At 5:41 PM +0300 5/26/09, Valsamakis Nikolas wrote:
>Hi naturerecordists!
>
>I'm interested in a portable solid state recorder for recording
>soundscapes as a second unit along my SD722/Sennheiser rig.
>I want to carry it with me most of the time so its main use will be as
>a standalone device with its onboard microphones.
>I've read many reviews and tests but all of them comparing pre-amp
>quality, recording time using phantom power ets.
>I cannot find any comparison on the quality of the onboard microphones.
>I'm mainly interested in noise performance / dynamic range / detail /
>stereo image / directivity / wind sensitivity using the internal
>microphones
>Do you have any recommendation/comments on which is the best portable
>recorders concerning microphone quality / size & weight? (I'm mainly
>interested but not restricted in the sub-600 euros category)
>
>thank you
>
>Nikolas
>
Hi Nikolas & welcome to the list!
For nature recording purposes, there may be minimal performance
differences between the built-in mic/arrays of the pocket recorders.
The capsules are lower-cost electret mics designed for recording
close, robust sound sources. The stereo arrays are typically X-Y
coincident or near coincident. If you search on line, there are some
effective DIY wind "socks" that recordists have made, but I wouldn't
expect the wind protection the manufacturers provide to be sufficient
outdoors. Many recorders engage low-end filtering with the built-in
mics to lessen wind and handling "noise," but this lowers fidelity.
Most significantly, for distant sound sources in quieter locations,
the greater amount of "self-noise" introduced by the built-in mic
capsules will cover up or mask a good deal of "detail" in the
settings compared to low-noise mics. I personally shy away from
using X-Y arrays for distant subjects because the lateral spread is
minimal; the sounds tend to become clumped together in the center of
the field compared to other array options.
If you are planning to invest in good mics eventually, I've noticed
that quite a few recordists are happy with their Sony PCM-D50's. One
can use the built-in mics for sound note-taking in the field and for
close-micing robust sound sources like voice and music. For high
quality recordings in quiet locations, the input noise of the D50's
pre is low enough that with the addition of $60-$80USD portable
phantom power supply, the performance of the very low-noise condenser
mics will not be compromised. This cannot be said of most of the
pocket recorders. The LS-10 is on the threshold od such performance
with an input noise measurement of -122 dBU (see column 5
http://www.uwm.edu/~type/audio-reports/RecorderList/RecorderList.htm).
The noise is more audible than the spec suggests.
I'm sure one can hear some subtle noise and imaging differences
between the pocket recorders, but I wouldn't make my final decision
based on built-in mic performance. After mic pre performance, next
on my priority list would be continuous recording ability, reliable
file creation under low power conditions and ease of operation
factors. If the built-in mics prove to be lackluster, one can make
better mics/arrays for well under $30 each and its engaging and fun.
Rob D.
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