://www.wingfieldaudio.com/olympus-ls-10-review.html>
>>  Impressive layout in "samples" section but none of the samples are
>>  far field and high gain. I couldn't find what mics are used.
>
>The recordings on the Wingfield site are all made using
>the recorder's internal microphones.

Oh my gosh,... I hope that newcomers interested in nature recording 
start off reading our list before acting upon these reviews! Rob D.

>--oryoki



-- 






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