At 2:13 PM +0000 5/13/09, Steve Pelikan wrote:
>I've got a problem that's proving hard to track down because it is
>intermittent. Basically, static turns up in one channel of stereo
>recordings every once in a while. I'll describe this briefly here
>and post a few details (sonogram of static onset) at
>
><http://math.uc.edu/~pelikan/eg.html>http://math.uc.edu/~pelikan/eg.html
>
>My hope is that someone here with more experience will be able to
>save me a lot of time with a comment like "Oh yes... that turns up
>every once in a while and is usually caused by..."
>
>The problem (static sounds in one channel) occurs with an MHK omni
>microphone and an SD 702 recorder that also powers the microphone.
>It seems to turn up about once every 1-10+ hours of recording:static
>suddenly appears in one (left) track of the recording and slowly,
>over a couple minutes, disappears. It also seems to go away if I turn
>the power off and on again. I've got examples that have occurred
>while I was meters
>away from the recorder and certainly wasn't manipulating controls,
>cables, etc. Thus far I've always had the same mic on the left track.
>
>I have swapped cables around and believe I now know that the
>problem is either (a) with the microphone on the left track (b) with
>the left channel of the recorder or (c) with the interaction between
>the two.
>
>So far I've always used this microphone on the left track. I
>haven't observed the problem when using the microphone with a Tascam
>DAT recorder, but only have about 2 hours of that.
>
>My next test is to put the suspect microphone on the other channel
>and wait to see if the problem reappears. As you can imagine,
>that'll be a PITA (pain in the ...).
>
>Can anyone suggest what the problem is based on their experience
>with this sort of equipment? Or propose a means to possibly make the
>problem_ less_ intermittent and thus easier to identify?
>
>Thank you very much in advance for your advice, suggestions!
>
>Steve P
Hi Steve--
Excellent trouble-shooting procedure and assessment on your part
already. Sounds like basic condenser mic "fizz" to me. The quick
onset in the sample has me wondering if it could be an interaction as
you say. I'd send this clip to SD, see what they say.
Sennheiser will replace the capacitors in the mic for about $70.
Might be good to go ahead and have them do that. Then you can return
to left ch use and move to right ch use if it persists. Then, should
you still have the issue, you've built a case for the recorder. Rob D.
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