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Re: FR2 vs FR2-LE

Subject: Re: FR2 vs FR2-LE
From: "Max Catterwell" oatcruncher
Date: Mon Aug 3, 2009 2:11 pm ((PDT))
Hi Rob,
Thank YOU for doing the tech bit! The 'movie' was very enlightening.
It's certainly given me food for thought. I'm obviously disappointed in the=
 lower gain of the FR2, and having read your comments about the lower-mid r=
ange noise issues and their impact upon spatial cue clarity, I may re-think=
 my priorities.
It will certainly be interesting if, as you suggest may happen, other recor=
dists re-examine their work done with the FR2 and find vagaries that could =
relate to this experiment.
But for now hmmm, let me think....... HD-P2 any advantage over FR2-LE?

All the best
Max


> Hi Max--
> Interesting test. Thanks for conducting it!
>
> As you and I have started discussing off-list, the most significant
> difference between the two test recordings is a warm airyness (from
> 200-2000Hz) that is in the FR2's recording that is not in the
> FR2-LE's recording.
>
> To view the test movie in your web browser: http://tinyurl.com/nbnvf6 (1.=
5 mb)
> to download http://tinyurl.com/neea97 and view with QuickTime (1.5 mb)
>
> Audio Technica AT-3032 mics were used; max gain and no trim used in
> both recorders. The FR2 sample comes first. Playback volume is
> matched in post.
>
> (If anyone on PC has success viewing the downloaded movie with an
> application other than QT, could you contact me off list?)
>
> As we are reasonably sure that the added sound is not
> "environmental"-- that is-- NOT being created in the space by
> something like air-handling equipment, then its likely to be FR2 pre
> noise occurring low in the spectrum. The additional noise would be
> consistent with John's input noise measurements-122 dBU (A) for the
> FR2 and -129 dBu (A) for the Fr2-LE. Though noise this low into the
> audio spectrum is fairly unusual and it is surprising to me that no
> one has pointed it out in the FR2 before, we also observed a similar
> problem with the pre in the Olympus LS-10.
>
> I bet we'll come across some evidence generated by other recordist
> that will either make us 99% confident about this or we'll discover
> some factors we overlooked. But, if the test and assessment _are_
> on-target, and one is using the recorder under high gain situations
> with the 3032 mics [or those with self-noise of around 14dB(A) or
> lower], the FR2-LE's mic preamp should render considerably greater
> clarity in the lower mid range. This part of the spectrum can play a
> large role in creating important spatial cues in recordings where a
> sense of "ambience" is desired.
>
> The noise in the highest octaves is so matched, audibly, that I
> suspect we're hearing the self-noise of the AT-3032 mics. There could
> be a tiny bit better HF response in the FR2-LE. The FR2 seems to have
> about 6 dB less gain for recordists to work with.
>
> Quite often, recorder manufacturers claim they've made improvements
> in noise performance in newer models but we have a hard time
> confirming this in the field. In this case, even though Fostex didn't
> seem to make such an announcement, its looking like there's a pretty
> good chance they addressed some mic preamp noise issues with the FR2
> when designing the FR2-LE. A beauty of a list like this is we're more
> likely to hear about it if another recordist comes across additional
> evidence.
>
> The test also points out that its probably safer to operate on DC
> power for critical recordings rather than assume the AC power unit
> won't contribute some noise.
>
> Rob D.
>








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